The 154th General Assembly convened on January 9th, and the Georgia Senate is prepared to start off the 2017 session on the right foot. Our majority caucus outlined six priorities that Senate Republicans hope to work toward during this legislative session. Each was designed with the peoples’ interests in mind, because Georgia’s priorities are our priorities.
First, we want to evaluate how our state agencies are operating. In doing so, we hope to find ways to eliminate redundant work, improve communication with regulated parties, and constantly re-evaluate how best to limit government intervention in the private sphere. We also plan to speed up the process by which parties obtain professional licenses and eliminate taxes that cost more money to collect than they generate. Overall, we want to make it easier to start and run a business because we know that if business grows, Georgians will grow with it.
After considering Georgia’s fiscal security, we turned toward its physical safety. To that end, our second priority is to continue as the nation’s leader in anti-terrorist efforts by providing support to our local law enforcement. They are our boots on the ground, and we should give them every possible resource to be the eyes and ears of our chain of command. With this added support, they should be able to swiftly intercept any perceived terrorist activity.
Third, we want to continue to foster workforce development in Georgia by providing high school students with the opportunity to earn certified-labor credentials before they graduate. We believe that every student should be able to succeed upon completion of their education, so this effort should provide another path for our children to succeed.
Our next priority focuses on improving regional transportation. Just like many of my constituents in north Fulton and Cherokee Counties, I commute to downtown Atlanta for work. I know firsthand just how frustrating our network is, so my colleagues and I want to work with transportation stake-holders and experts to create a strong regional solution that works for everyone.
Fifth, we want to improve health care access for Georgians who live outside of the big city, expand access to addiction treatment services and improve mental health access, with a special emphasis on community service boards. The Senate Majority Caucus wants to make sure that Georgians have access to care that’s best for them, at the right time and the right place, because a healthy citizenship makes for a better state.
Finally, we want to put more emphasis in our next budget on pre-k and HOPE Scholarship funding. We will work to improve the Georgia Lottery’s role in funding these because students should be able to succeed in every stage of their lives.
If we can achieve these goals this legislative session, we are certain that Georgia will continue on its path as the best state in the country.
to your business!