Jan. 11, 2024
Governor Brian Kemp delivers his sixth State of the State address on Thursday. Photo: Georgia Public Broadcasting.
After a slow trickle of policy and budget teases in recent days, Governor Brian Kemp opened the floodgates on Thursday, washing lawmakers and lobbyists over with his legislative proposals for the 2024 session. After delivering his sixth State of the State address that was equal parts criticizing the federal government, lauding Georgia’s principled governance, and spreading surplus cash around state government, the Office of Planning and Budget released the complete playbook — the Governor’s AFY2024 and FY2025 Budget Proposals. Those 420 pages should keep us all occupied for a while.
The only document more anticipated than the governor’s spending plans also arrived on the scene on Thursday. The Georgia House unveiled and adopted the long-awaited (at least since Monday) adjournment resolution, setting the legislature’s schedule for the remainder of the 2024 Legislative Session. The resolution, which still must be approved by the Senate, sets Crossover Day for February 29, and adjournment sine die is expected on March 28. The complete schedule, as well as more on the Governor’s State of the State address, is inside this #GoldDomeReport.
Did You Know: While our team publishes this Report at the end of each day, you can follow the action in real-time with us on Twitter? Follow our team (George Ray, Helen Sloat, and Olivia Buckner) or search for #GoldDomeReport for up-to-the-minute updates throughout the legislative session!
Delivering his sixth State of the State address on Thursday, Governor Brian Kemp laid out a budget-heavy litany of his priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session. After kicking off his remarks with a hearty rebuke of Washington, D.C. politics and politicos, the governor got right down to detailing his spending plans with a few policy priorities sprinkled in.
Front and center among Governor Kemp’s proposals was his previously announced acceleration of a state income tax cut. The Governor gave notice that he would propose legislation to take the tax rate to 5.39% this year, resulting in a $3 billion savings for Georgians over 10 years. Notwithstanding this reduction in taxation, Kemp proposed an additional $1.4 billion in spending for K-12 education in his AFY2024 and FY2025 budgets, making a total of $12.8 billion allocated to K-12 education. This new spending includes $2,500 raises for educators, as well as $104 million in permanent, recurring funding for school safety enhancements.
Educators are not the only public employees in line for raises in the governor’s spending plans. Kemp also proposed $3,000 raises for the state’s law enforcement officers and 4% raises for all other state employees. In programmatic spending, the governor highlighted an infusion of $205 million for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to expand mental health services, increase the number of crisis beds, and expand crisis intervention services. This additional funding brings the total annual state spending on mental health to $1.6 billion — an all-time record for Georgia.
Kemp’s remarks were not just limited to announcing budget windfalls. He also staked out positions on potentially-divisive policy issues heading into the 2024 election cycle. Most prominently, he called for legislators to support and pass school choice legislation this year, suggesting schools, like private businesses, can benefit from competition. Kemp also commended Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and reiterated his support for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. It was just a part of a larger love note to the state’s law enforcement officers and first responders, a refrain in each of his State of the State addresses to date. The governor also discussed more amorphous plans to continue the fight against human trafficking led by First Lady Marty Kemp, improve healthcare and mental health across the state, and continue the Georgia MATCH direct college admission initiative that debuted in 2023.
Immediately following Governor Kemp’s State of the State address, the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget released his AFY2024 and FY2025 Budget Proposals. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees will meet next week to dive into those proposals, and we will have more analysis in future editions of the report.
Per the Georgia Constitution, the Georgia General Assembly meets for 40 legislative days each year. Leadership from both chambers create the calendar, and last year was the first in memory where legislators set the entire calendar for all 40 days on Legislative Day 1. This year's calendar was unveiled on Thursday, and it is twelve weeks with Valentine's Day off and eight of the 12 Fridays off. The schedule, which was approved by the House on Thursday and is likely to be approved by the Senate on Friday, is as follows:
Monday, January 8 |
Legislative Day 1 |
Tuesday, January 9 |
Legislative Day 2 |
Wednesday, January 10 |
Legislative Day 3 |
Thursday, January 11 |
Legislative Day 4 |
Friday, January 12 |
Legislative Day 5 |
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Monday, January 16-Friday, January 19 |
In Adjournment – Budget Hearings |
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Monday, January 22 |
Legislative Day 6 |
Tuesday, January 23 |
Legislative Day 7 |
Wednesday, January 24 |
Legislative Day 8 |
Thursday, January 25 |
Legislative Day 9 |
Friday, January 26 |
Legislative Day 10 |
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Monday, January 29 |
Legislative Day 11 |
Tuesday, January 30 |
Legislative Day 12 |
Wednesday, January 31 |
Legislative Day 13 |
Thursday, February 1 |
Legislative Day 14 |
Friday, February 2 |
In Adjournment |
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Monday, February 5 |
Legislative Day 15 |
Tuesday, February 6 |
Legislative Day 16 |
Wednesday, February 7 |
Legislative Day 17 |
Thursday, February 8 |
Legislative Day 18 |
Friday, February 9 |
Legislative Day 19 |
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Monday, February 12 |
Legislative Day 20 |
Tuesday, February 13 |
Legislative Day 21 |
Wednesday, February 14 |
In Adjournment |
Thursday, February 15 |
Legislative Day 22 |
Friday, February 16 |
In Adjournment |
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Monday, February 19 |
In Adjournment |
Tuesday, February 20 |
Legislative Day 23 |
Wednesday, February 21 |
Legislative Day 24 |
Thursday, February 22 |
Legislative Day 25 |
Friday, February 23 |
In Adjournment |
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Monday, February 26 |
Legislative Day 26 |
Tuesday, February 27 |
Legislative Day 27 |
Wednesday, February 28 |
In Adjournment - Committee Work Day |
Thursday, February 29 |
Legislative Day 28 - Crossover Day |
Friday, March 1 |
In Adjournment |
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Monday, March 4 |
Legislative Day 29 |
Tuesday, March 5 |
Legislative Day 30 |
Wednesday, March 6 |
In Adjournment - Committee Work Day |
Thursday, March 7 |
Legislative Day 31 |
Friday, March 8 |
Legislative Day 32 |
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Monday, March 11 |
Legislative Day 33 |
Tuesday, March 12 |
In Adjournment - Committee Work Day |
Wednesday, March 13 |
Legislative Day 34 |
Thursday, March 14 |
Legislative Day 35 |
Friday, March 15 |
In Adjournment |
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Monday, March 18 |
Legislative Day 36 |
Tuesday, March 19 |
In Adjournment - Committee Work Day |
Wednesday, March 20 |
Legislative Day 37 |
Thursday, March 21 |
Legislative Day 38 |
Friday, March 22 |
In Adjournment |
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Monday, March 25 |
In Adjournment - Committee Work Day |
Tuesday, March 26 |
Legislative Day 39 |
Wednesday, March 27 |
In Adjournment |
Thursday, March 28 |
Legislative Day 40 - Sine Die! |
Senate Regulated Industries Committee
Chairman Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) called the Senate Committee to order to hear two measures:
Senate Public Safety Committee
Senator John Albers (R-Roswell) called the Senate Public Safety Committee to order. He introduced the staff, and Policy Analyst Austin Bryson provided an overview of the committee's purview. The committee has general jurisdiction relating to the safety of Georgians and includes motor vehicle safety, fire protection and safety, law enforcement agencies, school bus safety, firearm safety, firework safety, rules of the road, the Department of Public Safety, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Chairman Albers explained how a couple of Senators had been “swatted” during the holiday season and how dangerous it is. Senator Randy Robertson (R-Catuala) detailed his work over the interim with the county jails. Senator Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville) had an interest in school zone cameras without flashing lights and photographs.
House Judiciary Committee
Chairman Stan Gunter (R-Blairsville) called the Judiciary Committee to order to discuss three measures:
The following new legislation of interest has been introduced in the House:
H.B.897 |
Medical Freedom Act; enact |
Rep. Jordan Ridley (R-022) |
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H.B.899 |
School Violence Reduction and Safety Act; enact |
Rep. Viola Davis (D-087) |
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H.B.900 |
Quality Basic Education Act; Refugee and International Students Equalization (RISE) program; establish |
Rep. Viola Davis (D-087) |
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H.B.904 |
Professions and businesses; contractors; change certain provisions |
Rep. Kenneth "Ken" Vance (R-133) |
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H.B.909 |
Georgia Bureau of Investigation; restriction and seal of First Offenders Act; provide |
Rep. Leesa Hagan (R-156) |
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H.B.910 |
Minors; civil remedy for damages against commercial entities that distribute material harmful to minors without performing age verification; create |
Rep. Rick Jasperse (R-011) |
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H.B.913 |
EmPATH Georgia Act; enact |
Rep. Imani Barnes (D-086) |
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H.B.914 |
Safe Teens Act; enact |
Rep. Imani Barnes (D-086) |
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H.R.770 |
Board of Regents; nursing course credit to students who receive military education and training as combat medic; urge |
Rep. Sandra Scott (D-076) |
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H.R.778 |
Public Health, Department of; identify funding for research to improve our understanding of disease pathology and treatments for autoimmune diseases; urge |
Rep. Kim Schofield (D-063) |
The following new legislation of interest has been introduced in the Senate:
S.B.349 |
Ad Valorem Taxation of Property; setting of millage rates; revise provisions |
Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R-052) |
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S.B.350 |
Sale of Consumable Hemp Products; individuals under the age of 21 years; prohibit |
Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R-032) |
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S.B.351 |
"Protecting Georgia's Children on Social Media Act of 2024"; enact |
Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-031) |
The General Assembly will reconvene for Legislative Day 5 on Friday, Jan. 12 at 9:00 a.m.
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