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On June 26, 2020, the General Assembly officially and finally adjourned the 60+ day COVID-19 suspended 2020 session, after passing the only Constitutionally required piece of business – a balanced $26 billion fiscal year 2021 state budget; Georgia’s new fiscal year begins on July 1, 2020. The new budget reflects a 10% overall reduction in spending to match Governor Kemp’s 10% projected reduction in state revenue.

Each year, the budget process begins with the Governor’s revenue projections; the balanced budget is then created based on that revenue forecast. As of just 45 days ago, and before May’s state revenues started being reported in early June, the Governor was forecasting a 14% decrease in revenue to the state equating to approximately $2.8 billion revenue drop.

Week Ending 7th & 14th of February, 2020

Monday, February 3^rd, was Legislative Day 10 and marked the start of the fourth week of the 2020 legislative session; the House and Senate adjourned unexpectedly early on Wednesday, February 5^th to allow the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to deep dive into Gov. Kemp’s $28.1 billion budget.  The entire week from February 10^th through the 14^th was spent conducting Appropriations Committee hearings on the FY 2020 and FY 2021 budgets.

$26.1 Billion Governor’s Budget for FY 2021

Governor Kemp’s FY 2021 budget of Georgia State Funds is proposed at $28.1 billion. Not to confuse readers, but the proposed FY 2021 Total State Expenditures budget is $54.1 billion; the $26 billion amount above the Governor’s $28.1 billion State Funds budget reflects money coming from “Federal Funds and Grants” over which state leaders have little or no control. Regardless, the additional $26 billion is money that flows into our state. The Governor’s budget and the numbers I am referring to appear in the Governor’s proposed 2021 budget.

Week Ending January 31, 2020

During the third week, we were in session for all five days of the week; the fourth week, we adjourned unexpectedly early on Wednesday, February 5^th, which I will report on in detail in next week’s newsletter.   The reason given for unexpected early adjournment on February 5^th was so that House and Senate Appropriation Committees can finish work on tweaking the current year’s 2020 budget, and to work on the Governor’s proposed 2021 budget. The Georgia State Constitution requires that the State of Georgia produce a “balance budget” {Georgia State Constitution, Section IX, paragraph IV(b)} which is a very good thing!  In fact, the only constitutional requirement imposed on the annual 40-day convening of the General Assembly is to produce the “balance budget”. Proposing, debating and enacting legislation in support of legislative priorities and a balanced budget falls to Georgia’s House of Representatives and Senate.

2021 Budget Battle Brewing

There is a budget battle brewing between Governor Brian Kemp and House Speaker David Ralston over who sets Georgia’s policy, legislative initiatives and priorities, and the subsequent state budget.

It was my honor to attend the 18th Annual 2020 Martin Luther King Community Breakfast for Glynn, McIntosh, Liberty, Camden and Bryan counties on Friday, January 17, hosted by the Coastal Georgia Area Community Action Authority at the College Place United Methodist Church.

Dr. King's life ended when he was only 39 years old and in those few short years, his life, his message and his leadership left a lifetime impact on our country. I have often wondered what the totality of Dr. King's life could have been if still alive today; on January 15, 2020 Dr. King would have been 91 years old.

June 5, 2019

Mr. Mark Williams, Commissioner
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE
Suite 1252 – East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334

SUBJ: Request for Alternative Public Boat Ramp Access to the
DNR/Musgrove/Guale Reserve Boat Ramp

Dear Commissioner Williams:

By this letter, on behalf of the residents and property owners of the historic German Village neighborhood known as Village Bluff on St Simons Island, I am formally requesting that the Georgia Department of Natural Resources initiate and grant approval for an access road across the Musgrove Plantation/Guale Reserve property to the DNR boat ramp located in the northeast corner of the above referenced property. The GA DNR has the full authority to grant such access by virtue of long-standing policy and practice, by virtue of the documents filed with various state and federal agencies related to acquisition of portions of the Musgrove Plantation property, and under the terms of the conservation easement applicable to the property.

If you believe Georgia House Speaker David Ralston should immediately resign, please contact your Georgia State Representative today. Politely tell your State Representative you think David Ralston should resign and urge your Representative to immediately contact Gov Kemp's office @ 404-656-1776. Tell the Governor you will stand with him and Republican House members in demanding Speaker David Ralston to resign.

To find and reach your State Representative,  Please take action today... CLICK HERE!

With kind regards, 

Rep. Jeff Jones, HD167

PS... Legislators are not above the law, justice delayed is justice denied! Will you stand with the victims and demand David Ralston resign?

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Contact: Jeff Jones
(404)656-0177
[email protected]

House Members Call for Speaker Ralston to Resign as Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives

ATLANTA – State Representative Jeff Jones (R-Brunswick, D167), along with a number of other House Members, announced his continued support for Rep. David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge, D7) to immediately resign his position as the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives.

In February, 2019, news outlets reported that in a 2-year period, Speaker Ralston had filed 57 requests for continuance on 21 cases. Of the 93 days that Ralston told the courts he was unavailable, 76 (81%) were outside of the legislative session. “It was because of the initial reports of Speaker Ralston’s abuse of the legislative leave law that I decided to sign on to House Resolution 328 calling on Speaker Ralston to resign his position as Speaker of the House of Representatives”, explained Rep. Jones. “I knew in my heart that this was just the tip of the iceberg which has since been proven to be true.”

“Since the Atlanta Journal Constitution first broke the story about Ralston’s abuse of Georgia’s legislative leave law a few months ago,” said Jones, “additional research has turned up an astonishing number of abuses of legislative leave in criminal and civil cases Ralston handles.”

Week 9 & 10, Ending March 15 and March 22, 2019

At this stage of the 2019 session, with “Crossover Day” behind us, legislative and political posturing and maneuvering is in full-court press, to borrow from NCAA Basketball “March Madness” jargon.  For a few days during Week 9, the Legislature is in a bit of a holding period while each body holds committee hearings on legislation that has “crossed-over.” During the upcoming week, two full days are set aside for committee hearings giving each body has ample time to consider and discuss bills that are still in play. This is also that time when Legislators have to be on full alert so bad legislation doesn’t slip through the cracks.  As always, please contact me if you read, see or hear of legislation that I need to be alert to; I count on your eyes and ears to watch all of these moving parts.

Georgia’s Heart-Beat Bill Legislation HB481 – I voted YES

This is a very personal, emotional issue for many and I believe I understand the argument that some women make that they do not want the government or anyone telling them what to do with their bodies or the babies they carry in their wombs.

In stark contrast to that view, I believe every life is precious and that abortion should not be used a “birth control” as opponents of HB481 support.

When a heartbeat is detected, then that is a clear, definitive sign of life, a precious life that deserves the full legal protection of the State of Georgia.  In the Senate, there were a couple of substantive changes made to make the bill even better that I also support. Here is a link to an excellent explanation of the “Heartbeat Bill” by Sen. Ligon, of Senate District 3, with the Senator’s permission.