Pressures Facing Rural Georgia
Friends,
Coming from a farming background in a rural part of the state, I have seen first hand many of the pressures facing those corners of Georgia today.
In some parts of Georgia, the pressures of population growth are knocking at our doorstep. In other areas of our state, the lack of growth has limited opportunities for our young people.
These are issues the General Assembly seeks to address every year, and our work is often aided by study committees and working groups attempting to solve these very complex issues.
For example, as our state grows demands on our freshwater fishing resources have only increased, sometimes causing confrontation between landowners and anglers. That’s one of the reasons the House passed HR 519.
This legislation was introduced by Representative David Jenkins and creates the House Study Committee on Fishing Access to Freshwater Resources.
The Study Committee will be chaired by Majority Whip James Burchett, who is joined by Representatives David Jenkins, Victor Anderson, Stan Gunter, Mack Jackson, David Knight, Rob Leverett, Trey Rhodes, Lynn Smith, Vance Smith, Will Wade, and Al Williams.
The Committee will meet around the state in communities near some of the waterways feeling the most pressure as the Department of Natural Resources’ management of your constitutionally protected right to fish occasionally conflicts with the rights asserted by nearby private landowners. As Georgia continues to grow, these types of conflicts could increase, so I look forward to seeing what this Committee is able to learn as it meets around the state and seeks to produce a report by December 1, outlining potential solutions.
One of our most important actions the House took up during the 2023 Session was the passage of HR 488 to reauthorize the House Rural Development Council. Co-Chairs Gerald Greene and Mack Jackson will be joined by over 20 members from across our state.
Georgia has seen amazing job growth in recent years, aided in part by our work in the General Assembly on tax, regulatory, and economic development policy.
Despite that great work, however, many of our rural areas have missed out on opportunities in part due to the distinct challenges they face ranging from healthcare access to population loss to educational opportunity.
I know the Rural Development Council will continue its great work, bringing together Georgia leaders from around the state to discuss the issues facing rural Georgia, and more importantly to come up with solutions to those problems.
The Rural Development Council will produce an initial report by the end of 2023, which I look forward to reviewing as we work to ensure Georgia remains the best state to live, work, and raise a family for all Georgians.
In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions about my work as your Representative or as Speaker of the House, or with your thoughts about new opportunities in Georgia. You can contact me at 404.656.5020, Jon.Burns@house.ga.gov, or on Facebook at www.FB.com/JonBurnsGA. If you wish to sign up for my weekly emailed newsletter, visit https://www.friendsofjonburns.com/home to sign up.