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

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is rolling out his priorities for the upcoming 2024 Legislative Session one at a time. So far, they have included a focus on workforce development, children’s mental health, foster care and adoption, school choice and access to quality healthcare. These issues and others will highlight the Republican priorities in the Senate during the 2024 session of the Georgia General Assembly which kicks off Jan 8.

Jones recently unveiled his “Red Tape Rollback” initiative, intended to ease regulatory burdens and help continue Georgia’s tradition as the No. 1 state to do business. This is one of the top priorities for Senate Republicans this year.

“Georgia has built the nation’s best business environment, and we want to keep it that way,” said Jones. “A regulatory environment promoting competition, while encouraging the startup and expansion of new businesses, and taking the heavy hand of government out of the equation is a priority. The reforms the Senate will lead on this year will reduce costs and paperwork while minimizing uncertainty for those who want to start or grow a business in Georgia.”

According to Jones, the proposed legislation will focus on several key initiatives, including:

● Improve the process for obtaining professional and occupational licenses while giving licensing boards more flexibility.

● Strengthen the power of the General Assembly to oversee and review proposed state agency regulations.

● Empower members of the General Assembly to request economic analyses of proposed legislation and agency regulations that would impact small business, like the current fiscal note process.

● Amend the Administrative Procedure Act to expand the definition of “small business” from 100 employees to 300 employees.

● Reduce the size and scope of state government by eliminating defunct or duplicative boards and commissions.

Jones said Republicans also are committed to creating a plan for ongoing analysis of the state’s tax incentive programs as they look at ways to gradually eliminate the state income tax.

Another Senate Study Committee tasked with looking at ways to strengthen and sustain the state’s workforce will also drive Republicans’ priorities this session. This includes passage of SB 157 — which passed the Senate with unanimous bipartisan support last year. This bill is intended to increase Georgia’s workforce by limiting the current authority to deny licensure based on non-violent criminal convictions. (Unless granting a license would present a substantial risk to public safety.)

Senate Republicans will continue to focus on Georgia’s most vulnerable population— children, says Jones. This includes a focus on children’s mental health. “Social media touches every part of our daily lives, and while it certainly has its benefits, the potential negative impacts it has on our children cannot be dismissed,” said Jones. “I will prioritize legislation that will require age verification, allow for parental consent, provide for new educational resources on social media use and addictive content, and crack down on cyberbullying in and out of school. Our goal is to ensure we’re safeguarding students against the harmful aspects of social media while maintaining their ability to learn, grow and connect with the world around them.”

Jones says while focusing on new bills this session, he is also committed to seeing through bills from the 2023 session that did not make it all the way across the finish line. Among those is Senate Bill 233, “The Promise Scholarship Act,” which would enable families to use a $6,500 scholarship fund for a variety of expenses related to their child’s education, including textbooks, tutoring, therapy and transportation. This bill passed the Senate and is currently pending in the House.

Quality healthcare access for all Georgians – especially in rural parts of our state – is another priority for Republicans in the Senate.