After taking all of last week to consider budget proposals, the Senate returned to its usual work with assigning legislation to committees and a number of those committees meeting for the first time to adopt their committee rules for the 2023 Legislative Session.
On Wednesday, we had the pleasure of hearing from Governor Brian Kemp as he delivered his State of the State Address, previewing his legislative and budgetary priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. Each year provides its unique set of challenges but recently, the budget process has been difficult due to the state-wide economic impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite those trying times, Georgia continues to prevail as our economy remains strong. However, despite those trying times, under Governor Kemp’s leadership, Georgia continues to remain a force to be reckoned with economically. Below I have outlined a few highlights from the Governor’s address:
The Governor’s proposed budget includes appropriating an additional $1.9 billion to education to fully fund the QBE formula. When Governor Kemp first ran for office, he promised to raise teacher pay by $5,000. Because that pledge has been fully delivered, the Governor proposes an additional $2,000 to be appropriated for yet another teacher pay raise. It is imperative that we continue to recognize our teachers for their hard work as they are the most impactful elements of Georgia’s workforce.
In regards to healthcare, there are 67 counties with less than 10 physicians in the state of Georgia. The need for more healthcare professionals is unprecedented. I am pleased to report that Governor Kemp’s budget proposal includes over $4.5 million to fund loan repayment programs to grow the number of healthcare workers in our state. Governor Kemp is also calling for 102 residency slots through an investment of $1.7 million, which will exceed the initial goal number of this program. This is an area of discussion I do not take lightly and I am fully supportive of these proposals so that we can get to work providing the highest level of healthcare services to Georgians.
Perhaps the most significant event of the week occurred on Thursday, Lt. Governor Burt Jones along with the Senate Majority Caucus, outlined our legislative priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. Majority Leader Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) introduced a number priorities for this legislative session. The priorities are as follows:
Bolstering opportunity and innovation in Georgia’s economy through conducting a prudent income tax reform and tax credit review by supporting the implementation of new taxpayer and homeowner relief initiatives, and laying the groundwork for the continued electrification of transportation.
Cultivating an educated workforce by establishing a Senate-led effort to improve literacy rates in line with graduation rates, implementing learning loss grants, and reviewing degree requirements for state employment.
Creating safer communities through enhanced school safety legislation by establishing serious penalties for the recruitment of minors for gang activity, and creating aggressive bail bond reform for violent offenses.
Supporting the health and well-being of families and at-risk youth through the expansion of telehealth services for rural and underserved communities, increasing support for foster families and children, and extending benefits for income-eligible expectant mothers.
While the physical legislation for the Senate Majority Caucus’ legislative priorities has yet to be dropped in the Senate Hopper, we have been working on the ideas behind them for some time. I look forward to working with the bill sponsors to continue to perfect of each of these bills and help them advance through the legislative process.
I also want to draw your attention to the Senate Page Program here at the State Capitol. For the past three years, the page program has not been in place due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Senate Page Program offers an opportunity for students to visit the State Capitol to observe and participate in the legislative process. Senate pages serve the Senators by delivering important information and message to them in the Senate Chamber during the legislative session day. With only 20 spots available, I encourage all young students in the area to apply for the page program as this is a great opportunity to get a front row seat to the legislative process. Below you will find information on how to apply:
Find your legislator on by visiting Openstates.
Once you know your Senator’s name, visit our Senate Members page to get their contact information.
Complete the Page Interest Form and send to your Senator’s Legislative Assistant via e-mail or fax. This form can be saved and attached to an e-mail. It can also be printed, scanned and then e-mailed as an attachment.
Read more in the Page Welcome Packet.
Additionally, if you have further questions about the Senate Page Program, you can reach out to the programs Director, Kim Campbell or Assistant Director, Illana Burkhart, using the information below:
Kim Campbell, Director
Illana Burkhart, Assistant Director
Office: 404.657.7004
Next week, the Senate will reconvene Monday through Thursday for Legislative Days 9-12. I anticipate the pace will only continue to pick up as many committee meetings will begin hearing legislation. As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns about these bills matter relating to the Georgia Senate, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office.
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Vidalia High School's Seth MacGregor was honored Tuesday night as the systems STAR Student. MacGregor, a senior at Vidalia High School, chose Grey Meredith as his STAR Teacher. The duo was honored with other STAR recipients in a ceremony at Toombs County High School, which was presented by the Vidalia Kiwanis Club.
MacGregor, who hopes to get an appointment from The Naval Academy or West Point, said that he is honored to be selected as the STAR Student, "first of all, it's an honor for sure. It's a blessing. It's proof that I have a work ethic, an intellect, and proof that my parents have trained me well."
MacGregor, who led his Cross Country Team to a Region Championship this year, said that the award was something he had thought about early on, "I think it definitely motivated me to put in that extra work, to get where I wanted to be here tonight."
When asked why he chose Meredith, MacGregor said it was an easy choice, "he's a person of excellence, a man of excellence in all that he does, in every way that he leads in the classroom and outside of the classroom as well. He's a man of excellence."
Meredith, Vidalia's only Naval Academy Graduate, said, "this is a huge honor. I'm honored, and I'm privileged to share the stage with Seth. I know he is going to do great things. He has a great work ethic, determination, and drive."
Meredith went on to say Seth is just one of those students that makes teaching fun. "I wish all of our students could be like Seth, but, he is a special student. He's going to do great things."
Meredith, who owned a successful construction business, got into teaching later than most says the love of the profession made him want to share his knowledge with others. "I got into teaching one because I love construction. I love what I do. I came through the construction program at Vidalia. I love what it did for me, and I wanted to do the same thing for students coming through Vidalia. We need to produce craftsmen. We need to produce engineers, and we need to produce guys that want to work hard and make a difference in their community. So, I wanted to live that out with teaching.
The PAGE Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia's highest-achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. Since its creation in 1958 by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the STAR (Student Teacher Achievement Recognition) program has honored nearly 29,000 students, who have, in turn, chosen their STAR Teachers to share in this recognition. Every accredited high school in Georgia is eligible to participate in this preeminent student/teacher academic recognition.
Courtesy of Vidalia City Schools.
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The City of Vidalia along with Republic Services has created a video that provides information regarding what items can and cannot be placed in recycling carts. Please visit the following link to see the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGwDSPCCxSM
Items that CAN be placed in the recycle cart include cardboard with no wax and/or glossy finish, aluminum cans, and any plastic container (water bottle, mouthwash bottle, ketchup bottle, ground coffee container) with a one (1) or a two (2) inside of the recycle triangle. Please see picture below to see those items as well.
Items that CANNOT be recycled include snack boxes, cereal boxes, plastic bags from the local grocery store, styrofoam plates, any plastic without a one (1) or a two (2) in the recycle triangle, plastic sandwich bags, tin cans such as soup or dog food cans, glass, any type of paper (including newspaper), and the box that aluminum drink cans come in. Please see picture below.
Other miscellaneous items that cannot be placed in a recycling cart include yard debris, metal, tires, paint cans, cords, tarps, and fabric.
The City of Vidalia recognizes the importance of recycling and what it means to many of our citizens. We want to encourage you to be mindful of what is being placed in the recycling carts so that we may continue our recycling program. When items are recycled, it saves funds that would be used to pay landfill costs.
Republic Services will resume their regular pickup of recyclables on February 2, 2023.
If you have any further questions regarding the suspension of recycling collection, please contact City Hall at 912-537-8718.
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Larry Calhoun, President, STC, and Michael Crumpler, Rick Perkins Award of Excellence reipient
Being nominated for the Rick Perkins Award for Excellence isn’t something new for Welding Instructor Michael Crumpler, nor is receiving it. But for the Instructor of the Year at Southeastern Technical College who was recognized as such Tuesday evening, it’s still a humbling experience.
“When I look back and see where the Lord has brought me, it’s a blessing,” he said. “I grew up in the projects in South Alabama just struggling. Now, I have a college education and I’m a college instructor with 12 letters behind my name. It’s just so humbling. I’m so glad my family was here tonight to witness this because they know what the Lord has brought me from.
“It’s a true and I believe spiritual saying that ‘With God all things are possible.’ I do believe all things are possible if you only believe,” he concluded.
Like the GOAL winner we reported on yesterday, Elizabeth Paradice, Crumpler will represent STC as an ambassador for technical education. He will now compete among instructors at the regional level, and if selected as one of three finalists, will go on to the state-level competition in Atlanta.
Crumpler is in his 23rd year as an instructor at STC. He was nominated for the Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in 2006, 2012, and 2016, and was nominated and the recipient of the award in 2017 and 2023.
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Congratulations to Alli Waller for being named the 2023 PAGE STAR Student for Toombs County High School!
The Student Teacher Achievement Recognition (STAR) program honors Georgia's highest achieving high school seniors and the teachers who have been most instrumental in their academic development. The program is sponsored by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Foundation and locally sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Vidalia.
To obtain the STAR nomination, high school seniors must have the highest score on any single test date of the three-part SAT taken in high school and be in the top 10% of their class.
Alli selected Mrs. Dana Manning as her STAR teacher. Mrs. Manning teaches Chemistry and Human Anatomy at Toombs County High School. Congratulations to Toombs County High School's STAR student and teacher.
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