First Day of Session, Eggs and Issues, and the State of the State
It was certainly busy in Atlanta this past week, as the 2024 legislative session of the General Assembly kicked off and into high gear.
On Sunday before session officially began, I had the opportunity to attend the annual Eugene Tillman Prayer Convocation. Before we gather to begin the important business before our state, there’s no better way to do that than with prayer and reflection—while remembering those who have passed. This year, we honored Tish Naghese—a wonderful House member and public servant taken from us far too soon last March. I shared a few lines of scripture from the Book of Proverbs: “Be sure to know the conditions of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.”
Monday morning marked the official beginning of session, and it was great to see my colleagues back again in one place—eager to begin the business before us. I joked that it seemed like we had never really left given that it was just a few weeks ago we were there for the special session on redistricting.
On Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending and delivering remarks at the Georgia Chamber’s annual Eggs & Issues breakfast gathering. Over 2000 people were in attendance, from elected officials to policy experts to industry and business leaders to members of the general public. During my speech, I outlined the House’s priorities for the upcoming session, including expanding access to healthcare, cutting taxes, investing in education, strengthening election integrity, and boosting public safety. I’m incredibly optimistic about the potential to make generational improvements for our state, and certainly look forward to working with Governor Kemp and Lieutenant Governor Jones to make that happen.
On Thursday, I had the honor of welcoming Governor Kemp to the House Chamber as he delivered his State of the State address. The Governor has led our state with courage, conviction, and outstanding leadership over the past six years, and it was great to hear his continued vision for creating more opportunities for Georgia families during his speech. He discussed a number of shared priorities for our state, and I look forward to working with him to get those across the finish line. One of those was the announcement of a new dental school at Georgia Southern University, which we would be a huge boost to Statesboro, the University, and so many communities across Southeast Georgia. We will certainly be sharing more information on that announcement in the coming weeks.
Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and this past Friday, I had the pleasure of speaking at the MLK Celebration of Service at the Capitol. During my remarks, I shared one of my favorite quotes from Dr. King: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” As we remember his life and legacy, it’s more important than ever that we continue his fight for justice and equality for all, working toward his dream of a more perfect union and a better world.
With a new year also comes a new social media platform for me: X (formerly known as twitter). My username is JonBurnsGA. I encourage you to follow along to keep up with our latest news!
I hope everyone’s new year is off to a fantastic start, and to see and hear from you soon.
My best,
Jon Burns