State House Speaker David Ralston announced Wednesday that lawmakers will begin accepting feedback about Georgia regulations from small business owners. The so-called “red tape watch” will collect any and all comments from the public. But Ralston says he’s especially on the lookout for complaints from residents who say state regulations are getting in the way of doing business.

State lawmakers are split over how to fix the HOPE college scholarship’s finances, with some pushing an income cap. By 2016, officials project the award will cover less than half of the University of Georgia’s tuition and fees. HOPE’s financial projections mean that scholarship recipients at UGA in 2016 would spend more from their own pockets than the award amount would provide.

The Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court says the state’s goal of boosting the number of so-called accountability courts will increase public safety. Justice Carol Hunstein made the remarks to the state legislature in her annual State of the Judiciary Wednesday. Chief Justice Hunstein says no one doubts that Georgia is tough on crime.

State Democrats want to repeal Georgia’s controversial immigration law. And they’re drafting several bills aimed at making state government more responsive and transparent. They unveiled their legislative agenda Tuesday at the state Capitol.

Georgia Tea Party groups warned legislators Thursday that there will be consequences if they don’t pass ethics reform this session. They joined a broad coalition of reform groups at the State Capitol to watch as two lawmakers filed a new ethics bill.