(Georgia Recorder) — In a speech focused on resiliency, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp warned of dark clouds ahead for the state’s economy if the Legislature does not pass new limits on lawsuits – and signaled he might call a special session later this year if “meaningful, impactful” measures are not passed this winter.
Kemp did not outline specifics Wednesday but devoted a significant portion of his State of the State address to lawmakers, emphasizing what he argues is the need for sweeping changes and how hard he plans to push for them.
The governor said his soon-to-be-unveiled proposal will be “comprehensive but fair.”
“We will be fair to all involved in this important debate, and we will work together to pass legislation that strikes the right balance and puts hardworking Georgians first,” Kemp said. “But I also want to be very clear: there is always room for compromise, but there will be no room for excuses, half-measures, or failure.
“Whether it’s this legislative session or a second one later this year, we will achieve meaningful, impactful tort reform,” he added.
The governor also appealed directly to Democrats, making the case for bipartisan support for an overhaul to the state’s litigation rules.
“Stabilizing the cost of car insurance and ensuring families have access to affordable housing is not partisan – it’s common sense,” he said. “And giving working people and small business owners a chance at the American Dream is about who we are as a state – not what political party we support.”
Kemp noted the complexity of the issue but said, “doing nothing is no longer an option.”
In his speech, Kemp also called for another income tax reduction, saying he will propose a budget that accounts for 5.19% rate, which would be down from 5.39% – at a cost of $7.5 billion to the state’s coffers over the next decade.
“Because, at the end of the day, that’s your money – not the government’s- and here in Georgia, we believe you should keep more of it,” Kemp said.
He also proposed more hurricane relief and described touring the destruction caused by Helene with First Lady Marty Kemp.
“In every community, we saw utter devastation,” he said. “But in the face of grief and unbearable loss, we also saw everyday heroes; we saw neighbors helping neighbors, lending a hand or a chainsaw, even when their own homes and farms were in need of attention. We saw brand new church outreach programs feeding whole towns, and we saw first responders who put the lives of others above their own.”
He also called for more funding – $159 million – to continue to increase school security in the wake of the Apalachee High School shooting that killed two students and two teachers in September. Law enforcement officers who helped stop the 14-year-old gunman and caregivers who helped the community in the aftermath of the shooting were honored during the speech inside the House chamber.
Kemp’s budget is set to be released today. His budget proposal sets the spending limit but must still be approved by state lawmakers, who cannot add money to the overall budget but can move dollars around to leave their imprint on the new spending plan.
Wednesday’s speech was his second to last State of the State, with just two years left in his second term as governor.
Georgia Recorder reporter Ross Williams contributed to this report.
