While the Florida State Legislature is enduring a power struggle over immigration, the Peach State appears to have a more concrete plan in alignment with President Donald Trump's (R) administration. Georgia Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R), the President of the Georgia State Senate, announced a war on fentanyl in lockstep with President Trump's administration. The Georgia Lt. Gov has introduced the Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act for the 2025 legislative session, with State Senator Russ Goodman (R-GA) sponsoring the legislation establishing "stiffer criminal penalties for fentanyl offenses."
The optics of this in comparison to Florida's current situation might have seemed confusing to residents of both states just a few years ago. While the hatchet seems to have been mostly buried, President Trump and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (R) have had a history that includes name-calling and accusations of RINO (Republican In Name Only) status.
However, it appears those fences have been mended.
Critics of Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) would argue, "Well, at least Gov. Kemp didn't try to run against President Trump in 2024." But as of now, it doesn't seem DeSantis is necessarily not in good graces with Trump either. Trump did in fact thank DeSantis for calling the Jan. 27 special session to address illegal immigration; a session that the state legislature gaveled in, gaveled out, and gaveled back into their own session.
Therefore, the disunity in the Florida GOP isn't really about Trump at all. But it is creating a roadblock to the efficiency and efficacy of the Trump agenda. Who's to blame for it is a matter of opinion.
Nevertheless, it appears the Republicans in Georgia are mostly unified around a concrete effort to help the Trump administration combat fentanyl trafficking in Georgia, and that is what Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is attempting to address.
Georgia's Lt. Gov. shared that this initiative will build upon the previous year's efforts in the state upper chamber and address fentanyl pushers "to the fullest extent of the law" in the Peach State.
“This Act continues efforts the Senate led on in 2024 to address fentanyl deaths in Georgia, with the passage of Austin’s Law. The proposed legislation complements our ongoing priority to combat opioid abuse across the state and to hold those who poison our communities with illicit substances like fentanyl accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Many of these criminals are bringing this poison across the border illegally," said the Georgia Lt. Gov.
Jones continued, stating that President Donald Trump's (R) administration will help Georgia "fight back" against this crisis.
"Georgia will continue to fight back. With the support of President Trump and the new Administration working tirelessly to secure the border, this is a fight we can and must win. This legislation and the enforcement of ‘Austin’s Law’ will help to prevent the senseless deaths of Georgians," concluded Jones.
According to Lt. Gov. Jones' press release, the Fentanyl Eradication and Removal Act was filed with the Secretary of Senate’s Office on Monday. The bill removes fentanyl from Georgia’s current statutes relating to possessing, selling, distributing, manufacturing, and trafficking opiates and creates a separate schedule of offenses specific to fentanyl and its related substances. The bill would go into effect on July 1, 2025, and would apply to criminal offenses committed on or after that date.
This move from the Lt. Gov. comes as the Trump administration is attempting to crack down on fentanyl from both the southern border with Mexico and the northern border with Canada.
After threatening tariffs with the two nations, President Trump received concessions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. They both agreed to put approximately 10,000 troops on their respective borders and the Canadians will put forth over $1 billion toward border enforcement.
