Longleaf Pines + the Start of 2024 Session

Over the Christmas holidays, Dayle and I had the pleasure of touring Fort Stewart—the largest military

institution east of the Mississippi River. Fort Stewart is an incredible base that is home to so many of our brave

heroes who selflessly serve our country. It is also a significant economic generator for our Southeast Georgia

communities. We were joined by Representative Al Williams and his wife Olivia. Rep. Williams has the honor

of representing Fort Stewart, and we were honored to be his guests. But we weren’t just there for fun—we

were on the hunt for a photo.

Over the past few weeks, Dayle and I have been in the process of hanging photos in the Speaker’s office from

all 25 counties in the Southeastern part of our state. Each black and white photo is on loan from a different

entity within each county, and represents an iconic building, moment, or landscape from that particular

county. Having a photo of Georgia’s beautiful longleaf pines was on the list to get, and we were fortunate to

come away with a pretty good one from our trip there, which you can see below.

This past week has been a busy one back in Atlanta at the Capitol as we gear up for another legislative session

beginning January 8th. The new year brings new beginnings and opportunities—and I’m certainly excited

about what 2024 holds for our great state.

We spent much of the week in meetings with members discussing their ideas and proposals to help move our

state forward. From education to the economy, healthcare, public safety and so many areas in between, there

are a number of areas for the House to look at improving for our state. Sitting down with my colleagues,

hearing their ideas, and working on policy to help move our state forward truly is the highlight of my job.

The first week of session will be a busy one—with the legislative session beginning on Monday, the Georgia

Chamber’s annual Eggs and Issues breakfast on Wednesday, and the Governor’s State of the State address on

Thursday. It will be a busy but exciting time, and we’re looking forward to hitting the ground running.

Dayle and I are so grateful for your prayers as we embark on the upcoming session, and your continued

support and friendship. Here’s to a wonderful 2024!