Update from the State Capital: Week 2
News January 26, 2019
By: Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega)
ATLANTA — This week began with a day off to reflect upon one of Georgia’s greatest, Martin Luther King Jr., whose ideals of peace and justice are woven into everything we do here at the Capitol. After our day of remembrance, we returned to the Gold Dome and hit the ground running with budget hearings.
Budget week started with Joint Senate and House Appropriations hearings, which included presentations from several state agencies as well as Governor Brian P. Kemp, on the Amended Fiscal Year 2019 and General Fiscal Year 2020 budgets. As Secretary of the Appropriations Committee, I am happy to say that the state’s budget continues to be in good shape, with the FY20 budget topping $27 billion for the first time. Below are some highlights for the two budgets.
Proposed Amended FY19 budget which totals around $26.9 billion:
$68.8 million for school security grants. This total amount will be appropriated at $30,000 per school statewide.
$491,300 in initial funding to support the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority.
$69.3 million for transportation as a result of HB 170.
$35.7 million additional funding to the Forestland Protection Act grant for repayment to counties and local systems.
Proposed General FY20 budget which totals around $27.5 billion:
$34.8 million in total funds to the Department of Economic Development to increase economic development throughout the state and to bring additional businesses and jobs.
$33 million in additional lottery funds to provide a three percent increase in the award amount for HOPE scholarships.
$32.6 million appropriated to the Department of Transportation for additional resurfacing projects and capital projects.
$100 million in bond funds for the repair, replacement and renovation of bridges throughout the state.
The General FY20 budget addresses our state’s continuing commitment to economic growth. Governor Kemp has proposed $34.8 million in total funds to the Department of Economic Development to continue the economic expansion that Governor Deal so successfully cultivated.
The state’s growing need to address transportation infrastructure is accounted for in the Amended FY19 budget. An additional $69.3 million in projected revenues resulting from House Bill 170 – passed during the 2015 Legislation Session – will be added to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) budget.
I am very happy to see that a piece of legislation we passed a couple of years ago is still making positive impacts for GDOT. The General FY20 budget includes $100 million for roadway improvements, as well. I will utilize my role as Vice Chairman of the Transportation Committee to ensure that this investment in Georgia’s infrastructure does not go to waste.
Next week, standing committees will begin to hold meetings and legislation will continue to be introduced in the Senate. I will continue to work on legislation that addresses broadband expansion and will keep you updated as the pace picks up and this session gets busier. As we move forward over the next 36 legislative days, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns and feedback. It is always great to hear from my constituents, and our door is always open.
For a full breakdown of the Amended Fiscal Year 2019 budget – House Bill 30 – please follow this link:
For a full breakdown of the General Fiscal Year 2020 budget – House Bill 31 – please follow this link:
Sen. Steve Gooch serves as Majority Whip of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents the 51st Senate District which includes Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union and White counties and portions of Forsyth and Pickens counties. He may be reached at 404.656.9221 or via email at [email protected]
Gov. Kemp visits UNG Friday for signing ceremony
News April 26, 2019
DAHLONEGA, Ga. — Gov. Brian Kemp received a warm welcome in Lumpkin County Friday when he arrived for a bill signing ceremony in the Library Technology Center on the campus of the University of North Georgia.
State Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega), who sponsored four of the five bills the governor signed, welcomed the governor to his hometown and introduced him to those in attendance.
“Today is a big day for us,” he said. “We’ve been working a lot on some issues dealing with broadband and internet services.”
With a large number of state legislators who helped usher the bills through to passage on hand, along with many county and municipal elected officials, Kemp signed Senate Bills 2, 17, 66, 79 and 454.
Senate Bills 2,17,66 and 79 deal with the expansion of access to broadband internet service and were sponsored by Gooch. SB 454 was carried to the senate by Gooch and deals with electronic assisted bicycles.
Senate Bill 2 allows Georgia’s 41 EMCs which represent about 4.5 million rural customers to get into the broadband business and sell internet services.
An important question that has yet to be answered is how many EMCs will participate.
“I’ll stand here today and be the first one to confess, I don’t know that all 41 will ever get into internet services,” Gooch said, “But I believe this will allow them the opportunity to do so.”
Wednesday, April 24 marked the governor’s 100th day in office and he reflected of some of his administration’s early accomplishments.
“Over and over again, I promised to keep families safe, to put hard working Georgians first and I think that is exactly what we have done with these pieces of legislation today and with these great legislators’ help who are here today.”
Kemp said the 2019 and 2020 budgets are “reflection of the values of our state and our priorities for the future. We have fully funded public 0education for the second year in a row. We have given teachers, counselors and others a historic pay raise this year. We’ve invested $70 million in school security grants, $30,000 for every public school in the K through 12 system. We also doubled funding for mental health services in our high schools.”
The governor also pointed to state investments in public safety. “We created a task force within the GBI to undermine drug cartels, gangs and human and sex trafficking.”
Kemp thanked legislators for “stepping up to the plate” and adding $20 million to the budget for hurricane relief for farmers in south and southwest Georgia “while we wait on those in Washington D.C. to do their part to put people ahead of politics and pass the daggum disaster relief bill.”
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