With 2020 quickly coming to an end, the return to the general routines of the legislative session is as close as ever, reminding us of the refreshed start to daily convenings under the Gold Dome, new legislative initiatives and the typical busyness of committee meetings. Our work, of course, has not stopped during our time away from the Capitol and as we reflect on the close of a rather unprecedented, challenging yet fully accomplished year, our service to you remains as critical as ever. With that, while we may say goodbye to some of our old friends and colleagues, we also welcome a new cohort of bright-minded, passionate members who share in our commitment to reflect your best interests in all that we do. In anticipation of this upcoming legislative session, I would like to highlight an overview of our many major successes this year and what priorities we hope to address in 2021.
The budget as always, continues to remain the focal point of much of our legislative work as we attempt to find fiscally conservative ways to balance our allocations and support the hardworking members of our state agencies and departments. Last year, as you may remember, was a notably pivotal moment in our state’s appropriations as sudden shifts to appropriately address the pandemic ultimately caused a decrease in our overall revenue streams. With a total $25.9 billion spending plan for the 2021 Fiscal Year, the impact of a 10% cut for state agencies was lessened through the reallocation of funds in our state’s Rainy Day Reserve to help eliminate the need to furlough state employees. Additionally, with the help of federal aid from the CARES Act, we were able to continue supplementing some of the programs of most critical need for our state, including a 53% dedication to education, the expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage for mothers and a number of bond packages aimed at expanding Georgia’s economic development opportunities.
Our state, named the “top state for doing business” for an eight consecutive year remains fiscally strong during these challenging times, but as we prepare for the Amended Fiscal Year 2021 and Fiscal Year 2022 budgets, we must continue to make some rather difficult allocation decisions. I expect many of our priorities to remain constant – a focus on the expansion of healthcare throughout the state; funding to supplement our education system and increase broadband access, especially in the age of virtual schooling; added support to public safety initiatives; and packages to assist local businesses and infrastructure in our districts. While we are undoubtedly living in some trying economic times, I have full faith in our state’s leaders to balance our budget in a fair and thoughtful way.
Referencing the proposed priorities for our Appropriations’ team, I anticipate health and human services to take up a significant portion of our legislation next year. Over the 2020 legislative session, we were able to make great strides in areas related to infant and maternal mortality, surprise medical billing and pharmacy benefit managers to help make the cost of healthcare more affordable for every Georgian. That mission continues to be the same, as the recent surge in COVID-19 cases has placed another strain on our healthcare workers and institutions. I expect many of our legislative proposals in the coming months to help address some of the deficiencies we have found throughout the pandemic – extending rural healthcare coverage and finding ways to supplement the workforce, emphasizing the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and ways to continue its manufacturing, as well as the possibility of a vaccine and how to make it readily available for all communities. As we have seen, our state has had to navigate unchartered waters and I believe we are now better equipped to deal with some of the current challenges.
I would be remiss if I didn’t bring to attention present voting dialogues. As I know many of you have been frustrated with the outcome from the last month, I want to assure you that myself and the other members of the General Assembly have been working diligently to address any and all concerns, with in-depth committee meetings and possible policy proposals for the upcoming legislative cycle. However, while we work to reform, we must also look ahead – legislatively and in terms of redistricting.
Next month, will begin the start of a new biennial (the first session of the 156th session of the General Assembly) on January 11, 2021, with the first week focusing heavily on the ceremonial traditions of the legislature. This includes the swearing in of our newly elected Senate members, the reappointment of committees and much more. While an exciting time under the Gold Dome, we have not lost sight of the present circumstances and ensuring the public health and safety of all Georgians remain a priority. As we delve deeper into the legislative issues affecting our state, I intend to keep you updated on any and all pressing matters that relate specifically to you, District 20. My office always remains open to you and I encourage you to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have; I work to serve you. In the meantime, I pray that you and your families have a blessed holiday season and joyous New Year.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Caucus Vice Chairman for the Majority Party. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Houston, Laurens and Pulaski counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at larry.walker@senate.ga.gov.