To read all of JAMES Magazine Online’s daily news, SUBSCRIBE HERE. *Subscription includes a complimentary subscription to JAMES Magazine.

The annual Georgia Chamber Congressional Luncheon drew a crowd in Athens Tuesday as attendees heard from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark and members of Georgia’s Congressional Delegation. Those in attendance got a glimpse of one of the Governor’s top priorities – tort reform – an issue he has stayed away from in the past.

Key remarks from his speech included:

● We need to make smart changes and modernize how we approach employers, especially small businesses which make up 99.8 percent of all employers in the state.

● As a small business owner along with wife Marty for over 35 years, I know first hand what it takes to start, operate and grow a small business.

● As governor, I have worked hard to get government out of the way, spur job creation in all parts of our state, and improve Georgia’s business environment.

● Having been through the great recession, I know what business owners were facing during the pandemic, and that’s why we were the first state to repo-open and get our citizens back to a normal way of life. In the aftermath of COVID 19, too many small businesses are struggling to start, grow and operate in our state. And while we continue to be the top state for business and break economic development records for investment and job creation, we can do more to make Georgia the best place to live, work and raise a family.

● The truth is you can’t start a business if insurance is unavailable. And you can’t grow or operate a business if you can’t afford the insurance that you are offered. Too many job creators are facing that reality in Georgia. The laws on our books are making it too easy to bring frivolous lawsuits against Georgia business owners which drive up the price of insurance and stop new, good paying jobs from ever coming to the communities that need them the most.

● Georgians are paying some of the highest car insurance prices in the country. Local trucking companies can’t afford the insurance they are offered, or even worse, can’t find a carrier altogether.

● Business owners live in fear of being sued for ridiculous claims on their property. This is unacceptable to me and so many hard-working Georgians out there who are doing their best to live the American Dream right here in the Peach State.

● Our judicial system should not favor one party over another. Our business environment should help businesses start, operate and grow, not incentivize higher prices, smaller payrolls and more red tape.

● Next legislative session, I am looking forward to working with members of the General Assembly to craft legislation that provides much needed to relief to small business and job creators, reduces insurance premiums for hard-working Georgians and their families, and treats both plaintiffs and our businesses fairly.

● Our priority will be to reduce insurance premiums for hard working Georgians and their families, to level the playing field in the courtrooms and continue to help create more good paying jobs in every corner of our state.

Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark spoke on threats, risks and opportunities for the state.

● The Chinese Government is purchasing farmland all across Georgia.

● We need to make sure we have a strong and robust funded military in this country.

● We must beware of China’s attempt to take over Artificial Intelligence (AI) and stay on top of cyber security.

● We must take a hard look at tax issues and make sure our small businesses will not pay more in taxes than larger corporations.

● We must make sure that tax credits for Electric Vehicles are available for all states.

● We must address housing affordability, and make sure our young people can afford a home and live the American Dream.