ATLANTA — Lawmakers are preparing for a busy 40 days. Monday was the first day of the 2024 legislative session. Representatives say they are ready to get to work and pass laws on new and returning issues.
"We've got some great things on the agenda. Georgia's in great shape," Republican Rep. Robert Dickey shared.
As Representatives headed into their chambers Monday, Dickey says the budget is a main focus, with the state's $11 billion surplus.
"We're hoping to give the people of Georgia a permanent tax cut. That's top of my issues here. Just trying to keep Georgia's economy strong," he said.
At the start of the new year, Gov. Brian Kemp's tax cut went into effect. It brought the rate from 5.75% down to 5.49%.
Now, Kemp's asking the assembly to bring the rate down to 5.39% by the end of the session.
Dickey says to benefit Central Georgia he has a few things in mind.
"We're still working on a big interchange there and just trying to get rural broadband to everyone and just keeping our military strong," he said.
Dickey says they are also working on laws about CBD products from a consumer safety standpoint.
There is also another law they hope will help military personnel and their families.
"Military spouses pack up and move with their husbands and wives. They don't get a lot of say-so," Representative Bethany Ballard shared.
That's why she wants to work on a military spouse licensure bill to help military spouses get jobs.
"We really need as a state to help them out and make sure they are comfortable in their communities and make sure they can do what they want to do with their lives when they get there," Rep. Ballard shared.
She also wants to continue working on the Georgia Early Literacy Act, which she sponsored in 2023. The bill says educators will screen K-3 students for reading deficiencies and issues like dyslexia.
"Right now, my focus on that is making sure that we have funding in place for that to help our school districts," she said.
State Sen. Larry Walker says he wants to help the workforce by cutting some occupational license requirements.
"If it doesn't impact public safety or public welfare we ought not to require a license," Walker said.
Examples of this include licenses to become a librarian and some cosmetology licenses.
Plus he hopes lawmakers will compromise on upgrading the certificate of need process for hospitals, helping with healthcare access and costs. He says it has been on the books for 50 years and it's time to update it.
"My smaller hospitals in particular are very concerned that they stay," Walker shared.
He also plans to get more funding for a new agricultural showcase coming across the street from the Perry fairgrounds.
"It'll be a place to showcase the latest technology with regard to agriculture the technical name for it is integrated procedure ag farm. that's going to be started this year. We've already got the wheels turning on that, but we are going to need more funding," he says.
He is calling it a "smart farm".
Both Walker and Dickey say there will also be conversation about tort reform, or the rules and regulations that oversee tort lawsuits.
"Insurance rates are through the roof and we need to do some things to level out that playing field here in Georgia. Make sure that tort reform and legal reform will benefit Georgians," Dickey said.
"I hope we'll have some meaningful tort reform that will give us relief on our insurance rates. As the chairman of the insurance committee in the Senate, I expect to be working on that," Walker said.
If you have issues you want covered in this session, it's not to late to contact your local representative office.