Monday, January 14th, marked the beginning of the 155th General Assembly. It feels great to be back at the Capitol representing the 20th Senate District. This year has already been an exciting one—at the beginning of the week Governor Brian P. Kemp was inaugurated and we officially welcomed Lieutenant Governor Duncan to lead the Senate. It was an honor to serve on the Governor’s escort committee with other leaders from the Senate and House. I look forward to this new leadership which will promote conservative values and an agenda that is focused on our state’s most needed areas of improvement.

While it is great to be back under the Gold Dome with my colleagues, I know that many in middle and south Georgia are still feeling the effects of Hurricane Michael. I am hard at work to ensure that my constituents’ values are fully represented at the Capitol so that our community, and the entire state of Georgia, continues to thrive.

On Monday, I was officially sworn into office. My wife Adrienne stood by my side as I took the oath of office, administered by Georgia Supreme Court Justice and former State Senator Charlie Bethel. It truly is an honor to once again represent the place I was born and raised under the Gold Dome. I also received my committee assignments for the 2019 legislative session. This year, I will serve on the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Health and Human Services, and Insurance and Labor Committees. The opportunity to serve on any committee is an honor, but I am especially excited to serve on these this year as I believe my knowledge of these areas allow me to contribute to thoughtful and well vetted legislation. Additionally, I will serve as an ex officio member of the Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security Committee and I look forward to continuing to support our state and nation’s active duty and veteran military members.

Gov. Kemp gave his first annual State of the State address on Thursday. During his speech, he touched on several points of legislation that he deemed to be pertinent to a successful first year in office. Among the topics that Gov. Kemp discussed were economic development, the impact of Hurricane Michael on rural Georgia, safety in public schools and corrections reform. He placed particular emphasis on the growth and continued prosperity of small businesses. Additionally, he mentioned increasing the education budget to provide a $3,000 pay raise for teachers and additional funding for school safety. As our educators are the building blocks of the next generation, I am thankful we have a governor who is dedicated to providing them with the support they need to give our students the best chance for success.

As we work through the next 36 legislative days, I will continue to update you on legislation and the events of the Capitol. I encourage you to reach out to me with any questions, comments or concerns relating to legislation or our district. It is my sincere honor to serve you and I appreciate your feedback and prayers for a successful legislative session.