Session Begins
The second session of the 154th Georgia General Assembly kicked off this past week on a hectic Monday.
With UGA playing in an unfortunate College Football National Championship game, an event that President Trump attended, and the Capitol as busy as ever, the Georgia Senate got to work. While UGA didn’t bring home the title, as an alumni and former football player, I am very proud of the team and staff and know that this is only the beginning of what is sure to be a dynasty.
Our first order of business in the 2018 legislative session was to elect a new Senate Pro Tempore. As a body, we elected Sen. Butch Miller. I have confidence that Sen. Miller will do great in his new role, and I look forward to working with him to pass laws benefitting all Georgians.
This session, I will continue to serve as Chairman of the Insurance and Labor Committee, in addition to serving as a member of the Banking and Financial Institutions, Higher Education and Transportation committees. It is an honor to serve on such prestigious committees, and I am confident we will pass meaningful legislation this session.
Last Thursday, Governor Deal gave his final State of the State address in which he highlighted many of the successes during his time in office. Since coming into office in 2011, the Governor and the General Assembly have worked hand in hand to expand Georgia’s economy, improve its school systems and make our state one of best places to live and work in the country.
In his tenure, the unemployment rate has dropped from 10.4 percent to 4.3 percent, with nearly 675,000 jobs created. Education spending has increased to $14 billion, and we have revitalized and improved the Technical College System of Georgia.
Our state now ranks as only one of three states to have more than one higher education institution ranked in the top 20.
While I am proud of the achievements we have made over the last seven years, there is much work to be done in the coming months. We will soon begin working on budget proposals for the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets, and on my list of priorities is expanding broadband access in and around our district.
Access to this important resource is directly tied to economic growth and job creation in a region. I look forward to working on this issue and many others that will positively impact citizens in the 25th district.
During these proposals, and as a general principle, I look forward to passing a balanced budget that will promote continued economic growth and well-being for Georgians of all walks of life.
It remains a pleasure to serve you, the constituents of the 25th Senate District. The next few months will include a 40 day legislating marathon with lots of bills and resolutions being vetted and voted on. If you have any questions about any of these issues or anything going on in the district, do not hesitate to reach out to my staff and me. We are always here to help.