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Gold Dome Update - Highlights from the House 
Legislative Days 1-4
Monday, January 13, marked the first day 2020 Legislative Session. It was great to catch up with colleagues as we began preparation for the legislative days ahead. Over the remaining days, we will introduce and discuss new bills, while revisiting 2019 bills still on the table which did not receive a floor vote prior to our day forty deadline last April. Therefore, we can expect last year’s hot topic items such as casino gaming, healthcare, education and tax reform to reappear. 
State of the State

Thursday, January 16, Governor Kemp gave his second State of the State address covering accomplishments from last year while highlighting hopes for the next. Governor Kemp noted the progress we have made over the last year where economic development, job growth and education are concerned. Since Governor Kemp took office just one year ago, we have experienced the lowest unemployment rate in our state’s history at 3.3 percent; created 64,000 new private sector jobs and been named the number one state in which to do business for the seventh year running.

While we are pleased with this progress, there is still much to do. Education, healthcare and public safety are top agenda items for the upcoming year. The governor announced his plans to fully fund our educational system which includes an additional $2,000 a year pay raise for our hardworking Georgia public school teachers. Making good on his campaign promise to ensure at least a $5,000 raise for educators during his time in office.  
 
Governor Kemp went on to outline his healthcare policies which included newly developed programs such as Georgia Access and Georgia Pathways, aimed at lowering health care costs and expanding access to health insurance. Further, Gov. Kemp shared his plans to address surprise medical billing, which has been a huge issue for Georgia patients.
 
Rounding off the top three policy agenda items is that of Public Safety. Government’s most important role is to ensure the safety of our citizens. Governor Kemp has vowed to tackle the issue of gang violence as well as human trafficking by empowering law enforcement officers and prosecutors to act swiftly in driving out gang activity and drug cartels which have spread to every Georgia county in recent years.
 
Governor Kemp also discussed his plans to continue the modernization of our foster care and adoption systems, specifically by creating the Families First Commission. Kemp plans to increase the adoption tax credit from $2,000 to $6,000 and lower the adoption age from 25 years old to 21 years old.



House Action

Following Governor Kemp’s address, we took our first floor votes of the year.
The first is aimed at protecting our brick and mortar Georgia retailers by leveling the playing field with online retailers. House Bill 276 , would require online retailers, facilitating more than $100,000 annually in sales, to collect and remit sales tax. House Bill 276 now makes its way to the Senate for further review.


We also adopted House Resolution 882 , which urges the American people to support President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. Armed Forces and intelligence agencies on a recent military operation that resulted in the death of known terrorist, Qasem Soleimani. It was an honor to sign on to this bill as a sponsor and we would like to thank our delegation Chairman Heath Clark for bringing this forward.

Share with Shaw....

Last week, we asked you to participate in an online survey regarding important issues which will impact all Georgia citizens. To ensure that your voice is heard and we are fully representing your views, please take time to answer these important questions dealing with issues that will be hotly debated topics this session. The survey has 10 questions and only takes a few minutes to complete.

Budget Hearings 

The only thing the General Assembly is required to do by law is pass a balanced budget. Budget hearings begin Tuesday, January 21. In the coming days, we will anxiously await as the Appropriations Committee deliberates and makes suggestions as to where state funds should be allocated. The budget is a living document that will change many times before final passage in the last days of session. Look out for future budget news and as always, our local delegation will work hard to ensure that our region receives necessary funding and assistance from the state level for future capital investments. 
Committee Assignments 

I am honored to serve as Chairman of the House Governmental Affairs committee as well as a member of Appropriations, Insurance, Ways & Means, Juvenile Justice, Special Rules, Small Business, Rules and Economic Development and Tourism committees. You can watch all floor sessions and committee meeting hearings through the Georgia General Assembly website.   

Page Program

We would like to invite any students from our district wishing to serve as a page to reach out to  our office . This is a great opportunity where students ages 12-18 have the chance to experience our government at work!
 
  As we make our way through the legislative session, be on the lookout for updates on the latest issues, as well as, the budget. With an aggressive agenda ahead, we look forward to working in unison to pass legislation for the betterment of our great state and district!  Representing your voice is our top priority. As always, if you ever have questions or concerns regarding legislative matters, we encourage you to contact us anytime as we continue to work towards simple, smart and effective government.

Shaw Blackmon
Representative of Georgia's 146th House District
 
Representative Shaw Blackmon
District 146
Email: Shaw.Blackmon@house.ga.gov
Phone: 404-463-7853
Address:401-K State Capitiol
Atlanta, Georgia 30334