General Assembly Is Hard at Work
This week marked the completion of 11 legislative days for the 2015 Legislative Session. With 29 more days left to pass a balanced budget, vet legislation and welcome special guests, the Georgia General Assembly is hard at work for the citizens we’ve been elected to represent.
I was honored to welcome hundreds of brave firefighters to the Capitol in celebration of the Annual Firefighters Recognition Day. It was fitting to welcome Glenn Williams, Chief of the Flovilla Fire Department and Troy Reynolds, the Baldwin County Fire Chief.
These men and women put their lives on the line every day to protect us, our families and our loved ones, so it was fitting that they received such a warm welcome in the Senate Chamber.
This week, I chaired my first Banking and Financial Institutions Committee. While no legislation was on the calendar, we must hold the first meeting of the year to pass the committee rules and introduce the members. I am honored to serve as the chairman and look forward to working with my colleagues to produce sound, fiscally responsible legislation that protects our financial institutions.
I was also honored to meet with representatives from the Georgia Retirees Association at their annual legislative day on Wednesday.
I was even lucky enough to speak with a couple of representatives from Jackson. I commend the work this association does in keeping retirees and prospective retirees informed on policies and legislation that impacts various issues relating to retiree benefits and education.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed our second bill of the session by unanimous consent. Senate Bill 2 will further our education system by authorizing local boards of education to award a high school diploma to a student that completes certain requirements relating to postsecondary coursework.
The State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia will perform an annual evaluation of shortages in the workforce, and concentrate on creating training programs in those specific areas in order to produce highly trained and skilled workers. I am pleased to see that Georgia’s young adults will now have this special opportunity to maximize their education by training to join our workforce as skilled and talented members of society.
The Senate is also continuing to work toward a finalized version of the Fiscal Year 2015 Amended Budget, or “the little budget” as it is sometimes referred. Even though we are not in session Thursday and Friday, we are still working to make sure the state’s budget is being allocated carefully and responsibly.
The Senate Appropriations sub-committees have been, and will continue to meet to discuss budget details. The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to meet on February 9 to finalize the FY ’15 amended budget so it can make it to the Senate floor for a final vote.
We will return to the Gold Dome on Monday, Feb. 9 for day 12 of the Legislative Session. I remain committed to supporting policies that promote business growth and get Georgians back to work.
It remains a pleasure to serve you, the constituents of the 25th Senate District. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office at 404.656.0082 or via email at burt.jones@senate.ga.gov.