Sen. Rick Jeffares: 2014 Legislative Session: Week 1

Your Georgia Desk:

 Sen. Rick Jeffares (R- McDonough)

The 2014 Legislative Session commenced on Monday with the customary call to order by Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, the Pledge of Allegiance, the traditional Devotion given by the Chaplain of the Day, the welcoming of newly-elected Sen. Bruce Thompson and the swearing in of the new Secretary of the Senate, David A. Cook. It was a successful beginning to a promising session, and we are hitting the ground running.

This year’s session will be abbreviated and is scheduled to end in mid-March. This will accelerate the legislative process, encouraging a more efficient turnout of bills while also saving taxpayer money.

Governor Nathan Deal delivered the annual State of the State Address on Wednesday. During his address, he revealed his initiatives for juvenile justice reform, education funding and economic development efforts such as the Port of Savannah Expansion Project. Gov. Deal has also proposed a budget of $20.8 billion for FY 2015 with a large portion going towards K-12 and Higher Education.

Gov. Deal was proud to announce that Georgia has been named “the number one state in the nation in which to do business,” which was a goal our state set out to accomplish last year. With this distinguished ranking, we hope to experience an increase in our state’s economic development efforts and employment rate.

The first week of the session has already yielded results. We passed House Bill 310, carried by Sen. Butch Miller (R – Gainesville), by substitute on Tuesday by a vote of 38 to 15. The bill substitute will revise the schedule of state and local candidate elections to correspond with federal candidate elections dates. House Bill 310 originated out of the Senate Ethics Committee, which I chair, and has now transferred to the House of Representatives for consideration.

This week, the Senate adopted a resolution which commends the Nation of Israel for its cordial and mutually beneficial relationship with the United States and the State of Georgia. In 2010, the State of Georgia became one of only 13 states to open an office of economic development in downtown Tel Aviv. As a result, Georgia has opened at least four companies in Israel, further strengthening our relationship and stimulating both our economies.

It was also announced the Senate was victorious in the 3^rd Annual Legislative Livestock Showdown against the House of Representatives. This annual competition pairs a legislator with a youth who is active in programs such as the 4-H Club and FFA. During the competition, legislators were educated in proper livestock care and then judged on how they handled their appointed livestock. The first-place trophy will be proudly displayed in Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s office with bragging rights belonging to the Senate.

We have a long road ahead, but I am confident that my colleagues in the Georgia General Assembly will work hard to make this a successful and efficient legislative session.

As always, please feel free to contact my office by phone or email to discuss proposed legislation or to address concerns within the 17^th Senate District. I look forward to being your voice at the Gold Dome and working to make Georgia a better place to live, work and raise a family.