Larry Walker III – Page 15 – Georgia Senate Press Office

January 25, 2023

Capitol Recap: Budget Week

By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)

We traditionally set aside the week following the convening of session for Joint House and Senate Appropriations Committee meetings, where we begin the process of evaluating the budget and dive into the Governor’s recommendations for adjustments to the current budget and setting the next fiscal year budget. As you may know, the only action required of the Georgia General Assembly stipulated in the state constitution is that we pass a balanced budget each year, and I do not take this responsibility lightly. The budget reflects our priorities as a state, and it is imperative we thoroughly and thoughtfully allocate funding in a manner that best serves the needs of all Georgians. Georgia is a large and growing state with a complex budget, and there is simply no way to cover everything that I would like to cover here. Therefore, I will focus this week’s column on some of the highlights of the proposed Amended FY 2023 and FY 2024 budgets that have generated the most interest.

In the Amended FY 2023 budget, the Governor recommends $100 million of our revenue surplus be returned to all Georgians that paid individual state income tax in 2022. If passed, individual filers will receive up to a $250 tax refund and joint filers will receive as much as a $500. All state revenue comes from you, the taxpayer. So, it is very appropriate that we return surplus funds to the taxpayer rather than growing government even more.

As has been widely reported, the Governor’s FY 2024 budget includes an across the board pay raise for state employees and educators, providing a $2,000 cost of living adjustment. I strongly support this and believe that our dedicated teachers and state employees have earned and deserve this COLA.

Each year, education in Georgia accounts for over 50% of the state’s budget. This year is no different. We must continue to invest in our education system at both the K-12 and higher education levels. Last year, a large portion of funds were appropriated to fund the K-12’s QBE formula. This year, an additional $745 million is recommended in the Amended FY 2023 and more than $1.1 billion in FY 2024 for K-12 education, fully funding the Quality Basic Education formula. It is imperative that we continue to build a workforce our growing state needs and that can only be achieved through providing our young Georgians with the highest level of education that will lead to fulfilling employment.

Healthcare in Georgia continues to remain a top priority. More specifically, we know that healthcare remains a significant cost for many Georgia families. With that being said, I am pleased to see the FY 2024 budget recommends including $52 million to implement the Georgia Pathways Coverage program which was established pursuant to the Patients First Act, legislation passed in 2019. The Georgia Pathways Coverage Program will increase access to adequate health insurance statewide and give Georgia families who struggle to find coverage through their workplace a better opportunity to provide care for their families. When the Patients First Act was signed in 2019, Georgia only had four carriers offering plans in the individual market. Today, we have seen an astonishing 250% increase with 10 carriers offering plans for 2023.

Agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry, providing jobs, goods and infrastructure, boosting our economy despite the record high inflation we have experienced in recent years. I am pleased to see that Governor Kemps FY 2024 budget proposal includes recommending funds be allocated to the Georgia Agricultural Trust Fund which is generated through agricultural tax exemptions to provide funding for the maintenance and operations of state farmers’ markets and marketing to promote the production of Georgia’s agricultural products. In addition, the Governor recommends providing funds to the Department of Transportation to replace lost motor fuel tax revenue resulting from the temporary suspension of this tax in order to help Georgians cope with exorbitant fuel costs.

While this is just a small fraction of what is recommended for the completion of this fiscal year and the upcoming fiscal year, I am pleased with the progress we have made thus far and look forward to getting these budgets vetted and passed through the General Assembly and signed by the Governor.

Next week, we will reconvene in the Senate Chamber Monday through Thursday for legislative days 5-8. We also plan to get back to work in our committees to assess legislation brought before us. If you have any questions or concerns related to the budget or any potential legislation that may come up this year, please do not hesitate to contact my office. I am here to serve you.

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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Chairman of the Insurance and Labor Committee. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Houston, Laurens, Pulaski, Treutlen and Wilcox counties. He may be reached by phone at 404.656.0095 or by email at larry.walker@senate.ga.gov.

January 17, 2023January 19, 2023

Capitol Recap: A Welcome Back to the Gold Dome

By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)

On Monday, January 9, 2023, the Georgia General Assembly officially gaveled in the 2023 Legislative Session, beginning a new biennial legislative term. The Georgia Constitution requires that the Georgia General Assembly convene on the second Monday in January every year, but it does not specify an adjournment date. Instead, the Constitution sets a maximum number of 40 session days, which are not required to be consecutive. We generally stretch these 40 days over about three months, with recess days scheduled for committee meetings, weekends and holidays sprinkled throughout. Most of the activity during the first week of session is ceremonial and organizational in nature with only a handful of resolutions passed and a few bills introduced, and this year is no different. On Monday, all members of the House and Senate, both new and returning, were sworn into office for the new biennial. The Senate has a number of new leaders, including Lt. Governor Burt Jones and President Pro Tempore Sen. John F. Kennedy (R – Macon) along with 10 freshmen/women Senators. With new leadership and so many new legislators, I anticipate that the 2023 Legislative Session will get off to a little slower paced start than in the past, but I know the activity will soon accelerate, and I look forward to this great opportunity to forge new relationships and build on the accomplishments of previous sessions.

On Thursday, the official Inauguration of Georgia’s 83^rd Governor, Brian P. Kemp, and our state’s Constitutional Officers took place. I am proud to see Governor Kemp lead us for a second term so that we can continue to benefit from his experience, bold vision, and dedication to the hard-working citizens of this great state. I’m confident that we will work closely with his office to address the issues facing Georgia in a prudent manner that furthers our standing as the number one state in the nation to do business and the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

I am also pleased to report that I, along with my Senate colleagues, worked hard over the interim to lay the groundwork for a productive and fruitful session. Following the adjournment of the 2022 Legislative Session, our work did not stop. Much of the interim was devoted to conducting numerous Senate Study Committees, appointed by former Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan, such as the Senate Study Committee on Georgia Music Heritage chaired by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) and the Senate Study Committee to Review Education Funding Mechanisms chaired by Sen. Mike Dugan (R – Carrolton) to name a few. Much of my time over the interim was spent serving on a joint House and Senate study committee of major importance and one that has received a lot of interest, the Joint Study Committee on Electrification of Transportation. This committee, co-chaired by Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) and House member Rick Jasperse (R – Jasper), was established pursuant to Senate Resolution 463 and was adopted by the General Assembly during the 2022 Legislative Session. The prevalence of electric vehicles (EV) on our roads is increasing, with projections for EV adoption to accelerate, and Georgia appears to be at the epicenter of EV and EV battery manufacturing. Therefore, it is imperative that we plan and prepare for a future where EV’s continue to replace combustible engine vehicles on our roads by implementing public policy that supports an adequate EV charging network and replaces diminishing motor fuel tax used to fund our transportation infrastructure. After several months of hard work, the Joint Study Committee held its final meeting to adopt its committee report, outlining the committee’s work and recommendations on November 30, 2022. I am grateful for the time commitment, expert testimony and robust discussion that went into each study committee and look forward to vetting potential legislation resulting from this work during the 2023 Legislative Session.

Next week, much of the General Assembly’s time will be devoted to Joint Hearings of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. “Budget Week,” as we call it, is a time for the heads of Georgia’s state agencies and departments to present their budget requests to the General Assembly for review. These hearings are often long, but are critical in ensuring that your taxpayer dollars are spent as responsibly as possible.

The following week, we will reconvene in the Senate Chamber Monday through Thursday for our next four Legislative Days. We also plan to get back to work serving in our committees to assess the pieces of legislation brought before us. If you have any questions or concerns related to the budget or any potential legislation that my come up this year, please do not hesitate to contact my office. I am here to serve you.

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January 13, 2023

Senator Larry Walker to Serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor

ATLANTA (January 13, 2022) | Yesterday, Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry) was assigned by the Senate Committee on Assignments to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. The Senate Committee on Assignments is chaired by Lt. Governor Burt Jones and is composed of President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy, Senate Majority Leader Steve Gooch, Sen. Greg Dolezal (R – Cumming) and Sen. Brandon Beach (R – Alpharetta). The committee is responsible for assigning the Senate body to committees.

October 25, 2021

Sen. Larry Walker Receives Chairman’s Award from Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame

ATLANTA (October 25, 2021) | Recently, Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry) was awarded the 2021 Chairman’s Award from the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame (GAHF) for his support of their work to preserve Georgia’s rich aviation history and promote the state’s robust aviation industry. Located at the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, the GAHF annually inducts Georgians into the Hall of Fame who have made significant contributions to aviation through their leadership, innovation, courage and service. The GAHF seeks to support and grow Georgia’s aviation economy by highlighting the contributions of Georgia’s aviation pioneers and educating Georgia’s youth on the wide range of attractive career opportunities in aviation.

October 13, 2021October 13, 2021

Georgia State Senate Bests House in Livestock Showdown

ATLANTA (October 13, 2021) | On Saturday, October 9, 2021, the Georgia National Fair, with co-sponsorship from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, hosted its annual Legislative Livestock Showdown. The Senate team, captained by Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry) and made up of Sens. Jason Anavitarte (R – Dallas), Sheikh Rahman (D – Lawrenceville), Kim Jackson (D – Stone Mountain) and Max Burns (R – Sylvania) won the Legislative Livestock Showdown, while Sen. Max Burns placed first individually in the showmanship competition.