Georgia Gold Dome Report: New Laws in Georgia

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

The Georgia Bulldogs’ win on Monday, which brought home the CFP National Championship trophy to the Peach State, also brought an upbeat tone to the state Capitol as the General Assembly convened for the second Legislative Day. Red and black clothing was in the season as lawmakers and lobbyists alike shared tales of where they were when the Dawgs secured the fateful pick six in the fourth quarter. But it wasn’t just the new hardware in the trophy cabinet in the Butts- Mehre Hall that made for a good mood under the Gold Dome on Wednesday. Politicians and political wonks also tweeted about the proposed legislation – and proposed budget spending – announced by Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan and Speaker David Ralston at the Georgia Chamber’s annual Eggs & Issues breakfast earlier in the day. These include a proposal by Gov. Kemp to return $1.6 billion in state taxpayer money to Georgia taxpayers through refunds later this spring. Read on to learn more about the Big Three’s proposals and take a look at new laws introduced in this edition of the #GoldDomeReport.

In this report:

Leaders unveil legislative agendas at Eggs & Issues

In a place known for late-night entertainment rather than early-morning politics, Georgian business leaders and policymakers gathered this morning at the Fabulous Fox Theater for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs and Issues breakfast.

Newly elected Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens opened the gathering with a message of hope and cooperation. Mayor Dickens expressed a desire to “build and maintain a relationship with the business community” because “we need each other” and pledged that his administration will work to “redeem the soul of Atlanta.” The mayor’s commitment to fighting the Buckhead City movement suffused his remarks, and he described Atlanta as “a city with a bright future” and announced Thursday the opening of a new Atlanta Police Department in Buckhead. The Georgia Tech graduate demonstrated his commitment to bridging the gap by congratulating the University of Georgia on winning the championship.

US Senator Raphael Warnock also extended greetings to the attendees, emphasizing his belief that he represents every part of the state, including the business community. Senator Warnock described his commitment to broadband expansion, tax breaks for working families, and increased support for research and development at Georgia colleges and universities, including HCBUs. But the senator made it clear that his biggest focus right now is securing voting rights, and urged attendees to take a “moral responsibility” to protect voting rights.

Gov. Brian Kemp used his Eggs & Issues platform to present several key pieces of his agenda for the 2022 Legislative Session. In what is likely the most expensive part of this agenda, Gov. Kemp announced his plan to propose that the state refund $1.6 billion in taxpayer dollars to Georgians when they file their income taxes this year. The proposal, which must be approved by the General Assembly, is $250 for individual taxpayers and $500 for joint filing taxpayers. Gov. Kemp also pledged to work on other income tax cut ideas without making commitments. The governor introduced two additional components of his budget proposal: full re-establishment of austerity measures for the Georgia University System and Georgia Technical College System (to eliminate special institutional fees and expand programs in high-need areas, respectively) and $25 million Admission to the HOPE scholarship and grant programs (to ensure that these scholarships cover at least 90% of tuition for eligible students). Gov. Kemp is expected to unveil his other legislative priorities and budget proposals during his annual State of the State address on Thursday.

In his swan song, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan focused on his crime-busting proposal, dubbed the LESS Crimes Act. This proposed tax credit program would allow taxpayers to contribute to law enforcement agencies and receive a dollar-for-dollar income tax credit. Law enforcement agencies could then in turn use these funds for various limited purposes, including raising salaries for officers, recruiting officers, purchasing equipment, and running co-responder programs that match officers with mental health professionals. Duncan billed his proposal as a bipartisan solution to the bipartisan crime problem. He also reiterated his support for foster families and ensuring that children aging outside the system are not left without support. The lieutenant governor also pledged to be a “steady hand” in the upcoming politically charged session. But he also seemed to have higher aspirations, expressing a personal desire to “have a conversation with America” ​​about a “better way forward” for government and politics.

Spokesman David Ralston ended the Eggs & Issues program and opened it with a harsh reaction to President Biden and Vice President Harris’ visit to Atlanta yesterday to promote voting rights. He made it clear that “today more Georgians are voting than ever before” and “never mind [him] crazier” than someone who lies. In terms of his priorities for the legislature, Speaker Ralston focused on public safety, mental health and the state budget. He summarized his earlier proposal to provide $50 million to support law enforcement officials and improve mental health support. He also announced mental health legislation to be unveiled in the coming days, which will provide parity for service providers, resources for staff development, and opportunities for individuals to seek help outside of the criminal justice system. The spokesman pointed to Georgia’s bottom place in mental health and pledged that this “will change”. Finally, Speaker Ralston made clear his support for Gov. Kemp’s proposal to give state employees a $5,000 raise, but made it clear that he intends the state to remain fiscally conservative amid overflowing tax coffers.

New legislation

The following legislation of interest was brought into the House:

The following relevant bills have been introduced into the Senate:

What’s next

The General Assembly will reconvene on Thursday 13 January at 10:00 am for the 3rd Legislative Day. Governor Brian Kemp will deliver his State of the State address at 11:00 am before a joint session of the General Assembly. The speech will be streamed live here and you can follow it on Twitter using #GoldDomeReport.

Copyright ©2022 Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLPNational Law Review, Volume XII, Number 12