We have officially gaveled into the 2026 session, and with that comes one of the most important parts of my job: keeping you informed of the people's business under the Gold Dome.

With that, I'm ecstatic to unveil my newly renamed weekly newsletter: The Evans Examiner!

Meet our 2026 Legislative Team

You may have met him already, but I'm happy to say that my Chief of Staff, Elijah Johnson, will be joining me under the Gold Dome this session. I will be relying on the procedural knowledge he picked up from his time in the Georgia General Assembly Clerk's Office last session.

Sierra Hallett, my new Intern, will be joining me for what I anticipate being a jam-packed session. Sierra is an undergraduate student at UGA (Go Dawgs!) studying Human Development. Sierra hopes to have a career in Health Policy and is absolutely thrilled to learn about the legislative process. We're just as thrilled to have her aboard!

Setting the stage for this year’s Session

I had the privilege of sponsoring two wonderful events on the morning of the first day of session. First, an interfaith group, that featured clergy from many different faiths and different parts of Georgia who shared words of encouragement for bipartisan efforts and to put humanity over politics.

Next up was the ACLU of Georgia, the Indivisible Georgia Coalition, and ProGeorgia's joint event: Pack the Capitol. This was a call for civility. The message was clear. The good people of Georgia will not remain silent while innocent people—documented or undocumented—are harassed, abused, and killed, and they're here to hold their local leaders accountable.

Afternoon Orders

I joined my Democratic colleagues in the Well for an afternoon order addressing a very real and heavy topic— the tragedy of Renee Nicole Good.

Rep. Eric Bell gave life to what was on everyone's mind. Enforcing the law DOES NOT NECESSITATE CRUELTY. We MUST do better, because we CAN do better.

State of The State

Wednesday was the Governor's final State of The State address. Governor Kemp gave an outline of efforts he wanted to focus on, and I am excited to say that Georgia's first needs-based scholarship is on the agenda!

I have fought for this for over a decade, and I am ecstatic to be the strongest and loudest supporter of this effort going forward in this session. This truly could be a game changer for Georgians.

Cervical Cancer Day

Thursday, my office had the privilege of hosting the Susan Jolley Foundation for Cervical Cancer Awareness Day. We presented a resolution highlighting the importance of Cervical Cancer awareness. This issue is something near and dear to my heart, so I was elated to be given the honor or shining a light on this lethal issue.

What’s next?

Next week is budget week! This means we won't be on the House Chamber Floor to vote on bills until January 26th. We will all be hunkered down in committee rooms trying to determine where your hard-earned money goes. This is a great time to tune in so you can remain informed.

MLK Day - a Day On Not a Day Off

This long weekend honors the sacrifices and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King. I encourage you to treat this extra time as an opportunity to help better our community. Make Monday a day on, not a day off by volunteering your time. I've listed some great opportunities below.

📝 Help your neighbors file their taxes

🌱 Develop your green thumb and harvest some produce

🥫 Volunteer at a food pantry

🚯 Help clean up a neighborhood or park

👩‍💻 You can even volunteer from home