Republican Governor Nathan Deal began his inaugural speech yesterday talking about reforms to Georgia’s criminal justice system. The prominence of the issue gained some praise from Democrats. Faced with a shrinking state budget, Governor Deal said Georgia spends about 3 million dollars a day to run the Department of Corrections and he laid out the statistics.

Nathan Deal became Georgia's 82nd Governor today. In his inaugural speech he vowed to save the HOPE Scholarship for future generations. He also condemned the federal health care law and said Georgians need to be more responsible for their own health. He said government needs to be frugal and wise.

The snow didn’t deter lawmakers from getting to work today to start the 2011 legislation session. Most lawmakers made it to their seats to be sworn in. House Speaker Republican David Ralston says it was a day of cooperation among lawmakers and state agencies to get everyone to work, but they didn’t really have a choice.

In a surprise to many, Sonny Perdue won the governor's office in 2002, becoming the first Republican governor of Georgia since Reconstruction--and earning a second term in 2006.

Governor-elect Nathan Deal and the soon-to-be first lady of the state Sandra Deal received two cabbage patch kids made in their likeness. At the state capitol Friday, Deal adopted the dolls made in Cleveland Georgia, a city near his own hometown.