2020 State Legislative Agenda

Economic Development and Taxation

• We support continued efforts to design, fund, and build a permanent US 84 truck by-pass route to divert truck traffic from Valdosta’s Central Downtown District thus enhancing the district’s vitality as well as the trucking industry’s safety and efficiency.
• We support the funding mechanisms in HB170 that help meet Georgia’s transportation needs, oppose efforts to repeal any of TFA's funding mechanisms, and also support investigating ways to soften the impact of the hotel/motel fee on our hospitality industry.
• We support additional funding in the state budget for regional airport upgrades as well as for upgrades and repairs for and short line rail infrastructure to improve freight movement across Georgia.
• We support the continued communication and discussion of state and local transit governance and funding options to support local businesses by improving access to job centers and career training locations that are vital to increasing economic development and community prosperity.
• We support a fully funded INVEST Georgia program at the planned level of $100 million.
• We support legislation funding The Arts as an economic development strategy.
• We support implementation of the Sales Tax Holiday.
• We support broadband expansion in smaller metropolitan areas, rural areas, and in military active duty zones of the State.
• We support tax credits and incentives for development of affordable workforce housing and rehabilitation of historic buildings and landmarks.

Healthcare

• We support initiatives which will improve healthcare and support the provision of healthcare by hospitals in the non-urban areas of our State.
• We support broadband expansion for telehealth and health information technology.
• We support full transparency in healthcare administration and practices related to patient care.
• We support all reasonable means of supplementing costs of medical services and support provided by SGMC, a major economic engine in South Georgia.

SORT/Local Government

• We support passage of legislation to remove regulatory burdens on businesses and promote timely review by local governments for processing permits and plans by developers and builders.  ​

Labor, Education & Workforce

• We support ensuring that training and retraining programs are aligned to the needs of employers based on accurate and timely local labor market data.
• We support employer-led earn and learn opportunities, including apprenticeships.
• We support incentivizing more effective and efficient partnerships between education and workforce systems.
• We support the partnership among families, schools, and the business community to promote and prepare local students and graduates to fill the demand for a highly skilled and competitive workforce.

Military Affairs

• We support the immediate activation and funding of the Georgia Joint Defense Commission and its full and effective engagement in support of all US military installations in Georgia.
• We support facilitating military spouse career transition through universal licensure portability.
• We support the employment of military spouses by local, intrastate, interstate and international companies/corporations, as a matter of priority, to provide military spouse career continuity when relocating with their military member.
• We support improving the Georgia ranking in overall quality of educational outcomes in public K-12 school systems.
• We support military children in education by ensuring transferability of academic achievements, such as AP and honors courses, and educational extra-curricular activities from state to state.
• We support efforts to expand broadband Internet Services in areas where military installations are located.