ATLANTA — Georgia's Lt. Governor Burt Jones met with reporters on Wednesday to highlight legislative priorities for the state in 2024.
From funding the Public Safety Training Center to decreasing state income tax, Jones had a long list, but there are two controversial items that he said could see action this week.
One addressed anti-Semitism, while the other addressed allegations of misconduct by Fulton County's District Attorney Fani Willis.
Supporters of the anti-Semitism bill hope it will deter people from committing acts targeting the Jewish community. However, critics fear it would infringe on the First Amendment.
As for Willis, Jones said the state sends about $3 million a year to help fund the Fulton County District Attorneys. He claims there are grounds for investigating how that office is spending tax dollars.
The allegations argue she had a relationship with someone she'd hired and paid double what she was paying other prosecutors on the same team.
How far an investigation could go remains to be seen, as elected district attorneys have substantial autonomy in how they run their office.
Still, Jones said state legislatures could take up the issue as early as Friday.
Other legislative priorities mentioned:
"Empower Businesses"
Jones laid out a desire to cut regulations on businesses within the state, in addition to two bills (Senate Bill 157 and Senate Bill 235), which address "workforce licensure applications" and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Other business priorities listed include:
- Improving 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
- Expanding the definition of a small business from 100 to 300 employees
"Protecting Georgia's Youth"
Here, the emphasis looks to be mainly on school safety, including training for teachers, school safety plans and schools to have more autonomy when it comes to meeting their safety needs.
In addition, social media and cyberbullying also appear to be on the minds of lawmakers, as Jones highlighted a hope to require social media companies to take steps to verify the age of its users and require schools to monitor bullying on top of better education around technology.
"Public Safety"
Three main issues appear to be of focus in this category. The first is making fleeing from police a more serious offense, followed by more severe penalties for those who perpetrate swatting calls and supporting the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center - itself a point of controversy over the last couple of years.
"Veterans"
Under this pillar, Jones highlighted a desire for Georgia to grow its defense industry, as well as expand degree options at Georgia Military College and establish a study committee on veteran mental health and housing.
"Election Reform"
Here, Jones pointed toward two bills that would have a significant impact on Georgia's election process. The first, Senate Bill 355, would ban ranked-choice voting. Then there is Senate Bill 385, which would give the State Election Board the authority to investigate state officials.
"Tax Reform and Transparency"
The most notable point of focus under this umbrella was Senate Bill 349, which would limit year-to-year increases in home values for local property to 3%.
"Children and Families"
Lawmakers pointed to a desire to streamline the legitimation process for those wishing to become a father, providing free, easy-to-obtain photo IDs for foster kids, creating a statewide reporting system for the Juvenile Court System and launching a senate study committee on affordable childcare.