Greetings from the Gold Dome!
The 2020 session is rapidly approaching as we prepare to return to Capitol Hill on January 13, 2020, marking the second year of the current session term. Given the upcoming election cycle, with primary’s taking place in May, we expect a quick but productive 40 legislative days on Capitol Hill. The two-year session cycle also means that any bills presented during the 2019 session are still available for passage during the 2020 year. The second year of any term is always hectic as we will closely monitor newly introduced legislation, while tracking last year’s bills which did not receive a final floor vote before the day 40 deadline.
Although our General Assembly is considered a “part-time” legislature, we were busy throughout the off-session season participating in numerous study committees appointed by House and Senate leadership, traveling our districts and hearing constituent concerns. Study Committee reports, required to be submitted by the end of December, are expected to result in the introduction of many bills related to healthcare, education, rural initiatives as well as ongoing discussions regarding our upcoming fiscal year budget. Georgia law also allows us to pre-file bills for the upcoming session the first week of November, meaning pre-session debate has officially begun. If you are interested in checking out what bills have been pre-filed, I encourage you to do so at the Georgia General Assembly website. Below I have outlined a few areas that will most likely be up for debate. You can read these by clicking on my full report below.
As always, if you have concerns, questions or ideas regarding any issue, my door is open. Please feel free to contact me anytime. Be on the lookout for weekly updates beginning next week!
It is an honor to work as your voice under the Gold Dome and I will continue my service to ensure that our district receives the attention and consideration it deserves at the state level. May God bless and keep you my friends and may He continue to bless the great state of Georgia.
Respectfully,
Ed Harbison
Senator of Georgia’s 15th District