Riding high on the Bulldogs’ back-to-back National Championship earned on Monday night, legislators jubilantly returned to the state capitol for Legislative Day 2 on Wednesday. But first, lawmakers and lobbyists gathered with hundreds of businesspeople from around the state at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs and Issues breakfast. Attendees heard from the “Big Three” of state government, who each shared their priorities and expectations for the legislative session. More details on what was discussed over tepid eggs and Chick-fil-a biscuits in this #GoldDomeReport.

The House and Senate continued their organizational activities on Wednesday with each chamber adopting rules for the session. The House is expected to release its committee rosters next week. Look for more policy announcements (including details on an expected teacher pay raise) but little legislative action on Thursday as the General Assembly convenes in a joint session to inaugurate Governor Kemp and the other statewide constitutional officers.

In this Report:

• Leaders Preview Policy Priorities for Legislative Session at Eggs & Issues

• Appropriations Committees Set Budget Hearing Schedule

• What’s Next

Leaders Preview Policy Priorities for Legislative Session at Eggs & Issues

Continuing an annual first-week-of-session tradition, legislators, lobbyists, and hundreds of business leaders from across the state gathered at the Georgia World Congress Center on Wednesday morning for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs and Issues breakfast. In addition to installing its new leaders for 2023 and discussing its own priorities, the Chamber facilitated conversations with Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, and Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington) on their visions and priorities for the session.

Governor Kemp promoted the State’s ongoing success recruiting economic development projects, highlighting a major expansion of Qcells’ production facilities in Northwest Georgia. He emphasized the importance of workforce training and housing to continued success in economic development. To that end, Kemp announced a workforce summit coming this fall that will bring together the Department of Education, Technical College System of Georgia, University of Georgia, and other stakeholders to discuss workforce preparation, and he committed to including funding in his budget proposal for state and local partnerships to expand workforce housing. The Governor also repeated plans to refund $2 billion in tax revenues to Georgia taxpayers through a one-time property tax refund and income tax rebates.

Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones took the opportunity to introduce himself to the business community. He discussed his bona fides as a businessman from Jackson and noted his interest in maintaining Georgia’s business-friendly environment. Jones also voiced support for expanding college and career academies and promoting measures that are tough on crime. However, he also expressed support for second-chance hiring to help address Georgia’s workforce shortage issues.

Speaker Burns closed the program by paying homage to his predecessors, the late Representative David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) and Representative Jan Jones (R-Milton), and announcing plans to create a new healthcare committee that will oversee the existing healthcare committees that are responsible for health policy and funding. Representative Butch Parrish (R-Swainsboro), who currently chairs the Health Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, will serve as chair of the new committee. Speaker Burns also announced that the House’s other committee assignments will be released next week.

Appropriations Committees Set Budget Hearing Schedule

The annual Joint Appropriations hearings on the Governor’s budget will look slightly different this year. In years past, the hearings have been a “cattle call” for agency heads to present their goals for the year and report back on various projects. House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) announced that there would be more time for committee members to talk to agencies and departmental representatives. Here’s the full schedule.

What’s Next

The General Assembly will reconvene for a Joint Legislative Session to swear in the Governor and other Constitutional Officers on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.