The Georgia House of Representatives returned to the Gold Dome for the third week of the 2023 legislative session on Monday, January 23. Back to work This week brought forth our first legislative floor votes and saw many House committees begin the legislative process.
Members of the General Assembly also came together for a joint session to hear Governor Brian Kemp deliver his fifth annual State of the State address. In addition to the Governor’s address, we also welcomed special guests to the House Chamber. See below your latest update from under the Gold Dome.
As always, representing your voice is our top priority. If you have questions or concerns regarding legislative matters, we encourage you to contact us anytime. May God bless you and yours, may He continue to bless the great state of Georgia.
State of the State
Thursday, January 25, Governor Kemp gave his fifth State of the State address covering accomplishments from the last year while highlighting hopes for the next. Governor Kemp noted the progress we have made over the last few years and made clear that economic development, education, access to quality healthcare, and public safety are top agenda items for the current legislative term.
Governor Kemp intends to continue his efforts in bringing quality investments as he recently announced many new economic development projects set to be the largest in Georgia history. These projects will bring more than 20,000 jobs to various regions of the state, most especially in rural areas.
The governor also announced his plans to dedicate an additional $1.9 billion in the current and upcoming budgets solely for educational needs, including fully funding the Quality Basic Education formula.
Governor Kemp went on to outline his healthcare policies which include the proposed allocation of more than $4.5 million in the state budget for loan repayment programs to recruit and retain health care workers in Georgia.
Rounding off top policy agenda items is that of Public Safety where the Governor plans to push for legislation that would increase penalties for individuals who work to recruit children into gang violence.
House Action
In addition to hearing the State of the State address, my colleagues and I welcomed various special groups to the House Chamber.
On Monday, the Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Yoonjoo Park, joined us to honor of Korean American Day. The consul general noted our strong partnership, highlighting that more than 100 Korean companies are in our state, producing more than 15,000 jobs.
Tuesday was special as we recognized the Georgia National Guard and their service to our community. Georgia’s 15,000 guardsmen are always ready to serve and protect whenever needed, and it was an honor to pay tribute to these fine men and women.
In addition to our general floor session, our committee meeting schedule has also picked up. Committees within the General Assembly are incredibly important as this is where the legislative rubber meets the road. All bills introduced must be properly vetted through the committee process before making it to the House floor for a full vote. If passed, the legislation then moves to the Senate side to begin their committee process.
Committee meetings are live streamed through the General Assembly website. I encourage you to follow along with any issue of which you find of interest. Click here for a full listing of House Committees.
I am thankful to be in service to the following, as I sincerely believe these committees greatly impact our district:
Governmental Affairs – Vice Chairman
Intragovernmental Coordination – Vice Chairman
Appropriations
Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications
Industry and Labor
State Planning & Community Affairs
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Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) represents the 10th Georgia House District which includes all of Rabun County and most of Habersham County in Northeast Georgia. He serves as Vice-Chair of the House Governmental Affairs and Intragovernmental Coordination committees. Rep. Anderson also serves on the House Appropriations; Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee; Industry and Labor Committee; and State Planning & Community Affairs Committee.
