The H.A.L.T. Act, introduced by Council member Liliana Bakhtiari, would define and prohibit the city’s acquisition of armed autonomous technology. The measure covers devices such as weapon-equipped drones, robot dogs and military-style robots. It says AI systems are not sufficiently understood and that machine-based judgment should not replace decisions by trained Atlanta police officers.

“We’re not going to allow for robots with guns in Atlanta,” Bakhtiari said, adding that residents should not be used as “guinea pigs” for technology the city does not understand. The measure passed 15-0.

The council’s Starbucks resolution asks Atlanta, residents and neighboring municipalities to stop purchasing the company’s products until it reaches a fair union contract. It passed 11-3.

Starbucks employees who addressed the council said they are seeking better pay and workplace protections. Danielle Stolton, a 12-year company employee, said workers want to earn $17 an hour and accused the company of violating labor law and prioritizing profit over employees. She urged the council to support the boycott, saying, “No contract? No coffee.”

Council member Kelsea Bond said supporting the workers was a response to corporate power and a way to back union activity. Council member Alex Wan opposed the resolution, warning that a city-endorsed boycott was an overreach and could set a dangerous precedent. He noted that, apart from a 2022 measure supporting unionization, the council had not previously boycotted a business.

Council member Wayne Martin abstained, citing his past employment at Starbucks and ownership of company stock, while expressing support for the workers’ boycott. Similar boycott measures have passed in Philadelphia and St. Louis.

The votes came during a contentious council meeting that also included approval of a sale of the Atlanta Detention Center to Fulton County.