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 in the 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,” said Katie Blaylock of the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center. “A lot of people have never seen a broad-winged [hawk] this close before. I want to them 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: A snake, turtle, and alligator, as well as the broad-winged hawk, were 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 Gov. Brian Kemp’s final State of the State. Ahead of Kemp’s swan song, 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,” Kemp said. “Thank you all. But also I wanna 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 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 dollars in the University System of Georgia’s Dream Scholarship Program, the first need-based scholarship of its kind in Georgia history,” he said.
He also touted another state tax rebate, his fourth during his two terms as governor, which would give back taxpayers between $250 to $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,” Kemp recited.
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,'” Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington) said. “I think you will. And we’re gonna 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?” said House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley (D-Columbus), who gave the official Democratic response. “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, there was more 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 of the Capitol. 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.
On Friday, lawmakers will be back at the Capitol for Day 5. They will honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at their annual MLK Day ceremony.
Read more on Georgia Public Broadcasting
