As you all know, this is my final time speaking to you in the state of the State address.

As your governor.

Some of you may be more happy about that than others.

But I hope you know that it has been an incredible honor for Marty, the girls, and me to serve as your first family.

Governor Brian Kemp delivered his final state of the state address today, a speech that mixed policy, personal reflection and emotion from his family in the gallery.

Good evening and welcome to this special 1 hour edition of Lawmakers.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Donna Lowry in Atlanta.

In his remarks, the governor looked back at his two terms leading the state, highlighting accomplishments and laying out key priorities for the year ahead.

Tonight, we'll break down what the governor said and what it means.

Two political analysts will join us to put the speech into context.

We'll also hear the Democratic response.

But first, a look at how the day unfolded under the gold dome.

Our correspondent Sarah Kallis has the overview from the Capitol.

It was a wild day at the Capitol today.

Donna, it wasn't just the frenetic activity that usually surrounds the governor's state of the state address, but also the Keep Georgia Wild event this morning, which brought its own bit of wild to the Gold dome.

Lawmakers brought in a variety of wildlife and outdoor conservation groups today, including the state's Department of Natural Resources.

All sharing with lawmakers and those gathered at the Capitol.

The importance of enjoying and protecting Georgia's wild spaces.

I want them to learn about new animals that they've never seen before.

We, like a lot of people, have never seen a broad wing this close before.

I want them to learn about the native wildlife that's around them, and I also just want them to be happy.

I want them to enjoy what's around them.

Animal ambassadors were on hand as well.

A snake, turtle and alligator, as well as the broad winged hawk on display for educational and enjoyment purposes.

It was then on to the day's main event.

The Senate joined House members together in the House to hear Governor Brian Kemp's final state of the state, ahead of Governor Kemp Swansong.

He received a cheerful welcome in the House chamber.

The annual speech gives lawmakers a clear view of the governor's priorities for the legislative session this year.

Kemp also looked back on his successes lower taxes, pay raises for state workers and teachers, economic development and public safety were all touched on as accomplishments during his tenure.

There is no question the state of our state is stronger, more prosperous and safer today than it was in January of 2019.

Thank you all.

But also want to be clear, this success, this good news isn't guaranteed.

It doesn't happen by default or accident.

There's more work to be done and more wood to chop to make.

Make sure Georgia continues to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come.

Kemp announced a first of its kind need based scholarship in his speech, garnering cheers from the audience.

My amended budget proposal invests $325 million in the University System of Georgia's Dream scholarship program, the first need based scholarship of its kind in Georgia history.

He also touted another state tax rebate, his fourth during his two terms as governor, which would give back taxpayers $250-500.

He rounded out his speech by centering on his faith, which he says has guided his decisions while in office, by reciting an excerpt from the hymn Little is Much when God is in it.

Does the place you're called to labor seem so small and little known?

Well, it is great if God is in it, and he will not forsake his own.

The speech marked the beginning of Kemp's goodbye to the governorship.

While he said he expects his term to be a small part of Georgia history.

His colleagues disagreed.

He said you may not be remembered in history.

I think you will.

And we're going to help tell that story.

After the address, Democrats gave their perspective.

While they praised some aspects of the speech, such as the need based scholarship, they say other areas were ignored.

Did you hear anything about health care?

We have been talking about expanding Medicaid year after year, and we know that the ACA subsidies have expired.

There are cuts to Medicaid coming down to us from the federal government.

That's a real challenge, and I'm surprised that it was not mentioned.

Later in the afternoon, Moore, wildlife of a sort, as the winners of the high school, Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites art contest were announced on the South Steps.

Works from the students were on display and covered a wide variety of outdoor subjects.

Over 230 students submitted their work for this year's contest.

Tomorrow, Lawmakers will be back at the Capitol for day five.

They will honor Dr.

Martin Luther King at their annual MLK day ceremony.

That's my Capitol report.

Back to you, Donna.

Thanks, Sarah.

Governor Brian Kemp's 2026 state of the state address highlighted everything from Georgia's strong fiscal position to significant investments in education, workforce development and public safety.

Joining me to listen to portions of his roughly 45 minute speech and to offer analysis, our two political consultants, Spiro Amber, is a senior vice president and is part of the Georgia Government relations team with McGuire Woods Consulting.

He previously served as chief of staff to the late House Speaker David Ralston and to current Speaker John Burns.

And Antral Tyson is a senior policy advisor at Paramount Consulting.

He previously served as a regional director with the U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services under the Biden administration.

Thank you both for being here.

Appreciate this.

So let's start with each of you giving me a brief idea of overall what you thought of the speech.

By Spiro.

Yeah.

Confident.

Optimistic.

I think a vision for finishing his term and finishing the race strong.

Okay.

What about you?

Yeah, I agree.

Definitely.

It was a strong message.

I felt like it was definitely a swan song where he kind of went over some of his accomplishments.

And then there was also a few pieces where you could say that he was established in his legacy.

Yeah, he's focused a lot on his legacy, I think.

Okay.

Well, let's listen to one of the topics the governor addressed early in his remarks.

Taxes.

Since 2021, working together with this General Assembly, we have provided one time tax relief to the tune of over $3.2 billion.

Property tax relief nearly 1000000000/2 0.2 billion in motor fuel tax suspensions and a permanent income tax savings of nearly $3.4 billion.

That's almost $9.7 billion that have helped hardworking Georgians fight through the record high inflation, forced upon all of us by the previous administration in DC.

In a Congress that couldn't put down the nation's credit card.

These are historic investments in families.

Recent college graduates looking to start a career.

Our seniors on fixed income and single parents just trying to make ends meet.

But these investments were possible because we rejected the idea that just because government takes in more money, it shouldn't turn right around and spend it on more government.

California may think that way.

New York may think that way.

But in Georgia we do things differently.

We keep your tax burden low.

We budget conservatively and responsibly, and we ensure that state government is efficient with the dollars that you trust us with.

And at the end of the day, if we have more than we need, we give it back to the people who actually earned it.

As Marti, the girls and I travel all across our state, we hear from Georgians in all walks of life.

Hard working people trying to put food on the table for themselves and their families.

And the reality is that too many of our citizens are still struggling to make ends meet each and every day, because costs are still too high.

Groceries, rent, insurance, clothes for the kids.

It all adds up to more than it used to.

That's why my budget proposal will include a fourth one time $1 billion tax rebate this year that will return or save the average filer $250 and a married couple up to 500.

With this rebate.

My administration and this General Assembly will have returned over $7.5 billion in surplus revenue to the taxpayers of our state over the last four years.

We also know that one time relief is a short term solution that recognizes the state has collected more of your tax dollars than it needs to fund our priorities and save for whatever the future may bring.

We must continue doing everything in our power to allow the hard working men of our state to keep more of their hard earned money in their pocket in the years to come.

Because, as I've said before, that's your money, not the government's.

That's why my administration will also be proposing a further 20 basis point reduction in our state's personal and corporate income tax rate, bringing it down to just 4.99%.

This will fulfill a promise to the people of the state that I made during my reelection campaign to lower our state income tax rate to under 5%, and with the General Assembly's passage and my signature, it will come a full three years ahead of schedule.

This tax cut doesn't promise to pay for itself.

Years down the road or create future budget holes.

With today's one time money.

Our plan fulfills my promise to the voters of this state in a responsible way.

And most importantly, this plan puts all the hard working people of our state first.

The reason that we've been able to do this and through it three years ahead of schedule, is because of our fiscal discipline.

It's also worth noting a few other important accomplishments that the last few years may not have made headlines or pleased.

Some of those that constantly advocate for bigger government, even with the rebate and tax cuts that my office will propose, this legislative session, our state's rainy day fund and strategic reserves will still stand at over $10 billion.

These reserves are four times higher than any administration will leave behind in our history, and enough to run state government for three full months.

When the storms of tomorrow come.

It is my hope that we will share in a commitment to keeping the state we all love on that firm foundation.

Our state reserves are just one area that we have made historic strides in to set Georgia up for future success and prosperity.

From the 2024 budget through the proposed amended 26 budget, $4.1 billion in capital projects have been funded through cash instead of debt.

This strategic investment will save Georgia taxpayers and future state appropriators.

$3.3 billion in interest payments over the next 20 years.

The cash funding of capital projects we began in fiscal year 2024 has allowed us to reduce outstanding debt by over 20% in just three years, and the ratio of our state's debt service to revenues is just 3%, the lowest since the state began issuing debt bonds in the 1970s.

These.

These savings were all made while implementing historic tax cuts returned, returning billions to taxpayers and investing in investing over $6 billion in water, sewer and transportation projects across the state.

Refusing to grow government, budgeting conservatively and paying off debt aren't flashy.

They don't get you on the cable news, make you famous on social media, or fit on a bumper sticker.

And that may be that might be the reason Washington has been so allergic to them.

But I learned a long time ago building houses, that it's better to be a workhorse than a show horse, because workhorses deliver results ahead of schedule, under budget, and do right by the customer.

And that's exactly what we have been doing together for the people of our state.

So a lot of things there that will make a lot of people happy.

Another tax rebate and $7.5 billion in rebates over the last four years.

What did you think of what he had to say?

So I think it's a good thing that we are starting to see more of our elected officials talking about the issue of affordability, but I think the difference is how do we get there?

How do we provide relief to Georgians?

And it was clear through the governor's statements that, you know, he believes in giving back more money that we earn, and I don't have a problem with that.

But then there's a trade off.

Are there other things that we could be funding to help some of those people who, if you give back their whole check, it still won't be enough.

When it comes to affordability.

So I think that, you know, while it is great, I will not turn away the money that he's going to offer.

But I think we should also consider, consider what other things could we be paying for, like child care, health care to also help Georgians?

Okay, another tax rebate.

Another tax rate cut that's ahead of schedule.

What he expected to do.

Yeah, these truly are historic times.

You know, Georgia has been blessed with a healthy economy due to sound fiscal policies.

Now for the last decade, really two decades.

And Governor Kemp you know, thanked the General Assembly for their help on his initiatives.

And, you know, by reducing the income tax even more, it's going to continue to make Georgia competitive.

That was an initiative that was started in the House many years ago.

It's a promise that Governor Kemp made.

And I think as he articulated today, these are promises that he has made and that he's delivering on.

And that's another thing where he's looking back at how he did over the years.

Yeah.

And the the other thing is affordability.

It's something both sides of the aisle are talking about.

Talk about that a little bit.

Yeah I mean I think anytime you can you can cut taxes.

As Governor Kemp said.

And not increase the size of government.

I think that helps everyone.

It makes you know, it keeps allows folks to keep more money in their pockets to spend in the economy, which is, which stimulates the economy.

And I think there have been investments that have been made, whether it be transportation, infrastructure, mental health care.

There have been investments that the state has made while at the same time cutting taxes.

Okay, affordability.

Everybody has their own idea of what that means.

Yeah.

And I think, you know, the good thing about it is that we have 37 more days to figure it out.

I think Republicans have their proposals, and I know Democrats will come to the table with their proposals.

And we hope that at the end of this 40 day session that there's some agreement that could be made to help the citizens in Georgia.

Out.

Yeah.

It's an election year that seems to be interest in that.

Okay.

Now let's hear what the governor had to say about workforce issues.

During my administration, we have reduced our state employee turnover rate by over 25%, all while keeping the size of our full time state workforce at 20:19 levels.

We've invested in a vital workforce, save taxpayer dollars in training and equipping new employees, and utilized innovative and technology, innovation and technology to better deliver state services.

Our state employees have done an incredible job in unprecedented times and are one of the driving forces behind Georgia's success.

That is why today, I'm proposing a one time $2,000 pay supplement for all state employees, including our educators and state public safety officers.

This is just another reminder.

On top of the pay raises and supplements we have provided in years past, that their hard work does not go unnoticed and that we are truly thankful.

Over the last seven years, Georgia has seen over 219 219,700 new jobs in more than $118 billion in investment from projects worked by the state economic development team, 64% of those jobs in 75% of those investment dollars are going to communities outside the metro Atlanta region.

Since 2019, we've welcomed the three largest economic development projects in state history and continued.

Georgia's streak is the number one state for business for an unprecedented 12 years in a row.

But here in the best state for business, we don't just welcome big companies, we also champion small businesses that have a big impact on local communities.

A great example of that is law.

Regina, an Italian food production company with a facility in all Georgia that employs 110 hardworking men and women.

This facility also happens to be a former bakery that went out of business years ago to that community of less than 4,000 people.

The loss of an employer like that can be devastating.

But because we prioritize economic development in rural Georgia, La Regina came in and revitalized that facility and created 110 jobs that are making a real and lasting difference.

With more on the way.

The impact of this small business extends far beyond Alma's borders.

In addition to moving plenty of goods through the ports of Savannah, La Regina also purchases local produce from over 100 Georgia farmers, including more than 40,000 pounds of onions per week, with touch points throughout that region of our state.

That one small employer produced a record 25 million jars of pasta sauce last year alone.

When Marty and I went to southern Italy in 2024, we visited the headquarters of this family, owned and operated business.

We talked to the men and women, women who have preserved their family's recipes for over 100 years, and we saw how similar their values were to the very family owned farms and businesses here in Georgia that La Regina supports.

That company.

A full ocean away from our state has the same values that we do.

Family, community, and a strong belief in a hard day's work.

Today we're joined by two law Rosina company leaders who represent how small town Georgia in international markets truly connect all to the benefit of our workers.

In the gallery is Emidio Rinaldi, chief operating Officer of Law, Regina, who has moved his entire family to our great state.

He is joined by Jerry lady, the plant manager in employee one for law Regina at Georgia's facility.

You'll be glad to know that Jerry was the former bakery manager for the company that closed down.

Well, both of you, please stand and let us thank you for your investment in our state.

So a lot of talk about economic development, certainly in his term, he has done a lot in that area.

So let's let's talk about that a little bit.

But first this $2,000 supplement to all state employees at one time supplement.

Yeah.

That's big.

I think that shows you know, that Governor Kemp is prioritizing our state employees.

He made promises to raise teacher pay, which he's done every year.

And in addition to that, all state employees we've had a problem with retention in some areas in state government.

So I think this is an effort to make sure that those state government workers are recognized for the hard work that they do, and incentivize them to stay on the job.

Yeah, corrections is a big area where there is a need for this money.

Yeah.

I'm not sure how much they may need a little bit more in that area, but we'll see.

We could all use a little more.

Next week.

Next week is budget week, so we'll see if they talk about that.

Your thoughts on some of what he talked about?

Let's starting with this pay supplement.

Yeah I agree.

State employees, they definitely deserve it.

However, I do agree with you as well that they probably need a little more as a former government official, I can understand the sacrifices that you make when you decide to become a civil servant and work for the government.

And so, yeah, they should definitely be paid for their sacrifice.

And I think that, you know, while $2,000 is good, I think they can probably be circling back and ask for a little more.

And one of the things he's done and he talked about it, 65% of the jobs that have come in have been outside of Georgia and really needed in other parts of Georgia.

Yeah, I mean, I think what he's talking.

Metro Atlanta.

I'm sorry.

Sure.

People want to be safe.

They want to have a good job.

It's debatable which order those are in.

They want to have good schools, and it shouldn't matter what what ZIP code you live in.

And I think the investments that he's talking about show that he's committed to, not just the metro regions of the state, but also the rural areas.

Have you been down there around the Hyundai plant?

I have.

It's incredible.

It's enormous.

Yeah, and a lot of jobs came in.

Absolutely.

And I think that's one thing that both sides of the aisle can can agree on that Georgia has been a great place for businesses to come and bring their opportunities to Georgia.

And I just, you know, want to also hope.

I just hope that the there's a plan to make sure that we're training up Georgians to be able to fill those jobs.

When those companies come and not allow those companies to continue to ship in their workforce as well.

Yeah.

You wonder after the speech how many people are going to look for Regina sauce around the state.

And those probably Vidalia onions that are in there.

Okay.

Sounds good.

As the governor talked about the past eight years, he put a focus, a strong focus on the largest part of the state budget, and that is the education budget.

Here's what he had to say about that today.

In one of the biggest reasons these job creators of all sizes choose Georgia is our highly skilled and reliable workforce.

Over the last seven years, we've put more money toward education and workforce training programs than ever before in the history of our state.

In fact, as of this current fiscal year, we have not only fully funded Qbi seven times, but added $368 million to programs and initiatives that directly prepare workers for good jobs.

We've also set new precedents when it comes to school safety, starting with the first year of my administration, we began with three campus security grants totaling $184.5 million and then added $109 million into the base budget.

So every school system can plan for how to best keep our classrooms and all of the children in them safe.

We will again fulfill that commitment in this year's budget, bringing the total amount that we have allocated to school safety.

During my time in office to over $511 million.

Pre-K that.

Thank you.

All.

Thank you all.

I also want to take a moment to also congratulate and thank the members of this body, both past and present, who joined my administration in achieving something that not many people thought was possible.

When I was sworn in as governor seven years ago.

In fact, when I pledged in 2018 to raise teacher pay by $5,000, I remember a former opponent of mine claiming I was making false promises to our educators across the state.

Well, in a way, the media and the doubters were right.

We didn't raise teacher pay by $5,000.

We raised it by $9,500.

This historic investment in our educators increased the starting salary for a Georgia teacher by almost 28%.

And you don't have to get an A in math to know that.

That's an impressive jump.

In addition to K through 12, we've also made historic investments in our post-secondary education institutions and programs while reducing costs for students and families.

Over the last several years, we have worked together to return the Hope scholarship to 100% of its promise, all while the Board of Regents has held tuition costs in check across the system, so greater opportunity in Georgia can remain affordable.

Contrast that with other states that have again and again raised costs of higher education, all while inflation reached 40 year highs under the prior administration, the University of California, for instance, raised tuition by roughly 19% between 2019 and the current academic year.

But here in Georgia, tuition has increased by just 5% in that same period.

And your partnership in eliminating the special institution fee helped us lessen the impact on those increases on hardworking families and students.

In fact, data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that Georgia is one of the top states in the country for four year public university affordability.

All while we've kept the cost of higher education in check in college within the reach of Georgia families, we've also invested more in post-secondary education than ever before.

We're now putting 2 billion additional dollars toward higher education in Georgia than when I first took office.

That includes $40.7 million in this year's budget proposal alone for health care, education, facilities and medical workforce training programs.

And since I first took office, we spent over $26 million for medical residency slots in our state, adding 897 positions for a grand total of 2,523 residency slots.

As of this fiscal year.

This year, my budget proposal adds another $2.1 million to further this upward trend in such a critical workforce, need.

Along with these unprecedented investments, Georgia is truly the national leader in merit based aid for higher education.

Between the Hope scholarship and grant programs.

But in this era of high prices and new challenges for those graduating from high school, we also recognize the advantage that need based financial assistance can give to those who would not otherwise be able to access higher education, like their peers who have the means to attend college.

These students have great dreams for rewarding careers and impactful lives, but they don't always have hope that those dreams can become a reality.

Dreams without the benefit of hope remain.

Dreams deferred, perhaps for entire generations.

How much richer would the lives of those and their families be if they could attain the type of education that leads to a high paying job with great benefits?

And how much would communities across our state benefit from these young people?

Getting a degree that opens their door or starts a rewarding career?

I believe we owe it to every child to ensure they start out on a level playing field, no matter their ZIP code.

Therefore, my amended budget proposal invests $325 million in the university System of Georgia's Dream scholarship program.

The first need based scholarship of its kind in Georgia history.

In future years, this one time endowment will create opportunities for generational economic advancement for thousands of students, and down the road, it will allow them to complete college and begin meaningful careers without the burden of crippling debt.

The Dream scholarship will build on the incredible, unmatched legacy of the Hope scholarship and leave no stone unturned when it comes to student achievement in our state.

From now on, throughout the country, Americans will know that hopes and dreams are alive right here in the great state of Georgia.

This unprecedented initiative sorry, this unprecedented initiative will also complement the Georgia match program we launched in 2023.

In just the first two years of match, we've seen a 5.9% rise in USG enrollment and a 7.1% increase in Tcsg enrollment.

Meanwhile, other states around the country have seen decreases in public university enrollment in 17 states are still well below pre-pandemic levels.

Lots about education there.

Let's start where he left off.

And that was higher education.

Now we have the Hope and dream scholarship for students who have needs based.

They need to go to college, but they cannot afford it.

Absolutely.

I think that this was actually the strongest part of his speech.

I think he got several bipartisan applause about the investment that he's making in higher education and the education system generally.

But yeah, I think, you know, for years Democrats have been asking for a needs based scholarship program.

And it's great to see that the the governor has decided that this is something that is worth investing in.

And so I know that there are a lot of talent here in Georgia that can stay in Georgia if they're given an opportunity to pay for college based on demonstrated need.

Yeah, they definitely have the the skills, the knowledge, the they should be in college, but they just can't get there.

Yeah.

It's nice to see the governor taking the lead on this.

I commend him for it.

It's certainly is a a bipartisan issue and it shouldn't matter what party affiliation, what ethnic background you are or what have you.

Everyone should have that opportunity to get that higher education, whether it be technical colleges and a skilled trade or, you know, a traditional four year degree.

Yeah.

And then when it comes to K-12, he talked about all the money that has really gone into teacher pay.

That's that's really helped that.

And safety in the schools.

Absolutely.

And as a child of an educator, I always applaud any pay raises that goes to teachers.

And as a matter of fact, I think teachers should be some of the highest paid professionals that there are because our futures are literally in their hands.

So definitely applaud the governor for making that investment as well.

And, you know, safety is absolutely important when we're talking about keeping our kids safe.

Yeah.

And and that's really a big part of his legacy.

What he's done with in education higher and and K-12.

Absolutely.

And as a parent of a student who's in the university system, I'm particularly appreciative of, you know, the investments, I mean, the Hope scholarship and certainly the school safety issue in recent years has been at the forefront.

And these investments, I think, are are critical in this time period.

Okay.

Well, we're going to keep going.

But coming up, we'll have the Democratic response to the state of the state message.

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Welcome back to Lawmakers.

I'm Donna Lowry.

We are continuing with our special 1 hour edition of Lawmakers, focused on the state of the state address.

Joining me again for analysis are Spiro Amburn, a senior vice president with McGuire Woods Consulting.

Georgia government relations team, and Andrew Tyson, a senior policy advisor at Paramount Consulting.

So we're rolling along, but now we're going to switch gears a little bit.

And as always, Georgia Public Broadcasting live streamed both the governor's address and the Democratic response.

Here now is the Democratic take from House Majority leader.

I'm sorry, House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley of Columbus.

Good afternoon.

Georgia.

Today we heard Governor Kemp's vision for our state.

We heard about tax cuts and infrastructure.

We heard about Georgia's business, climate and economic growth.

We heard the language of success.

But here's what we didn't hear.

How many?

How much of it is making your life more affordable?

Because while the governor celebrates his record, Georgia families will sit at their kitchen tables tonight doing math that doesn't add up.

Working more hours, but failing, falling further behind.

Choosing between prescriptions and groceries.

Wondering if they'll ever be able to afford a home in the communities where they grew up.

After more than two decades of Republican control in this state, it's time for an honest accounting not of what they've done for their donors and the well-connected, but of what they failed to do for you.

Let me be direct, Georgia families are in an affordability crisis, and Republican leadership refuses to even name it.

The Alice Essentials Index, which tracks the real cost of survival, not luxuries.

Shows that in Georgia, the cost of basic necessities has grown at 7.3% annually.

That's faster than the national inflation rate, and it's far faster than wages for working Georgians.

Housing costs are crushing young families and seniors alike.

Health care premiums keep rising.

Child care costs more than college tuition.

Groceries that used to cost $100 now cost $250, and prescription drugs force Impossible choices every single month.

Governor Kemp will tell you the economy is strong, and for some Georgians it is.

But strength is not measured by how well the top is doing.

It's measured by whether the middle can hold and whether the bottom has a ladder up.

By that measure, after 20 years of Republican rule, Georgia is failing working families.

Now, Republicans want you to believe they have the answer.

More tax cuts.

The governor will tout his income tax cuts as a win for everyday Georgians.

But let's follow the money.

The wealthiest Georgians got the biggest benefits.

Meanwhile, working families got a few dollars a month.

Not enough to cover the rising cost of rent, not enough to pay for childcare, not enough to matter when everything else is more expensive.

And here's what they don't tell you.

Every dollar they cut in taxes is $1 they can't invest in public schools, in health care, in child protection, or in keeping your community safe.

They're trading Georgia's future for political talking points today, when the next recession comes, and it will come.

We will have fewer resources to respond, fewer tools to protect families, fewer options to keep Georgia strong.

That's not fiscal responsibility.

That's fiscal malpractice.

But it gets worse.

After years of income tax cuts that primarily benefited the wealthy, Republicans are now floating property tax cuts that shift the burden onto local communities.

Let me be clear about what this means.

While they cut taxes for the top.

They're increasing the pressure on homeowners, renters and local governments to make up the difference.

This is not tax relief.

This is cost shifting and working.

Georgians always end up holding the bag.

They claim these solutions, but solutions don't leave families worse off.

Solutions don't protect the wealthy while squeezing the middle class.

Solutions don't promise relief while raising your costs somewhere else.

After 20 years in power, if their tax policies were working, Georgia's families wouldn't be struggling to afford the basics.

But they are.

Because Republican priorities are not your priorities.

Nowhere is this disconnect more evident than in health care right now.

Hundreds of thousands of working Georgians are trapped in the coverage gap, earning too much for Medicaid, but too little to afford private insurance.

These are caregivers, service workers, rural Georgians doing everything right and still left behind.

Governor Kemp's alternative Georgia pathways has been an unmitigated disaster.

After 18 months, only 6,500 people enrolled.

75% below projections and three quarters of the spending went to consultants, not care.

Meanwhile, 18 rural hospitals have closed since 2013.

Mothers are traveling hours to deliver babies, emergency rooms are shutting down and Georgia ranks near the bottom.

Nationally in maternal mortality, with women dying from preventable causes.

This didn't happen by accident.

This is the result of policy choices.

Choices.

Republicans made.

Choices they defend the federal ACA subsidies that help hundreds of thousands of Georgians afford insurance are expired.

And this administration has offered no plan, no one.

If you lose your coverage, if your premiums double, if your local hospital closes, that's not an act of God.

That's the consequence of leadership that prioritizes ideology over people.

Let's talk about Georgia's children.

Because if we cannot protect and invest in them, we have no claim to leadership.

Our foster care system is in crisis.

The Department of Human Services faces an $85 million deficit.

The Kemp administration has stopped providing services to foster children.

Children who are ready to reunite with their families are being forced to stay separated.

Medical appointments are being delayed, canceled or left unpaid.

And why?

Cost overruns.

Instead of coming to legislative partners, instead of making the tough budgeting choices, leadership requires, he tried to hide the problem.

He swept it under the rug and hope no one would notice.

But children noticed.

Children notice when they can't go home, when they can't see a doctor, when they're adults who are supposed to protect them, fail.

Because of this incompetence.

Children will languish in care longer than necessary.

They will suffer emotional harm that could have been prevented.

Case plans will stall families working to regain stability will lose momentum.

Long standing providers who serve these vulnerable children will go under and defects.

Workers already overwhelmed will buckle under impossible caseloads.

This problem should have been solved months ago, but it wasn't.

So now we have to clean up their mess.

And Georgia's children are paying the price.

The challenges don't end there.

In the past seven years, child care costs have skyrocketed.

Parents, most often, mothers, are being forced to leave the workforce entirely just to care for their children.

That means lost income today and lower wages for life.

Georgia families need clean, safe, certified child care with well paid staff they can actually afford and depend on.

At the same time, too many Georgia children are not reading on grade level.

By third grade.

A known predictor of poverty, incarceration, and lost potential.

And instead of strengthening the public schools that educate 90% of Georgia's children, this administration is diverting public dollars to private school vouchers.

This is not school choice.

This is abandonment.

Rural schools lose funding.

Urban schools face overcrowding.

Special education services are strained, and the students left behind overwhelmingly low income black and brown are told to make do with less.

You cannot claim to care about Georgia's children while undermining the very systems meant to protect and educate them.

And we must talk about democracy itself.

Since Republicans took control, they have systematically made it harder to vote longer lines, fewer drop boxes, more barriers, more intimidation.

A government that fears its own voters is a government that has lost its way.

They say it's about security, but we all know what it's about.

Control.

When you can't win on ideas, you change the rules.

When you can't persuade, you suppress.

Georgia's strength has always been in its people.

But if you silence the people, you hollow out the state.

Here's what the 20 plus years of Republican control and seven years of Governor Brian Kemp has given us.

Working families falling further behind while the wealthy get tax cuts.

Hundreds of thousands of Georgia's trapped without health care, 18 rural hospitals closed with more at risk.

A foster care system in collapse.

Public schools stripped of funding while private schools get subsidies.

Maternal mortality rates that shame a state this wealthy.

Voting rights under constant attack.

Immigrant communities targeted even as they fuel our economy.

Gun violence rising while solutions are dismissed.

This is not a record to run on.

This is a record to run from.

Georgians have had enough.

And now, as cost spiral and families struggle, their answer is the same as it's always been more tax cuts for the top, more burden on the middle, and more excuses for why government can't help.

Democrats have a different vision, one rooted in the reality.

Georgia families live every day.

We believe affordability must be the standard by which we measure every policy.

If it doesn't make life more affordable for working families, we don't support it.

That means lowering the cost of health care by fully expanding Medicaid, capping prescription drug costs, and investing in state funded programs to reduce insurance costs.

It means keeping rural hospitals open and addressing maternal mortality as the crisis that it is making housing affordable by increasing supply, protecting renters from exploitation, and ensuring that home ownership is within reach for young families and working Georgians, not just investors and out-of-state buyers.

Investing in public education.

Because strong schools mean parents don't have to pay for private alternatives.

Because educated workers earn higher wages, and because no child should be left behind based on their ZIP code.

Making childcare affordable and accessible so parents can work without spending half their paycheck on care.

And so every child gets a strong start ensuring working Georgians keep more of what they earn through a tax system that is fair, not one that cuts rates for the wealthy while shifting burdens onto homeowners and renters.

Protecting democracy.

So every Georgians voice is heard, every vote is counted, and government remains accountable to the people, not special interests.

This is not radical.

This is responsible.

This is what leadership looks like when it serves the people, not the powerful.

The question is not whether Georgia has potential.

We all know it does.

The question is whether we will finally realize that potential for all Georgians, or continue down a path that leaves working families behind.

Governor Kemp and Republican legislators will tell you they've done enough, that Georgia is strong, that Georgia is the number one place to do business.

But I ask you this if Georgia is so strong.

Why are you struggling?

If the economy is booming, why can't you afford rent?

If their policies are working, why does everything cost more?

The truth is simple.

Their policies work.

For some Georgians, just not most Georgians.

After 20 years of the same priorities, the same tax cut promises, the same refusal to invest in health care, education and in our children.

The results speak for themselves.

Georgia families are doing their part.

They're working harder than ever.

They deserve a government that works just as hard for them.

House Democrats stand ready to lead on affordability, to make the investments Republicans refuse to make, to protect the services they're trying to cut.

To fight for the Georgia that works for everyone, not just the well-connected.

We are fighting for affordable health care options.

We are fighting to fund public schools.

We are fighting to make housing and childcare affordable.

We are fighting to protect democracy and voting rights.

We are fighting to keep your costs down, not shift them around because Georgia families and your children deserve nothing less.

This is not about Partizan politics.

This is about priorities.

It's about who government serves.

It's about whether we will finally meet this moment with the courage and the honesty it demands.

20 years is long enough to judge a record, and the record is clear.

It's time for a new direction.

It's time to actually put Georgians first.

It's time for a government to work for you.

Thank you.

House Minority leader ugly focused not just on the governor's two terms, but on more than two decades of Republican control of the state government.

Talk about that a little bit.

And not just on these last seven years.

Yeah.

And I think it's clear, you know, this is an election year.

She's making the case for leadership change.

You know, if Democrats are in power, these are the things that we will focus on the how you know, she did focus on affordability.

Like we mentioned at the top of the show.

But then she's making the case as to what what would be the issues Democrats focus on come November if elected.

And given the seat of power?

Okay.

Your take.

Yeah, you're exactly right.

Must be an election year.

I took some notes on that one.

You know.

Yeah, the minority leader and the Democrats are trying to find some traction on education, health care.

She talked a little bit about the foster care system.

But, you know, as Governor Kemp articulated in his speech, you know, talking about not just his term and the minority leader reference, you know, the last 20 years, I mean, we've had record unemployment, higher education, enrollment is up.

Unfortunately, we're going to have.

Differences of.

Opinion on that one.

Yeah, maybe you guys can come back.

Thanks so much for coming on the show because that does it for Lawmakers today.

We don't have a show on Fridays, but the General Assembly will be in session tomorrow and look for a Lawmakers Capitol report from Sarah Kallis at the end of the PBS NewsHour.

About 6:55 P.M.. Have a good evening.