WABE reporters and editors have annotated Kemp’s address, as prepared for delivery, with context and fact checks. You can watch the speech in its entirety here.
Lt. Governor Jones, Speaker Burns, President Pro Tem Kennedy, Speaker Pro Tem Jones, members of the General Assembly, my fellow Constitutional Officers, members of the Public Service Commission, Mayor Dickens, members of the judiciary, members of the consular corps, and my fellow Georgians:
Kemp is beginning the second to last year of his time in office. Among the politicians in the chamber for this speech were many of the people who are likely jockeying to succeed him, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Attorney General Chris Carr. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and top legislative leaders could also take advantage of the movement to run for higher office in 2026. – Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
As we begin a new year with some new colleagues under this Gold Dome, and as we reflect on the past successes and challenges of prior years. I am reminded again and again that no matter what, Georgians outlast the tough times and achieve new heights of success.
Gov. Brian Kemp at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
In just the six years since I’ve taken office, we have faced the trials of Covid19; a major recession as a result of that unprecedented pandemic, the effects of 11 hurricanes; some of them causing historic, generational damage; over 200 tornadoes that caused direct injuries; a summer of unrest and various threats to public safety, some of them ongoing; and other challenges that required – and received – the very best of our people.
Kemp could be hinting at the ongoing protests and legal challenges surrounding the construction of Atlanta’s new public safety training center, which recently opened in unincorporated DeKalb County. Some opponents even took to arson on construction equipment and police vehicles last year. Dozens have also been charged with domestic terrorism over efforts to stop the facility’s construction. -Chamian Cruz, Criminal Justice Reporter
And through it all, time and time again, Georgians have risen to the occasion. As the saying goes, tough times don’t last, tough people do.
And if there is anything that I’ve learned in the six years I’ve been honored to serve as your governor, it’s that hardworking Georgians are not only tough, they’re also generous, proud, and love our great state. Because that’s who we are. And that’s why the state of our state is not only strong, it is resilient!
Attendees applaud at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
Marty and I have been especially reminded of that following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene. With historic rainfall and mudslides in North Georgia, record flooding in Atlanta of over 11 inches in just two days, and a massive amount of damage across much of the Southeastern United States, hundreds of thousands of Georgians across the state were victims of that storm’s fury in some way.
Climate change is a critical factor in Hurricane Helene and other storms that have hit Georgia recently, including Tropical Storm Debby. Water surface temperatures are warmer in the ocean and Gulf of Mexico, which makes hurricanes stronger. When they’re more powerful at landfall, that also means they remain stronger as they cross land, amplifying the devastating impacts of storms like Helene and Debby even in inland areas far from the coast.
Nationally, Helene was the costliest weather disaster in 2024, which was the fourth-costliest year on record for weather and climate disasters. It was also the warmest year on record, for both Atlanta and the whole country. Climate scientists agree that immediate, drastic cuts to carbon dioxide emissions across the board are critical to keep climate change in check. While Georgia has made some strides in reducing its overall emissions, the state has no goals or plans in place to cut carbon emissions. Thanks to funding in the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration’s landmark climate law, Georgia did begin work on its first-ever climate plan in 2023. It’s unclear what will happen with the plan, or the follow-up rounds of funding needed to implement it, under the Trump administration. -Emily Jones, Environment Reporter
Georgia Power reported it was the worst storm they’ve ever seen, with over 11,800 power poles broken, over 5,800 transformers damaged, and over 20,000 people who worked around the clock to restore power. In total, 230 people across the country lost their lives, 34 of them right here in Georgia, including 4 children. Marty and I toured 16 of the hardest-hit counties in Helene’s wake, and in every community, we saw utter devastation. But in the face of grief and unbearable loss, we also saw everyday heroes.
Helene was similarly, or in some cases even more, devastating for the electric membership cooperatives that serve many of the rural areas hardest hit by the storms. Some lost all or nearly all of their power distribution networks, and many reported historic numbers of downed trees and power poles. -Emily Jones, Environment Reporter
We saw neighbors helping neighbors, lending a hand or a chainsaw, even when their own homes and farms were in need of attention. We saw brand new church outreach programs feeding whole towns, and we saw first responders who put the lives of others above their own.
Will you please join me in applauding their bravery?
Courageous men and women like them had to cut people out of their homes and, sadly, had to recover the bodies of those killed by this storm. The heartbreaking loss of these lives is made even worse by the loss of livelihoods, especially for our farmers and timber growers who have endured over 5.5 billion dollars’ worth of damage.
This is based on the UGA Extension estimate from November 2024. Per UGA: “This figure represents the sum of direct crop losses, losses to firms that support agriculture and forestry, losses to workers in those and related industries, as well as likely recovery and restoration costs that firms in these industries will face.” -Marisa Mecke, Environment Reporter
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (left), Gov. Brian Kemp (center) and House Speaker Jon Burns (right) at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
Our farmers needed relief, quickly and efficiently. That’s why we repurposed 100 million dollars to the Georgia Development Authority last November to provide direct financial support for farmers and timber producers. It’s also why – along with our congressional delegation, Lt. Governor Jones, Speaker Burns, Commissioner Harper, and many others – I urged the U.S. Congress and Biden administration to fast-track block grants to our state.
The State of Georgia has rolled out a $100 million in loans through the Georgia Development Authority for recovery efforts, including $75 million for farmland and $25 million for timberland. Kemp’s proposed amended 2025 and 2026 budgets include $200 million to backfill expenses incurred by the Georgia Department of Transportation, $150 million for state and local match funds for federal aid, $50 million for damage to state property and expected higher insurance premiums. Also being proposed is a tax credit for replanting timber and a sales tax exemption for rebuilding poultry housing. -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
I want to extend my deepest gratitude to every member of Georgia’s congressional delegation – both Republicans and Democrats – who voted to support that legislation, and I want to thank both President Biden and President-elect Trump for their support of the disaster relief package as well. Our people will receive the aid they desperately need and deserve – and for that, I am thankful.
Kemp makes only a passing message to the sweeping changes underfoot in the nation’s capital. As in Georgia, Republicans will now have a trifecta in Washington as well. Kemp has pointedly criticized Biden on immigration and inflation and has historically had a strained relationship with Trump. But the two Republicans patched things up this summer headed into the November election. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
Lawmakers at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
But rest assured, the elected leaders under this Gold Dome will stand with them for as long as necessary to make sure Georgians recover and come back stronger than before!
And just as communities across our state need relief after Hurricane Helene, all Georgians need permanent relief from the historic storm of inflation. The past three years have drained family bank accounts, sapped the strength of our small businesses, and left too many Georgians struggling to make ends meet. From groceries and rent, to building supplies and everyday goods and services, the price of nearly everything Georgians purchase or consume has gone up – often faster than their take home pay. This happened because the federal government decided to spend your money like it was somebody else’s, like a credit card with no limit that someone else would have to pay back, instead of reining in spending, cutting taxes, or even coming close to balancing a budget.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national index for food at home rose 1.8% over the last year, with meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rising over 4%. The Federal Reserve cut interest rates this year as inflation approached the Fed’s 2% target. President-elect Donald Trump is considering implementing tariffs on imported goods from certain countries, which could increase food, housing and construction costs. Housing affordability and inflation remain top concerns for many in the state. -Marlon Hyde, Business Reporter
But in Georgia, we don’t conduct the people’s business with trillion-dollar deficits or endless continuing resolutions. Just because we take in more money, doesn’t mean we need to create new big government programs to fund for eternity.
As in last year’s address, Kemp is seeking to draw contrasts between Georgia and Washington, D.C. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
Instead, we budget conservatively, fund our priorities, keep government efficient, cut taxes, and then return your money back to you. Between multiple tax rebates, multiple suspensions of the state gas tax over the past two years, the homeowner tax relief grant you passed last year, and the largest state income tax cut in history that the members seated here helped us accelerate, we’ve committed to saving Georgia taxpayers over 7.6 billion dollars!
In October, Kemp announced another round of tax rebates: $250 for single tax filers, $375 if single and head of household, and $500 if married and filing jointly. If approved by lawmakers, it would be for the 2024 tax year, filed this year. -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (left), Gov. Brian Kemp (center) and House Speaker Jon Burns (right) at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
And because of our conservative approach to budgeting and this body’s support in holding the line on state spending, along with the incredible economy we’ve bolstered, we’re able to double down on that relief. The prior acceleration you passed last session brought down the Georgia income tax rate to 5.39 percent, down a full 36 basis points from where we started in 2022. Today, I’m proposing a further cut of 20 basis points, bringing us down to just 5.19 percent – saving Georgians another 7.5 billion dollars over the next 10 years!
If approved by lawmakers, this would be effective for the 2025 tax year and be retroactive to Jan. 1. -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
Because, at the end of the day, that’s your money – not the government’s, and here in Georgia, we believe you should keep more of it!
Our conservative budgeting and balanced approach to taxes and spending are just some of the reasons we’ve been named the “top state for business” for 11 years in a row, which is absolutely unprecedented!
This oft-cited statistic comes from Area Development Magazine. Site Selection Magazine lists Georgia in its number two spot. CNBC ranks the Peach State as the fourth-best state for business. Several other rankings do not include Georgia in the top 10. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
Like you, I’m proud of that distinction, because businesses – both large and small, and everything in between – are the lifeblood of our economy.
When your community can attract a new automotive supplier that creates 30 new jobs, or help an existing tissue and paper manufacturer expand its operations by over 100 jobs, those are real lives and real families that are impacted. Those are hardworking Georgians that have a chance to start a career, provide for their loved ones, and build a better future.
Georgia’s success in attracting good-paying jobs and investment is widely known. Since I took office, together, we have attracted over 193,000 new, private sector jobs and over 90 billion dollars in investment! The majority of those jobs and investments are going to rural areas, and those numbers just cover projects where the state was involved, they don’t include all the organic growth underway throughout the state.
This includes developing the state’s electric vehicle and e-mobility industry, which has contributed over $27 billion in investments to Georgia, according to the state. In May, Kia’s facility in West Point began producing its EV9 SUV. In October, Hyundai began producing electric SUVs in Georgia at its $7.6 billion manufacturing plant west of Savannah. -Marlon Hyde, Business Reporter
Over the last 20 years, we have fought through economic headwinds, and a pandemic, while still remaining one of the best states for business and economic opportunity. Georgia prevailed because when a state welcomes job growth, innovation, and prosperity, everyone prospers – no matter their zip code. We’re #1 for business because we listened to – and worked with – new and existing job creators. We didn’t hand out government mandates or let partisan politics dictate state policy.
While Georgia’s policies, and in some cases large incentive packages, have helped attract investment to the state, federal tax incentives for clean energy and electric vehicle projects and U.S. manufacturing have also helped fuel many of the new investments in the last few years. Solar manufacturer QCells has been clear that its expansion in North Georgia came about because of the incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act, the landmark climate bill passed in 2022. And the proliferation of auto parts manufacturers to supply the new Hyundai EV plant near Savannah is driven in large part by the U.S.-made provisions of federal EV tax credits: the company is working to bring more of its supply chain stateside so its vehicles can qualify for the maximum tax credit. The future of most of these federal incentives is now uncertain under the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress. -Emily Jones, Environment Reporter
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (left) and Gov. Brian Kemp (right) at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
We let our people and our job creators lead the way. We trusted hardworking Georgians to use their God-given abilities to create and innovate – and our state is better off for it.
But Georgia’s economic success is a lot like football. To quote Kirby Smart, “humility is only a week away,” and there are storm clouds on the horizon.
As we look ahead, I believe one of the biggest threats to Georgia’s future is our state’s legal environment.
Last year, my office worked with the General Assembly and Insurance Commissioner John King’s office to pass House Bill 1114. This legislation allowed Commissioner King to gather data and information on Georgia’s insurance industry, identify reforms that could be made to stabilize insurance costs, expand choices for consumers when they need coverage, and prevent more insurance carriers from leaving Georgia altogether.
Read the latest Data Analysis for Tort Reform Act Report here. -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
Additionally, over the last few months, my office hosted three roundtables throughout the state, listening to small businesses across a wide range of industries, healthcare providers from Albany to Toccoa, and some of our state’s largest employers. Even though each person at those roundtables came from a different part of our state, represented a different industry or business, told a unique story or had a different perspective, the call for action was unanimous. It’s abundantly clear that the status quo isn’t working and a failure to act on meaningful tort reform will continue to put Georgians and their livelihoods in serious jeopardy.
For some that I met, the cost of insurance is threatening their ability to operate. Small business owners reported insurance premiums up anywhere from 30 percent to over 100 percent over the last few years, costing them hundreds of thousands or millions more just to get basic coverage. For too many of them, that meant holding back on hiring more employees, waiting to grow their business, or making difficult decisions about whether or not they could even keep the lights on. For others, the biggest problem was a complete lack of insurance options or the threat of paying thousands – or millions – to fend off excessive lawsuits.
Kemp said lawsuit reform will be his top legislative priority for this upcoming session. The governor plans to unveil more details on his legislative package soon. Kemp says verdicts are driving up insurance costs for businesses, and he wants to limit civil lawsuits. Meanwhile, some say there still needs to be balance for injured parties. -Marlon Hyde, Business Reporter
And at the end of the day, the increased cost of doing business is simply passed on to the consumer, hardworking Georgians who are already struggling to make ends meet. As a small business owner for over 35 years, I know that if you can’t get insurance, you can’t run a business, and you can’t pay your employees. And nobody can afford to spend years – and millions – in the courtroom battling to keep the doors open in their small business.
It’s unsustainable, and widespread.
At our first roundtable, we spoke to leaders of a childcare company with multiple locations in metro Atlanta. They have experienced a 100% increase in insurance costs since just 2018. We heard from a South Georgia grocer, who lost coverage completely after frivolous lawsuits were filed. One business owner’s statement stuck out to me. He said, “At this point, I don’t feel like I’m able to run my business. I’m just trying not to lose it.”
That sentiment carried into our second roundtable with healthcare providers in Macon, where we heard firsthand the challenges our legal environment poses to critical services, our healthcare workforce, and the ability for hospitals and clinics to operate. One hospital system that serves much of rural Georgia had liability premiums go up 115 percent in just one year. Another hospital, in northeast Georgia, actually had their premiums decrease 13 percent from 2022 to 2024, but only because the facility closed their labor and delivery unit in 2021. This was due to workforce challenges and soaring liability insurance costs.
We were told story after story of hospitals struggling to recruit and retain doctors – especially O-B-G-Y-Ns and other specialty disciplines because other states offer stronger protections for healthcare providers, lower insurance rates, and a more level playing field in their courtrooms. And we heard from multiple doctors who wondered how much longer they would practice, for fear of being targeted by baseless or excessive lawsuits.
These stories highlight a legal environment that leads to fewer options for Georgians seeking care, higher costs, and ultimately worse health outcomes for our people.
The state struggles with a shortage of maternity care options, with more than a third of Georgia counties lacking pregnancy or childbirth facilities. It’s a complex issue. Rural areas in particular are facing an epidemic of hospital closures across the U.S., including in Georgia. And, a recent analysis by the Association of American Medical Colleges found states with abortion restrictions are seeing fewer residency applications than states where abortion is more available. -Jess Mador, Health Reporter
And at the third roundtable, some of Georgia’s favorite brands – and biggest job creators – shared the challenges confronting their businesses and employees. The roundtable was hosted by Waffle House, and I think everyone here will agree that no matter your politics, there’s nothing more Georgian than ordering hash browns smothered and covered at one of their 440 locations across our state.
Whether it’s an emergency family trip on Thanksgiving because the turkey ended up burnt, a midnight meal during an all-night study session in college, or the celebration of a big win by your son or daughter’s rec team, Waffle House – and great Georgia Grown brands like them – create unforgettable memories for all of us. They also create opportunity and a great career for their employees – over 10,000 of them in Georgia alone. Waffle House is open on July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Easter and everything in between, in case one of us needs a cup of coffee, an All Star Special, or a friendly smile.
In fact, they’re only closed when disaster strikes, or, unfortunately, when they can’t afford to remain open because of a legal environment that forces them to limit hours, hold back on hiring, or change their business model. Georgia accounts for roughly 22 percent of all Waffle House locations in the country, but almost 37 percent of their litigation costs. Their liability insurance premiums have gone up 235 percent since 2018, and their average cost for a negligent security lawsuit in Georgia is 5 times higher than in Florida, 9 times higher than Texas, 21 times higher than South Carolina, and 27 times the average cost of similar lawsuits in Alabama.
When we talk about how to continue Georgia’s success as the top state for business for the next 11 years, and how to keep our state’s best and brightest days ahead, it starts here. Stories like Waffle House, stories like those small-town grocers and childcare facilities, the mom and pop restaurants that make our local communities special, the healthcare providers who are there for us when we need it the most; without them, our state is not the same, and Georgia will never realize its full potential.
The tort reform legislation my office will introduce in the coming days will be comprehensive – but fair. Because in Georgia, we believe those who do wrong should be held accountable. And if you have been wronged, you deserve justice!
While Kemp did not detail a legislative proposal, Georgia Chamber President & CEO Chris Clark tells WABE what his members would like. “I think one of the top issues and it’s been for the last several years is premises liability. It shouldn’t be legal for two bad guys to come on your property, hurt each other, and then you’re, you’re to blame and you get sued for it. Perhaps something on damages, phantom damages in particular is an issue with a lot of our medical community, and that’s one of the reasons we see such sky-high [medical malpractice] rates, particularly in our rural communities.” The Georgia Chamber is a key ally of Kemp. -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
I also believe the legislation we will be introducing can – and should – have bipartisan support. Making sure your neighborhood has a grocery store with fresh food available to a young single mom, or an elderly couple on a fixed income isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue. Recruiting an OBGYN or a GI doctor to your hometown doesn’t depend on what lever you pull in the voting booth. Stabilizing the cost of car insurance and ensuring families have access to affordable housing is not partisan – it’s common sense. And giving working people and small business owners a chance at the American Dream is about who we are as a state – not what political party we support.
Some developers claim insurance companies have hiked premiums in high-crime areas, and it has inhibited their ability to build affordable housing. While housing costs were a major concern among voters in this past presidential election, this is Kemp’s only mention of the issue here. In his 2023 address, he proposed grants to support workforce housing in rural areas and that program is ongoing. -Stephannie Stokes, Housing Reporter
To my Democratic friends, there is no reason we can’t tackle tort reform together. Passing anti-hate crimes legislation, repealing the citizens arrest statute, and supporting the victims of human trafficking, those are tough issues. But Republicans and Democrats accomplished them together because it was the right thing to do for all Georgians, not just the ones who voted for us. As a former legislator myself, I can promise you that a vote to support the hardworking men and women of our state, a vote to put them first ahead of the status quo, that is never a bad vote.
Kemp is making overtures to Democrats, framing tort reform as a bipartisan initiative with the potential to rise above the rigid lines of partisan politics. The reality is that the debate over tort reform will likely be fraught and Democratic votes will be needed if the Republican party cannot unify around the legislation. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
New Georgia State Senate Minority Leader Harold Jones tells WABE that he is open to tort reform proposals, but “opposes unnecessary tort reform.” -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
But I know this issue is complicated and will not be easy to fix. There are many different stakeholders, with competing ideas about how to move forward. However, doing nothing is no longer an option.
We will do what is right by the people of our state. We will be fair to all involved in this important debate, and we will work together to pass legislation that strikes the right balance and puts hardworking Georgians first. But I also want to be very clear: there is always room for compromise, but there will be no room for excuses, half-measures, or failure.
Whether it’s this legislative session, or a second one later this year, we will achieve meaningful, impactful tort reform.
Kemp has the power to call a special session for a specific reason. The Georgia General Assembly can also be called into a special session by the agreement of three-fifths of the House and Senate. -Rahul Bali, Politics Reporter
This reads to me like a little bit of a threat. No one wants to be pulled back to the State Capitol in the middle of summer vacation, so this message both underscores Kemp’s seriousness about tackling tort reform and ramps up the pressure on lawmakers to act. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
Because if we take seriously our mission to keep Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family for the next generation, we have to get off the sidelines and get to work!
Keeping our state moving in the right direction also means proudly supporting our law enforcement and honoring those who bravely run into the face of danger to protect and defend us all. Last year, when a deranged gunman attacked one of our schools, a place that should be safe for everyone, two on-site officers confronted and arrested him within two minutes, while numerous local and state law enforcement rushed to the scene, including Sheriff Jud Smith.
On Sept. 4, 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly smuggled an AR-15-style rifle inside his backpack and then shot and killed four people at Apalachee High School. Two were students and two were teachers. Several others were also injured. Gray and his father, who has also been charged for his alleged involvement in the deadly shooting, are awaiting trial. Each has pleaded not guilty. -Chamian Cruz, Criminal Justice Reporter
Those two School Resource Officers saved many lives at Apalachee High School on that horrific day and have more than earned our enduring gratitude. Sergeant Chase Boyd, Deputy Brandon King, and Sheriff Smith are here with us today. I would like to ask them to stand and let us thank them and their colleagues for their heroic efforts.
Since the Sept. 4 shooting at Apalachee High School, the district has voted on and agreed to implement several measures to bolster security, like hiring more school resource officers and installing metal detectors at all three of its high schools. This comes after another 14-year-old student was arrested this month for bringing a gun to Apalachee High School. No one was harmed. –Chamian Cruz, Criminal Justice Reporter
I also want to thank those members of the legislature who were here in 2019 and 2023, who supported two rounds of funding for direct campus security grants to every school in Georgia. And last year, with the support of Lt. Governor Jones, Speaker Burns, and the General Assembly, we made yearly funding to strengthen school safety a permanent part of our base budgets.
In total, we’ve allocated 294 million dollars for campus safety so far, and my budget proposal includes a further 159 million dollars for that purpose. And just as we’re protecting Georgia’s children in our classrooms, we’re also going after those who target them outside of school, including gangs and human traffickers.
In 2023, Kemp proposed and approved around $115 million in school security grants to every K-12 school in Georgia, amounting to approximately $47,000 per school. On Monday, he proposed an additional one-time fund in the amended fiscal year 2025 budget of around $50 million to bolster school safety — in total around $158.9 million or $68,760 per school. -Meimei Xu, Digital Editor
Thanks to the vital work by members of the GRACE Commission, law enforcement partners, including GBI’s Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit, and prosecutors on the state and local levels, all championed by the nation’s best first lady, Marty Kemp, the state has now investigated over 330 human trafficking cases, convicted 49 human traffickers, and saved roughly 200 victims!
I want to thank Attorney General Chris Carr and the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit – led by Hannah Palmquist – for all they have done to help make Georgia a safe place for victims and a hostile state for offenders! The Attorney General’s Office has also investigated 140 gang related cases, secured 52 convictions, and charged more than 140 individuals. And that’s just since that unit stood up less than two years ago! My budget includes just over 1.2 million dollars to expand the gang and human trafficking prosecution units in the Attorney General’s Office to further this work.
Marty will spearhead passage of her tenth human trafficking bill that will reinforce the good work of the GRACE Commission. Their resilience in fighting this good fight is why Georgia is leading on this issue, and this latest measure will be yet another reminder that if you come after our children, we are coming after you!
While Georgia tackles the issue of trafficking, WABE and ProPublica highlighted another problem facing the state’s children. In recent years, the child welfare agency has removed kids from their parents because of their unstable housing but provided few resources to help. In his speech, Kemp does not propose new financial resources for low-income families, including those at risk of losing their children due to their housing. -Stephannie Stokes, Housing Reporter
Just as Marty has been instrumental in going after those who threaten our children and making Georgia a safe place for those seeking to rebuild their lives, she has also been a tireless champion for mental health services. For over a year now, as she has promoted the 9-8-8 suicide and crisis hotline, she has carried this message forward: “It’s ok, to not be ok.” And as a result, more and more Georgians are finding the support they need to stay resilient in the face of difficulty.
Kemp and bipartisan state lawmakers have worked to increase access to mental health and substance-use services, which have not kept up with demand as the largely fentanyl-driven rise in opioid overdose deaths has spiked. Recent initiatives include making the opioid-reversal medication naloxone more available, legalizing fentanyl test strips and increasing funding for more behavioral health crisis centers around the state. The Georgia Council on Substance Abuse legislative agenda includes a call for more funding for peer-led recovery programs, expanding the mental health workforce, and tighter enforcement of the state’s Mental Health Parity Act. –Jess Mador, Health Reporter
Last year, you put more funding toward behavioral and mental health needs than ever before, over 1.6 billion dollars. I want to thank the First Lady, Commissioner Kevin Tanner, and the frontline caregivers who are helping Georgians process and overcome the challenges of mental distress.
Georgia’s passage of Senate Bill 533 last year allows the state’s Department of Behavioral Health to partner with sheriff’s offices, so clinicians can provide mental health treatment inside county jails. Otherwise, people in need of mental health treatment can be detained in jail for months — sometimes years — before they’ve been convicted or even tried for any crime. -Chamian Cruz, Criminal Justice Reporter
Several of those caregivers have joined us today. They are true coaches of resiliency who help children and young adults deal with the unimaginable. Christina Lowe, Whitney Hardigre, Laura Ethridge, and Caron Hope were some of the first on the scene in the days following the tragedy at Apalachee High School. Their strength, knowledge, and skill have helped those who have witnessed evil to be able to move forward and continue on life’s path, and for that, they have our deepest gratitude. Christina, Whitney, Laura and Caron, please stand and let us recognize and thank you for your service.
Mental health services like this are improving the quality of healthcare and access in our state, as is the newly launched State-Based Exchange, which is the latest milestone on the plan we laid out in the Patients First Act of 2019. These ongoing efforts are lowering the cost of premiums and increasing the number of those insured in Georgia.
In fact, since I took office, the combined work of Georgia Access and Georgia Pathways is covering over 1.5 million people across our state. And I’m going to keep repeating this until I’m blue in the face, even though many on the other side or in the media don’t want to hear it: we’re covering well over 200,000 more Georgians than traditional Medicaid expansion would cover. And those Georgians are on better plans that deliver better coverage, and lead to better healthcare outcomes for them and their families.
For the first time since the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, started more than a decade ago, Georgians can no longer use healthcare.gov to sign up for marketplace health insurance. Last year, the state launched a new state-based exchange, GeorgiaAccess.gov, part of Kemp’s signature Patients First Act, which includes the Pathways Medicaid program. -Jess Mador, Health Reporter
A spokesman for Kemp says this number refers to the Georgians up to 138% of the federal poverty level (the Federal Poverty Level for 2024 is $15,060 for individuals or $31,200 for a family of four) who are currently covered under both the Georgia Pathways Medicaid program and Georgia Access, the state’s new state-based ACA marketplace exchange. “Our plan has covered more,” he says. State Democrats and other proponents for full Medicaid expansion continue to push back, saying full expansion would cover more people at that income limit and cost taxpayers less. Kemp opposes full expansion, saying it’s not a good fit for Georgia. -Jess Mador, Health Reporter
General Assembly Democrats say the state could better support its hospital system, save taxpayer money and cover more uninsured Georgians by fully expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which health research and policy group KFF has projected could cover at least 359,000 more people in the state. -Jess Mador, Health Reporter
In fact, since I took office, we’ve seen over 93 provider rate increases through traditional Medicaid, and costs to the state have grown by more than 250 million dollars per year. So, when you hear someone say that fully expanding traditional Medicaid is “fiscally responsible,” know that they are selling you a bill of goods – because the numbers simply don’t match the rhetoric. In total, Georgia spends over 4.2 billion dollars for Medicaid in our state, and there are those who say the program only needs more money to succeed.
Kemp has instead implemented more limited expansions of Medicaid coverage, including for low-income Georgians during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum — and in a speech this week, he is calling to further extend this coverage beyond one year postpartum, and adding coverage to eligible new fathers, who would currently not qualify. –Jess Mador, Health Reporter
Well, I respectfully disagree!
With a new administration coming to Washington, I’m looking forward to furthering our innovative approach to healthcare access, which is making Georgia a leader in this field. And as I announced yesterday alongside Lt. Governor Jones and Speaker Burns, we are making it even easier to sign up for the Georgia Pathways program that helps Georgians start a rewarding career, get their degree, attain real-world skills, and ultimately receive better healthcare coverage.
In a speech outlining his 2025 healthcare priorities, Kemp announced a proposal to change the Georgia Pathways program, which offers ‘able-bodied’ adults who otherwise wouldn’t qualify for Medicaid coverage, in exchange for 80 hours per month of work, education, training or volunteering activities. Under his proposal, parents and legal guardians who meet the income requirements would be eligible to apply for Pathways. Advocates are also pushing to include the low-income family caregivers of adults or relatives living with disabilities. -Jess Mador, Health Reporter
My high school football coach had a saying, “Winning is contagious.”
He knew that when you have the momentum, when the entire team buys into the same mission, the same vision, and when they play for each other, good things happen. Much like winning in football, I believe Georgia’s success can be contagious.
While Kemp did not mention immigration in this State of the State, Georgia is poised to be a state others might see as a model on immigration laws during the second Trump administration. Last legislative session, Laken Riley was murdered on the University of Georgia campus mid-session by a man from Venezuela who crossed into the U.S. illegally. That murder kick-started an influx of stricter immigration rules that largely were passed into law last year, and many of those laws align with what President-elect Trump has called for in immigration. Those include harsh punishments for places with sanctuary city policies, a mandate requiring local law enforcement to detain people for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and for local law enforcement to take on some immigration roles in their day-to-day work as well. Georgia enshrined these into law a year before the Trump administration will work to get these laws in place everywhere. -Emily Wu Pearson, Immigration Reporter
In spite of unprecedented challenges and many hard days, Georgia has enjoyed historic success. From jobs and investment, growth and opportunity, to freedom and prosperity, it is a great time to be a Georgian. We achieved more than many thought we would, we proved that big things can get done, we showed that the Georgia Way is indeed the better way.
Since winning a decisive election for a second term, Kemp has captured a growing profile on the national stage. He has positioned Georgia as a model for conservative governance — an agenda that could lay the groundwork for a future run for higher office. I’ve written about how popular governors have managed a turbulent few years, between divisive elections, the pandemic, economic upheaval and protests for racial justice. But Democrats point out there are serious holes in the Georgia way, saying the state ranks poorly on metrics like maternal mortality and access to health care. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
Gov. Brian Kemp at the annual State of the State address at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)
So, let’s keep playing hard for the people who sent us here. Let’s keep putting hardworking Georgians and our state’s success first. Let’s avoid distractions and line up together to secure victory. I believe Georgia’s success, its prosperity, and its promise of opportunity for all, are indeed contagious. And it’s our job to keep it that way.
Kemp did not mention several perennial legislative debates that are likely to crop up again this session: There is the ongoing fallout from the implementation of Georgia’s restrictive abortion law, which is currently in effect but moving through the courts. Republican lawmakers also want to restrict transgender girls from girls’ sports teams in public high schools as well as colleges and universities. Some Republicans also want to push forward additional changes to Georgia election law and continue investigating Fulton DA Fani Willis. Kemp did not mention any of these initiatives. -Sam Gringlas, Politics Reporter
So, let’s get to work!
May God Bless you all and May God continue to bless the great state of Georgia!
