Larry Walker – Page 7 – Georgia Senate Press Office

February 5, 2023

Capitol Recap: Week Four

By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)

Things have really begun to ramp up under the Gold Dome as the Senate convened Monday through Thursday of this week for Legislative Days 9 through 12. This week, we held a vote on our first Senate Bill of the session and I had the opportunity to Chair my first meeting of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor.

This week, the Senate considered its first bill of the session on the Senate floor. Over the past few years, and even in the last few weeks, our state has witnessed a growing number of incidences of civil disturbance, escalating, unfortunately, into violence. While we will always respect the right of Georgians to peacefully protest and assemble, we cannot allow radical groups, often from out-of-state, to engender harm to our neighborhoods, residents and first responders. Senate Bill 11, sponsored by Sen. John Albers (R – Roswell), is known as the “Georgia Fights Terrorism Act”, and allows the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to either work independently or in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies to investigate and arrest individuals or groups engaged in domestic, cyber, biological, chemical or nuclear terrorism. Measures such as this are important not only to protect the lives and property of bystanders and business owners, but also to shield peaceful protestors from potential violence. I was proud to support this measure and believe it sets the tone for our body to pursue positive, meaningful legislation for the session.

This week, the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor convened for our first meeting of the session. As an owner and operator of an insurance agency back home, I am excited to assume the role of Chairman of this critical committee. Our committee will cover a wide range of issues dealing with home and auto insurance, health insurance, workers’ compensation and more. The only official action taken in our first meeting was the adoption of committee rules, the establishment of two sub-committees and the assignment of our first bill to our health insurance sub-committee, but we already have eight bills assigned to us that we will be considering over the next few weeks.

Our counterparts in the House have also been hard at work and, on Thursday, passed the amended version of the Fiscal Year 2023 (AFY23) budget. The purpose of the amended budget is to true up revenue between what was originally budgeted last session and what is projected now, as well as to make any necessary additions or reductions within line items. Notably, this budget includes several of Gov. Brian Kemp’s key budgetary priorities, allocating $1 billion for one time property tax relief for Georgians and a little over $1 billion in state personal income tax rebates. In addition, this budget includes $23 million to enhance school security and $2.4 million to enhance security measures at Georgia’s domestic violence shelters. The budget will now be sent over to the Senate Appropriations Committee, and its various subcommittees, to further analyze and make additional recommendations. As Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I look forward to examining budget items specific to these areas closely.

Next week, we look forward to picking up right where we left off, with four more legislative days dedicated to considering and passing legislation, both in our respective committees, as well as on the Senate Floor. If you ever have any questions or concerns about any legislation currently before the General Assembly, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.

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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Senate Majority Caucus. He also 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 29, 2023

Capitol Recap: Week Three

By: Sen. Larry Walker (R – Perry)

On Monday, January 23, 2023 the Senate reconvened for week three of the 2023 Legislative Session. After budget proposals were presented last week by the heads of Georgia’s state agencies, the Senate returned to its routine. New bills were introduced and assigned to the appropriate standing committee, and several standing committees met for the first time this session to adopt their committee rules for the biennium. After Monday’s adjournment, we held a Senate Republican Caucus meeting, where I was elected to serve as Senate Majority Caucus Secretary. I am honored to follow former Sen. Dean Burke in this caucus leadership role.

On Wednesday, the General Assembly had the pleasure of hearing from Governor Brian Kemp as he delivered his annual State of the State Address from the House Chamber. Each year, the Governor addresses the members of the General Assembly to outline his legislative and budgetary priorities for the legislative session. The past few years have not come without their set of unique challenges due to the state-wide economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, despite those trying times, under Governor Kemp’s leadership, Georgia continues to remain a force to be reckoned with economically. Below I have outlined a few highlights from the Governor’s address:

The education system and the teacher workforce in Georgia remains a constant priority for Governor Kemp and the General Assembly. The Governor’s proposed budget recommends providing an additional $1.9 billion in funds to fully fund the Quality Basic Education formula, a formula that accounts for a large percentage of the state’s budget. You may remember that when Governor Kemp first ran for office, he made a promise to raise teacher pay by $5,000. Last year, that pledge was fulfilled. This year, Governor Kemp intends to go further by requesting an appropriation for an additional $2,000 teacher and state employee cost of living increase. If we are going to continue to prosper as a state, we must have an educated workforce and a well-run state government. Recruiting and retaining talented teachers is essential to the preparation of our children for a productive future, and their pay should reflect their importance. Without dedicated teachers, our children will miss out on the education they deserve and the life changing opportunities an education provides. We also must attract and retain quality state employees in order to deliver high level of service from state offices that our citizens deserve. Therefore, I support these pay raises.

With regards to our healthcare system, the Governor made a strong point in his address to shed light on the lack of healthcare resources and facilities in rural parts of the state. Currently, there are 67 counties in Georgia with less than 10 physicians in the area. The need for more healthcare professionals is unprecedented. Because of this, Governor Kemp is proposing a $4.5 million increase to fund loan repayment programs to grow the number of healthcare workers in our state. In addition, the Governor is calling for 102 residency slots through an additional investment of $1.7 million, increasing the initial goal of this program. I am fully supportive of these proposals made by Governor Kemp. The need to provide adequate healthcare resources to Georgians should be a top priority and I intend to do all that is necessary to ensure my constituents are receiving the best care.

Perhaps the most significant event of this week for me occurred on Thursday, when the Senate Majority Caucus held a press conference at the State Capitol to roll out our legislative priorities for the 2023 legislative session. Lt. Governor Burt Jones, President Pro Tempore Sen John F. Kennedy (R – Macon), Senate Majority Leader Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega), and my fellow caucus colleagues gathered to unveil our plans to continue to improve the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians.

During the press conference, the Senate Majority Caucus highlighted four main themes we intend to prioritize. These areas include bolstering opportunity and innovation in Georgia’s economy, cultivating an educated workforce, creating safer communities, and supporting the health and well-being of families and at-risk youth. Through an in-depth analysis of Georgia’s approximately 200 special tax credit and tax deduction allowances, currently on the books, we want to eliminate those not proven beneficial. This will allow us to provide broader income tax relief to ease the financial burden on all hardworking Georgians. Improving literacy rates across the state will benefit our workforce and ensure success for generations to come. Tightening bonding requirements for violent offenders will make our communities safer, and efforts to expand telehealth services for rural and underserved communities will improve healthcare access and outcomes across Georgia. The Senate Majority Caucus is unified in our determination to advance carefully crafted legislation this session to move Georgia forward in each of the four areas we’ve identified. We’ve heard from you, our constituents, and know that these are issues of utmost importance to you and your community, and we are committed to delivering smart public policy that will make for a more prosperous, better educated, safer and healthier Georgia.

While bills related to Senate Majority Caucus priorities have yet to be introduced, we have been working for some time on the policy concepts and draft legislation. I expect some of these bills to be dropped in the Senate Hopper next week, and I look forward to working with bill sponsors to perfect and advance the priority legislation and as it moves through the various committees. Next week, we will reconvene in the Senate Chamber Monday through Thursday for legislative days 9-12, and our committee work will really get cranking. If you have any questions or concerns related to 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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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.