The 2016 Legislative Session came to a close on March 24th with the usual celebrations and fanfare. After 40 working days, your state legislature addressed a number of issues important to the people of Georgia. The only requirement of the Georgia General Assembly is to pass a balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
This upcoming fiscal year, which runs from 7/1/16 - 6/30/17, the budget will appropriate $23.7 billion in state funds. A large portion of the budget dollars go towards annual commitments like healthcare and K-12 education. One of the largest increases from last year’s budget to this year is in the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). The GDOT uses funds to work on important infrastructure and repair projects.
An important aspect of the fiscally responsible budgeting policy of our state is our Revenue Shortfall Reserve, which is commonly called our “rainy day fund.” The Reserve serves as a pad for sudden, unforeseen declines in revenue, like what the state experienced in 2008 and 2009. At its height in 2007, Georgia had $1.54 billion in the Reserve. Through the strong leadership of Gov. Nathan Deal, the fund is projected to be $1.43 billion at the close of the 2015 fiscal year, up from just $103 million in 2009.
In the legislation voted on this year, the Senate passed several bills to better support our veterans. One such measure, the Military Family Health Protection Act, would make it easier for the family of an active military service member to be able to access the medical benefits of their parent or spouse who may even be outside of the state.
Every year, common sense legislation is presented to make the government more efficient and cost effective. Senate Bill 366 provides flexibility to the GDOT in the contractor selection process to choose a contractor based on the proposed project bid instead of solely on the qualifications of the contractor. The qualifications of the contractor would remain important in determining the best contractors to complete the transportation construction projects of our state. However, cost is an important factor for GDOT in the contracting process.
Another important economic development bill is Senate Bill 323. SB 323 provides a similar shield to state agencies working with the Georgia Department of Economic Development in the negotiating and deal closing process to secure a business relocation or expansion. The talented men and women working on economic development currently work with a temporary shield from Georgia’s open records laws. Therefore, a competing state or organization cannot draw out our information to gain a competitive advantage. SB 323 extends our temporary protections to other state agencies that may be working on specific aspects of the deal until the deal is closed, regardless of if the project was won or lost.
It was my privilege to represent Georgia’s 21st Senate District through another legislative session. If there’s ever something we can do to help you, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 404-463-1378.
to your business!