James May-June 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 79
AFTER 12 WEEKS OF WORK under the State Capitol’s Gold Dome, the 2025 General Assembly session
ended on April 4th. The only requirement for lawmakers, as mandated by the state constitution, was the
passage of House Bill 68— the balanced budget for
Fiscal Year 2025-2026. Gov. Brian Kemp signed into
law the record budget which, he emphasized, funds
essential and reflects a commitment to conservative
governance.
Lawmakers in the two Republican-controlled
chambers also cut the state income tax rate, expanded school choice, increased access to healthcare and
helped bolster a scandal-plagued state corrections
system (especially by hiking the salaries of prison
guards). They also invested in criminal gang prosecution, human trafficking units and several public-school
safety initiatives that will help protect Georgia’s children from real threats. (A number of these bills passed
on bipartisan votes.)
Furthermore, the session enacted important
policy changes in several key areas. With the Sine Die
adjournment now history, let’s drill down deeper to
consider what happened— and what didn’t— under the
Gold Dome.
“Residential construction is a vital industry as the
state faces a housing affordability crisis. Home builders
across the state— many of whom are small business
owners— are committed to making sure every Georgian
can realize the dream of home ownership,” President
Franklin Bailey noted. “But one lawsuit, even if they
were not at fault, can wipe them out of business
through higher insurance premiums.”
It was a heavy political lift, particularly involving
Kemp, House Speaker Jon Burns, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones
and Senate President Pro Tempore John Kennedy (the
bills’ sponsor). Nevertheless, they scored a significant
political victory with the passage of Senate Bills 68 and
69. And on April 21, the governor signed the legislation
A comprehensive tort reform law
Aside from the budget, the central issue was the
governor’s top priority: Tort reform or, perhaps more
accurately, lawsuit abuse reform. As the Georgia
Public Policy Foundation underscored, “Georgia has
ranked among the worst states for lawsuit abuse.
High-profile ‘nuclear’ verdicts, frivolous lawsuits and
unfair practices have harmed the state’s economy
and small businesses. The impact of excessive tort
costs amounts to an estimated $1,400 “tort tax” paid
by Georgia residents each year. These costs manifest
in higher healthcare prices and increased liability
insurance for businesses ranging from restaurants to
grocery stores.”
The Homebuilders Association of Georgia, to
cite one example, stood with many small business
owners across the state to urge tort reform passage.
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