Legislative Update - 2/5/19
We are now through the first seven of forty legislative days of the 2019 session. This spring, I will be providing regular updates from the Capitol as I work hard to best represent you and District 117. Marcus Wiedower and I will also continue writing a weekly column in the Oconee Enterprise with updates from Atlanta.
First, I want to thank you again for your friendship and support over the past 18 months. With your help, we were able to win this important seat and bring back commonsense representation for Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties. My promise is that I'll work hard every day to make you proud and to make our community and state an even better place.
Below I have included a recap of the first few weeks in the legislature. If you are not currently receiving legislative updates and would like to do so, please email us at [email protected] or visit houstongaines.com and enter your name and email to sign up.
First, I want to thank you again for your friendship and support over the past 18 months. With your help, we were able to win this important seat and bring back commonsense representation for Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties. My promise is that I'll work hard every day to make you proud and to make our community and state an even better place.
Below I have included a recap of the first few weeks in the legislature. If you are not currently receiving legislative updates and would like to do so, please email us at [email protected] or visit houstongaines.com and enter your name and email to sign up.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
On Monday Jan 14, I was officially sworn in along with all of my colleagues in the House and Senate. After approving and voting for the rules and leadership of the House, we reconvened just down the road at McCamish Pavilion for a joint session to inaugurate Georgia’s 83rd governor and Athens native, Brian Kemp, and the other constitutional officers.
In his inaugural and State of the State addresses - and in his budget proposal to the Appropriations Committee during legislative week 2 - Gov. Kemp outlined his priorities for the legislative session.
On Monday Jan 14, I was officially sworn in along with all of my colleagues in the House and Senate. After approving and voting for the rules and leadership of the House, we reconvened just down the road at McCamish Pavilion for a joint session to inaugurate Georgia’s 83rd governor and Athens native, Brian Kemp, and the other constitutional officers.
In his inaugural and State of the State addresses - and in his budget proposal to the Appropriations Committee during legislative week 2 - Gov. Kemp outlined his priorities for the legislative session.
I look forward to working with Gov. Kemp to give all of our teachers a $3,000 permanent pay raise this year – which will serve as a significant down payment to ultimately raising pay by $5,000. Just as important, we will invest $69 million in funding for school safety reforms, and we will dedicate $8.4 million to address the mental health crisis we have among our students.
We must keep teacher pay competitive and ensure our schools are a launch pad for the next generation, not a tragedy waiting to happen.
Since the Great Recession, we’ve seen nine consecutive years of economic expansion – and economists expect another year of growth for 2019. The governor’s budget wisely maintains a conservative economic outlook for the upcoming fiscal year with a 3.2% rate of revenue estimated growth for 2020. Most all of these additional funds are dedicated to the teacher pay raises, a proposed merit salary increase for state employees, growing enrollment in our public schools and University System colleges and universities, increased Medicaid costs, and adjustments to the Teacher Retirement System.
As we’ve seen right here in District 117, internet connectivity is a challenge we must confront more than ever, as fast and reliable internet access becomes increasingly critical for our students, our job-creators, and our healthcare providers. Just last week, the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee approved House Bills 22 and 23 that will allow telephone cooperatives, electric membership cooperatives, and their affiliates to provide broadband services.
Health care is another top priority of mine, and I look forward to supporting plans that increase access while decreasing cost. The Governor’s budget proposal includes $1 million for the Department of Community Health to create state flexibility options for Georgia’s Medicaid program, which can provide a Georgia-centric solution to the healthcare challenges we face. I also plan to support increasing the Rural Hospital Tax Credit, expanding telehealth options, and other patient-centered initiatives.
We must keep teacher pay competitive and ensure our schools are a launch pad for the next generation, not a tragedy waiting to happen.
Since the Great Recession, we’ve seen nine consecutive years of economic expansion – and economists expect another year of growth for 2019. The governor’s budget wisely maintains a conservative economic outlook for the upcoming fiscal year with a 3.2% rate of revenue estimated growth for 2020. Most all of these additional funds are dedicated to the teacher pay raises, a proposed merit salary increase for state employees, growing enrollment in our public schools and University System colleges and universities, increased Medicaid costs, and adjustments to the Teacher Retirement System.
As we’ve seen right here in District 117, internet connectivity is a challenge we must confront more than ever, as fast and reliable internet access becomes increasingly critical for our students, our job-creators, and our healthcare providers. Just last week, the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee approved House Bills 22 and 23 that will allow telephone cooperatives, electric membership cooperatives, and their affiliates to provide broadband services.
Health care is another top priority of mine, and I look forward to supporting plans that increase access while decreasing cost. The Governor’s budget proposal includes $1 million for the Department of Community Health to create state flexibility options for Georgia’s Medicaid program, which can provide a Georgia-centric solution to the healthcare challenges we face. I also plan to support increasing the Rural Hospital Tax Credit, expanding telehealth options, and other patient-centered initiatives.
CAPITOL VISITORS & EVENTS IN DISTRICT
I've so enjoyed welcoming many constituents to the Capitol. We've already had Realtors, local Chambers of Commerce, Mayors, Veterinarians and many other groups on the agenda. I look forward to welcoming you to your Capitol and hope you will visit.
Back in the district, I welcomed the Zell Miller Leadership Institute Class of 2019 to Athens, attended the Jackson Co. Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Barrow Co. Literacy Ball, and toured Barrow County's Sims Academy. I also enjoyed attending Milledge Avenue Baptist Church for its annual joint Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday service with Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. As always, it was great seeing and hearing the sermon from my friend Rev. Abraham Mosley.
I've so enjoyed welcoming many constituents to the Capitol. We've already had Realtors, local Chambers of Commerce, Mayors, Veterinarians and many other groups on the agenda. I look forward to welcoming you to your Capitol and hope you will visit.
Back in the district, I welcomed the Zell Miller Leadership Institute Class of 2019 to Athens, attended the Jackson Co. Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Barrow Co. Literacy Ball, and toured Barrow County's Sims Academy. I also enjoyed attending Milledge Avenue Baptist Church for its annual joint Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday service with Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. As always, it was great seeing and hearing the sermon from my friend Rev. Abraham Mosley.
COMMITTEES, OFFICE & SEAT ASSIGNMENTS
I'm excited to serve on the Insurance, Code Revision, and Health & Human Services committees. I'm honored to have such strong assignments in my first term – this will ensure our community will be well represented in the most important conversations of this legislative session.
The people of District 117's office is in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building - Suite 612F. If you want to reach me by phone, our office number is (404) 656-0325.
When I’m not in the office, you’ll find me on the floor of the House alongside my seatmates and two of Georgia's best legislators - Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones and Chairman Katie Dempsey - working hard to make a difference for our community and state.
I'm excited to serve on the Insurance, Code Revision, and Health & Human Services committees. I'm honored to have such strong assignments in my first term – this will ensure our community will be well represented in the most important conversations of this legislative session.
The people of District 117's office is in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building - Suite 612F. If you want to reach me by phone, our office number is (404) 656-0325.
When I’m not in the office, you’ll find me on the floor of the House alongside my seatmates and two of Georgia's best legislators - Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones and Chairman Katie Dempsey - working hard to make a difference for our community and state.
