The Beginning of a New Session
Friends,
As many of you know, the week of January 9th is a big week for Georgia’s House of Representatives. We welcomed 43 new members to our House and held elections for the positions of Speaker of the House and Speaker Pro Tempore.
After being sworn in by Chief Justice Michael Boggs of the Georgia Supreme Court, I was honored on Monday to be unanimously elected by my colleagues to be Speaker of the House for the 2023-2024 term. As Speaker, my pledge to you is to continue serving the citizens of District 159 in Effingham, Screven, and Bulloch counties. I am also committed to working for all Georgians to keep our state the best in the nation to live, work, and raise a family.
I also want to thank Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones of Milton for serving as Speaker in the interim period between Speaker David Ralston’s unfortunate passing and my election to the position. Speaker Jones was the first woman to hold the position of Speaker and served Georgia proudly in that role. On Monday, Speaker Jones was re-elected as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House, a role in which she will continue to serve with distinction.
In addition to working closely with Speaker Pro Tempore Jones, I look forward to working with each member of our newly elected Majority Caucus leadership team which represents many corners of our state. This team includes:
Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Dacula
Majority Whip James Burchett of Waycross
Majority Caucus Chairman Bruce Williamson of Monroe
Majority Caucus Vice-Chair Houston Gaines of Athens
Majority Caucus Secretary and Treasurer Ginny Ehrhart of Marietta
I look forward to working with members of the General Assembly, Governor Kemp, and statewide elected officials from across the state of Georgia as we begin 2023 serving you under the Gold Dome. I am confident that, as has been the case for many years, Georgia’s leaders will continue to set an example for our nation.
As the session begins, remember that should you have questions about anything we’re doing in Atlanta, you can always reach out to 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.