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Committee Reports
House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee
Chairman Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) and her Human Resources Subcommittee spent a part of President’s Day hearing more specifics regarding the FY 2022 Budget needs, particularly around the areas of the Departments of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Human Resources (including Division of Family and Children’s Services), Veterans Services, Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities and Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. The full tracking document for HB 81, the proposed spending plan for FY 2022, is here.
The Subcommittee heard presentations from the Departments and agencies, but the real discussions were the testimonies provided by the public. A few highlights of the agencies presentations included:
House Small Business Development Committee
Chairman Mike Cheokas (R-Americus) and his Committee and adopted its Committee Rules. This Committee will operate with four subcommittees: 1) Barriers to Regulation (chair is Representative Tim Barton (R-Calhoun)); 2) Retail Hospitality (chair is Representative Bill Yearta (R-Sylvester)); 3) Incentives and Education (chair is Representative Dale Washburn (R-Macon)); and 4) Agribusiness (chair is Representative Steven Meeks (R-Screven)).
The Committee heard presentations from NFIB, Nathan Humphrey, which indicated that the small business climate in Georgia was overall good Georgia has AAA bonds; low tax rate; it is a “right to work” state; has a solvent unemployment trust fund; has a workers’ compensation fund; and is a diversified economy. NFIB’s Humphrey pointed out the COVID-19 response and allowing businesses to open; the passage of HB 486; passage of covid liability protection law, SB 359; and the $1.5 billion for unemploymen
House Subcommittees Drop Hints on Amended FY21 Budget
Moving quickly after last week’s budget hearings, the subcommittees of the House Appropriations Committee convened in sequence this morning to sign off on their assigned agency budgets. While actual tracking sheets were not released to the public, subcommittee chairs shared some highlights and hints about what we are likely to see in the full Appropriations Committee tomorrow:
Public Safety
The Public Safety Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Representative Bill Hitchens (R-Rincon), reviewed the changes to the Governor s proposed budget for Amended FY21, which include:
Provision of funds for a temporary judge on the Court of Appeals;
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It’s become tradition for lawmakers and lobbyists that the first Wednesday of each new legislative session start with an early morning surrounded by hundreds of their closest friends at the Georgia World Congress Center jockeying to read the political tea leaves (and get a better table assignment) at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues breakfast. That tradition lived on today, although in an all-virtual format, as attendees gathered around their computer monitors with their own coffee and breakfast of choice. Attendees heard from the State’s top three leaders, Governor Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, and Speaker of the House David Ralston, as they teased their priorities for the session. And in segments new to this year’s event, Democratic and freshman lawmakers shared their perspectives with guests. More details on #EggsAndIssues21, as well as highlights of new legislation introduced in b