Official Press Releases
By: Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas)
As Christmas approaches, Georgians across our state are arriving at the end of a long, exhausting year. Whether you live in a small town, in the mountains, along the coast, or in the city, you don’t need an economist to tell you that 2025 has tested families in ways Washington still seems unwilling to understand.
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By: Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry)
As 2025 draws to a close, Georgia’s economy continues to expand. Still, I keep hearing a familiar concern echoed throughout our state. A lack of work isn’t holding Georgia back; it’s the barriers that prevent willing workers from accessing it.
Across our state, we’ve got men and women who know their trades inside and out. They’ve studied, trained and earned their stripes. However, the process of becoming “official” in the eyes of the state often slows them down. Whether it’s an HVAC technician waiting on a license renewal or a small business that can’t fill a vacancy, the result is the same… good work delayed by red tape.
If someone has the training, experience and work ethic to do a job, the government shouldn’t stand in their way. According to the Georgia Department of Labor’s Workforce Trends to 2028, our state is on track to add more than 550,000 new jobs by the end of the decade, an increase of nearly 12 percent statewide. Health care and social assistance will lead the charge, adding over 122,000 positions. Professional and business services will follow closely with almost 96,000 new opportunities. Our construction industry, which propels much of our rural economic growth, is projected to grow by more than seven percent as new roads, bridges and facilities rise across the state.
Those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Every new project depends on people who are licensed and ready to work. That’s where reform matters most.
This year, I sponsored Senate Bill 125, which helps engineering graduates gain a competitive edge in their careers. Before this law, graduates were required to complete four years of work experience before they could take the Professional Engineering exam. SB 125 decouples the exam from that requirement, allowing graduates to test while the material is still fresh in their minds. They’ll still need real-world experience to become fully licensed, but they won’t lose four productive years waiting for the state’s permission to prove what they already know.
We also passed House Bill 579, which I was proud to carry through the Senate. This new law streamlines the licensing process for skilled trades and high-demand professions by giving the Professional Licensing Boards Division more flexibility to issue temporary or provisional licenses. That means a qualified plumbing apprentice or HVAC technician can begin working under supervision while completing an exam, rather than sitting on the sidelines. In places like Houston County or Laurens County, that difference can determine whether a business grows or has to turn down work.
Together, these reforms move Georgia closer to being a state that rewards hard work and eliminates unnecessary red tape, and they come at the right time. The Department of Labor projects that more than 48,000 new transportation and material-moving jobs and 14,000 new construction-related positions will be available by 2028. Add to that nearly 95,000 new jobs in science, technology, engineering and math fields, and you can see the opportunity that lies ahead.
Rural communities, especially, can’t afford to lose momentum. When a single HVAC technician or lineman retires, it doesn’t just impact a business. It affects every family, church and school that relies on their skills. Georgians aren’t asking for shortcuts. They deserve a system that respects their training, values their time and recognizes that honest work shouldn’t be tangled up in paperwork.
SB 125 and HB 579 are all about clearing the road for our people to continue to build, heal and lead in every corner of the state. As we lay a foundation for the 2026 Legislative Session, I’m committed to being a champion for every Georgian who works hard to provide for their family. When our workforce succeeds, Georgia does too.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
By: Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R–Marietta)
In May 2023, Governor Kemp signed into law House Bill 85. As the Senate carrier of this bipartisan legislation, I am proud that this law now requires health insurers in Georgia to cover biomarker testing.
Biomarker testing is an innovative technique that examines patients’ underlying biology to better understand and diagnose a disease, often prior to the onset of the most severe symptoms. These tests can help monitor disease progression or assist in identifying a person’s response to a specific treatment.
Biomarker testing is not new. Millions of people with cancer have already benefitted from these tests, and their use is expanding beyond oncology. The FDA recently approved a biomarker blood test for Alzheimer’s disease, a breakthrough in the early identification of this progressive neurological disease.
Despite this law being in effect for more than two years, I often find that Georgians who stand to benefit most from this coverage are simply unaware of biomarker testing, its benefits, or the state law that provides coverage for this powerful tool in treating long-term diseases.
This is why it is so important for all Georgians, including clinicians, community leaders, and caregivers of those living with degenerative diseases, to spread the word. Everyone needs to understand that biomarker testing is now a covered benefit under health plans across the state of Georgia.
Ensuring that awareness is high and coverage is consistent is vital in implementing the goals of the legislation. We cannot rest on our laurels. We must familiarize ourselves and others with this life-changing—and often lifesaving—tool.
I am proud to serve my constituents in the Georgia State Senate as Vice Chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. I am equally proud to care for and protect my patients. Each of these experiences guide my policymaking as I work to enact legislation that increases health care access and improves choices for Georgians.
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Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick serves as Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Children and Families. She represents the 32nd Senate District, which includes portions of Cherokee and Cobb counties. She may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0508 or by email at Kay.Kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please contact SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
By: Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry)
Agriculture has been and continues to be the backbone of our state. It feeds our families, fuels our economy and sustains communities from Clinch to Murray County. Fall has officially arrived, and you don’t have to look far to see cotton fields turning white, peanuts being dug, pecans beginning to open and families preparing for the Georgia National Fair here in Perry. This is the season when the hard work of our farmers comes full circle, and it’s time we pause to celebrate them.
Every October, the Georgia National Fair gives people of all ages the chance to see what agriculture looks like up close. For many young students, it’s the first time they will experience livestock shows, meet FFA or 4-H members and start to truly understand our farmers’ dedication to growing the food that ends up on their table. It’s a celebration and teaching moment to remind us that agriculture is a calling passed down from generation to generation.
This month, the Sunbelt Ag Expo will bring together farmers and innovators from across the Southeast and beyond in Moultrie. Billed as “North America’s Premier Farm Show,” the expo showcases the latest precision ag equipment, tools and technologies. It’s also where farmers trade ideas and find new ways to remain competitive in a changing world. Events like this highlight both the heritage and the future of agriculture in Georgia.
Our farmers and foresters rise before daylight, manage forces outside their control and shoulder the responsibility of feeding our citizens and sheltering much of the nation. They need freedom to do their jobs and the assurance that their state government will defend them when it matters most.
That’s why I was proud to support Senate Bill 144 earlier this year. This legislation is based on the commonsense principle: if a product meets federal safety standards, that should be enough. SB 144, ensures that companies providing agricultural inputs like fertilizers and pesticides won’t be dragged into frivolous lawsuits for not adding warnings beyond what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) already requires.
Why does that matter? Without access to these EPA-approved products, Georgia farmers can’t stay competitive. Across the country, we’ve seen lawsuits weaponized against companies that produce fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, even when those products cleared rigorous federal review. Those lawsuits drive up costs and land squarely on the shoulders of the people growing the cotton in your shirts and the produce on your table.
SB 144 shuts that door, giving certainty to suppliers, stability to farmers and the tools they need to keep producing strong, healthy crops. It’s a law rooted in the common-sense principles that Georgia farmers live by every day.
Through the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget and as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, we made significant investments to strengthen agriculture for the next generation. That includes $7.3 million for new vocational and ag-ed equipment, so students in more school systems have access to the hands-on tools they need to learn. It also provides over $50 million in capital projects for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, including upgrades to state labs and critical facility improvements.
We also put new resources into promoting Georgia-grown products and our state’s forestry industry. A new pilot program for Georgia-grown wood will open doors for our foresters so their products reach more markets here at home and abroad. These targeted, conservative investments support Georgia jobs, families and communities dependent on agriculture. They prove that state government can make a real difference when it works with the people it serves.
Georgia has been named the No. 1 state to do business for twelve straight years. We can’t hold that title without protecting our top industry. That means standing up to nuisance lawsuits, investing in rural infrastructure and workforce pipelines, and recognizing that food security is national security. If our farmers can’t produce affordably and reliably, we all lose. SB 144 and our budget investments clearly convey that Georgia stands with its farmers.
This October, as families enjoy the Georgia National Fair, farmers gather in Moultrie for the Sunbelt Expo, and combines roll across our fields, I hope you’ll join me in recognizing how vital agriculture is to our lives.
At the end of the day, agriculture supports faith, family and freedom in all corners of our state. It’s about parents teaching their children the value of hard work and neighbors lending a hand when times get tough. We must preserve the American Dream for the next generation, and as your senator, I’ll continue to fight for policies that honor those values and keep Georgia growing strong.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
By: Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry)
When Hurricane Helene ripped across Georgia last September, the storm didn’t just topple trees and barns. It cut into the heart of rural communities, upending farms, families and a way of life built over generations.
In the following weeks, I visited with farmers, foresters and small business owners who were still knee-deep in debris, wondering how they would start again. For many, recovery wasn’t just about repairing buildings or replacing equipment. It was about saving a way of life passed down from grandparents to parents to children and protecting the economic foundation of our state.
From the fields of peanuts and cotton to the pine stands that cover our landscape, agriculture and forestry generate more than $70 billion annually. When storms like Helene devastate those sectors, it’s not just rural Georgia that suffers. Every family depends on affordable groceries, every factory depends on raw materials and every community relies on steady jobs.
That’s why, during the 2025 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly made disaster recovery a top priority. We knew we couldn’t undo the damage but could deliver the tools to help families rebuild.
This spring, I stood alongside Governor Brian Kemp, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Lt. Governor Burt Jones and fellow legislators as we signed into law three key bills: House Bill 223, Senate Bill 201, and House Bill 143. These aren’t abstract policies or political talking points. They are real, practical lifelines for farmers and foresters still picking up the pieces.
Carried in the Senate by my friend Sen. Russ Goodman, HB 223 is as comprehensive as it is compassionate. It exempts federal crop loss and disaster payments from state income tax because when a family is depending on relief dollars to survive, the government doesn’t need to take a cut. The bill also creates a reforestation tax credit to help timber landowners replant what was destroyed. Timber isn’t like corn or cotton. It takes decades to mature. If we don’t replant now, we risk losing a generation of growth in one of Georgia’s most valuable industries.
The bill also allows local governments to temporarily pause harvest tax collections on storm-damaged timber. That may sound technical, but it’s a lifeline in practice, giving landowners breathing room to clean up and replant without facing another bill in the mailbox. HB 223 expands the Georgia Agricultural Tax Exemption (GATE) to include building materials for storm repairs for poultry, livestock and greenhouse producers whose barns and housing were destroyed. That’s money back in the hands of producers, helping them get back online faster.
Second, SB 201. This one was personal for me, because I carried it. In the aftermath of a disaster, families are desperate to rebuild. That desperation too often attracts dishonest contractors, people who demand cash up front and then vanish, or who cut corners at the expense of safety. SB 201 strengthens consumer protections for homeowners signing contracts after a natural disaster.
Having spent decades in the insurance industry, I’ve seen what happens when families make quick decisions under pressure. SB 201 sets more explicit rules for legitimate contractors while protecting families from those who would take advantage of them at their most vulnerable. It’s a preventative measure that will save countless Georgians from heartbreak and financial ruin.
HB 143, carried in the Senate by Sen. Sam Watson, shifts the responsibility for installing and maintaining agricultural water meters back to the state. Farmers are already juggling crop losses, equipment damage, and skyrocketing costs. They don’t need another unfunded mandate on their backs. HB 143 makes sure the state shoulders that responsibility, not families who are already stretched to the breaking point. Georgia’s farmers and foresters are the backbone of our economy and deserve a government that fights just as hard as they do.
Gov. Kemp said it best at the bill signing: “Their commitment to moving forward after all they’ve faced is an inspiration to us all.” He’s right. Rural Georgia’s resilience is remarkable, but this doesn’t mean we go it alone. It means we stand shoulder to shoulder, neighbors helping neighbors and leaders stepping in when the storm is simply too big.
Recovery from Helene is far from over. Driving through parts of our state, you can still see twisted pines piled on the edges of fields, barns with tarps stretched across the roof, and communities working to piece life back together. Rebuilding after a storm like this takes time. With these new measures in place, we’ve taken meaningful steps to ease the burden, protect families and secure the future of Georgia agriculture.
I’m proud to represent a district that doesn’t wait around for someone else to fix things. We show up. We dig in. We rebuild. As long as I’m serving you under the Gold Dome, I’ll keep showing up for rural Georgia… because that’s what neighbors do.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.