Chamber Host State of the State of Georgia

Community, Politics

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga.- The Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce hosted Senator Steve Gooch and State Representative Will Wade to talk about the current state of Georgia.

The two State Representatives discussed legislation that was passed this term and answered questions. They also spoke about plans for the future.

Gooch spoke first outlining the state budget of $3 billion and explaining that Georgia is currently at a triple-A bond rate. This is the highest rate awarded by bond agencies and means that the state is at low risk for default. To learn more about the rating visit https://www.thebalance.com/aaa-rating-triple-a-357798.

Senator Steve Gooch speaking at the State of the State Luncheon.

Gooch went on to talk about House Bill 304 the Suspense of the state excise tax on gas. This was signed on Mar. 18 in order to encourage gas stations to lower the record-high rates at the pump. The bill is in effect until May 31, however, it could be extended through executive order by Governor Brian Kemp.

The senator explained that cutting the tax did take revenue from the DOT but throughout the bill, the DOT will be receiving funds from the rainy day account. Gooch also spoke about the pay increases made for state employees and teachers. In order to retain employees some have seen a three to four dollar pay increase while teachers will be receiving the last of the $5,000 raise that Kemp promised while campaigning.

Another bill that the senator discussed was Senate Bill 319 Georgia Constitutional Carry Act. The bill waives requirements for any lawful weapon carrier to carry their firearm in a place that allows firearms. Places such as courthouses and schools are still not permitted within this bill. The goal of passing this bill is to reduce crime in Georgia.

An additional bill that Gooch spoke about is House Bill 1150 Freedom to Farm Act. This bill limits the circumstances in which nuisance claims can be brought against farmers and it also lengths the time frame that someone can claim nuisance from one year to two years. To learn more about any of the bills that Gooch and Wade discussed visit https://legiscan.com/GA.

The packet with some of this year’s legislation was available to attendees of the luncheon.

House Bill 1041 Rural Hospital Tax Credit was also a topic of discussion at the luncheon. The bill allows taxpayers to donate to eligible rural hospitals and reduce their state income tax liability by the amounts they donate. Northeast Georgia Hospital in Gainesville and in Dahlonega are both considered rural hospitals, your tax preparer should be able to assist you with the details of this process.

Gooch also spoke about Senate Bill 202 Election Integrity Act and House Bill 1013 Mental Health Parity Act. The goal of bill 202 is to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat. Bill 1013 requires insurance companies to provide coverage for these illnesses as extensively as they offer for physical illnesses.

“We continue to work on issues pertaining to the integrity of our elections, that’s something we all feel is very very important. I believe there will be more legislation on that in the coming years I don’t think we are finished working on that. We want to continue to make sure everyone has an opportunity to vote but we want to eliminate every opportunity to cheat,” explained Gooch.

Lastly, Gooch touched on transportation and some of the plans for the future. This includes the eventual extension of Georgia State Route 400 all the way to the Appalachian Parkway Cleveland Bypass. There are currently studies in progress to review widening Long Branch Road. That is as far as the process has gone thus far.

Wade was second to speak and he talked about how his time on the Dawson County School Board has helped make him the go-to guy for education bills. Two of the bills he spoke about were Senate Bill 514 Unmask Georgia Students Act and House Bill 1178 Parent’s Bill of Rights. These bills give parents more opportunities to be involved with their child’s education.

State Representative Will Wade speaking at the State of the State Luncheon.

He also talked about House Bill 1084 Protect Students First Act. This bill keeps children from being taught certain topics in ways that are meant to make them feel guilty or less than because of how they were born.

The bill also makes an executive oversight committee that regulates high school athletic associations in Georgia. This is to make determinations on theater biological males should be able to compete in sports designated for biological women.

The last bill that Wade talked about is Senate Bill 339 Expanding Postpartum Coverage for Expectant Mothers. The bill expands Medicaid coverage from six months to a year after birth.

“That was a unanimous bipartisan effort and I think it was one that I’m very proud of being a yes vote on that,” commented Wade.

Before the duo closed out the meeting they had time for two questions. One was how the mental health bill would help keep children from becoming adults statistic.The answer was that this is the first rendition of the bill and there will likely be changes to it as time goes on but there is a need for closer locations that are equipped to deal with those problems with children.

The second question had to due with rumors that the Yahoola Creek Bride on route 60 will be closed for a year for replacement. They agreed that would not be the best option and stated that the most likely possibility for that road is going down to a single lane while the work is being completed.

To view the entire luncheon visit http://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/385770?autoplay=0. State Representative Will Wade is up for reelection this year on May 25.

RE-ELECT STEVE GOOCH FOR STATE SENATE VOTE EARLY OR ON NOVEMBER 3RD

News, Politics

Gooch: Senate Gets Down to Business

State & National

Senate Gets Down to Business

By: Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega)

Although the Senate was in session for only two days this week, my colleagues and I were very busy under the Gold Dome addressing budget proposals and a key piece of legislation on the Senate Floor.

The week started with Joint Senate and House Appropriations hearings on the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets. Governor Deal kicked off the hearings which included several different agencies presenting their budget proposals. I am happy to say that the state’s budget continues to be in good shape, with the General FY19 budget topping $26 billion for the first time. The General FY19 budget proposals were drafted with an estimated 2.9 percent state fund growth and around 3.8 percent tax revenue growth over the Amended FY18 revenue estimates. Included in the General FY19 budget are increases in funding for education and transportation.

The General FY19 budget addresses the needs for the state to meet determined employer contributions within the Teachers Retirement System with a proposed increase of around $364 million. Additionally, around $120 million would be appropriated for enrollment growth and training. Along with these positive changes in the General FY19 budget, an important proposal in the Amended FY18 budget is adding $15 million to purchase 194 school buses statewide. This will positively impact our students by ensuring that buses are not overcrowded.

The state’s growing need to address transportation infrastructure is also addressed in the General FY19 budget. An additional $31.6 million in projected revenues resulting from House Bill 170 – passed during the 2015 Legislation Session – will be added to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) budget. I am very happy to see that a piece of legislation we passed a couple of years ago is still making positive impacts for GDOT.

Along with attending the budget hearings and carefully reviewing the proposals for the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets, my colleagues and I took up a very important piece of legislation in Senate Chamber. On Thursday, the Senate passed the Supporting and Strengthening Families Act, also known as the Adoption Bill, or HB 159. This bill passed with bipartisan support and is now headed over to the House of Representatives for their review. Final passage of this legislation and a signature into law by the Governor would allow our state to update our adoption system which has been the same for nearly 30 years.

The Senate’s version of HB 159 clarifies many of the laws regarding who can adopt, who can act as a legal guardian and the rights held by the biological parents before and after giving their child up for adoption. Additionally, the version the Senate passed on Thursday states that if an agency is not involved in a private adoptive process, living expenses cannot be paid. The only expenses that can be paid in a private adoption are medical and counseling. These are just some of the highlights of the Senate version of HB 159. As this legislation moves through the legislative process, my colleagues and I will work with the Governor and House of Representatives to ensure there is cooperation to address concerns anyone may have. It is imperative that we pass this legislation so that we can assist the large number of children who are in foster care and need a loving and stable home.

The pace of the session is going to pick up quickly with standing committees beginning to hold meetings next week to vet legislation pending from last year along with new bills introduced this year. As we move forward in the session, please do not hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns and feedback. It is always great to hear from my constituents and our door is always open.

Senator Steve Gooch Honors City of Dahlonega

State & National

ATLANTA (January 29, 2018) | Senator Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) is pleased to announce Monday, January 29, 2018, as Dahlonega Day at the state Capitol with Senate Resolution 590.

“Dahlonega is the gateway to North Georgia and I am grateful to be able to share my home with the rest of my colleagues,” said Sen. Gooch. “This year marks the 60th anniversary of Dahlonega and Lumpkin County citizens delivering gold, by wagon, for the installation of the state Capitol building’s gold dome. I could not be more proud to have representatives from our local community here today to celebrate this honor.”

The City of Dahlonega is a small city in northern Georgia founded in 1832. Dahlonega was the site of the first major U.S. gold rush and now is commonly referred to as the ‘Gold City’. The city sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is surrounded by many natural elements. Dahlonega is the county seat of Lumpkin County. In addition to its history of gold mining, the city of Dahlonega is also known as the Heart of Georgia Wine Country, with six wineries and nine winery tasting rooms.

 

I support Casey Cagle for Governor

Election 2018, Letters to Editor

On July 24th –  it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for a strong leader who is prepared to be our state’s next CEO. As your state Senator, I want you to know that I’m 100% behind Casey Cagle for governor. I have served with him for 8 years in the Senate now and I am confident that he is the best choice on the ballot.  

Casey is a proven, consistent leader who has always delivered for our state – as well as our community and North Georgia. Due to his leadership as Lt. Governor, Georgia has been named the number one state to do business for five straight years, and we’ve added nearly 700,000 jobs and 40,000 new businesses. This year, Casey was the leader who fought to deliver the largest tax cut in Georgia history

Casey has also led to advance nationally renowned education reform measures – including the Charter Systems Act, College and Career Academy Network, and GA CATT apprenticeship program – which have been integral in transforming Georgia’s one-size-fits-all education system into a revolutionary model that puts students first. Not every student needs to get a four year liberal arts degree to be successful, and Casey is leading to prioritize workforce development so that all Georgia’s students graduate from high school with post-secondary experience or technical training that gives them the skills to attain rewarding careers.

Casey has stood up for our conservative principles his entire career. He has led to outlaw and defund sanctuary cities in Georgia, expand gun rights (earning him an A+ rating from the NRA), protect innocent life (earning him the Champion for Life award from the Georgia Life Alliance), and reform our adoption/foster care system to give faith-based organizations more opportunities to help children find loving homes.

Please join me in supporting Casey Cagle and voting to elect him as our next Governor on July 24th.   I have been honored to serve as your Senator and I look forward to working with the next Governor to continue the progress we have made.  

Steve Gooch
State Senator
District 51

Getting Started in 2018

State & National

Getting Started in 2018

By: Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega)

On Monday, January 8, 2018, we reconvened for the second session of the 154th Georgia General Assembly, which many anticipate will be very fast-paced. The Georgia Senate began our business with leadership changes and three new members. We will also welcome another new member next week who won a special election on Tuesday, January 9, 2018.

In addition to welcoming three new members, Sen. David Shafer, who served as the Senate President Pro Tempore since 2013, resigned his position and the Georgia Senate nominated and elected Sen. Butch Miller to serve in this role. Sen. Miller is a fellow North Georgian and we are honored to have him as our next Pro Temp. The Senate Committee on Assignments also announced chairmen and committee assignments for the upcoming year.

In addition to my duties as Senate Majority Whip, I will continue to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee, the Secretary of the Appropriations Committee, as a member of the Finance, MARTOC, Regulated Industries and Utilities committees and as ex-officio on the Senate Assignments and Rules committees.

As we draw near to the second week of session, we will begin budget hearings as we craft the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets. During these meetings and agency presentations, I will keep the prosperity of all Georgians in mind as we finely comb through proposals. Our focus will be on saving tax payers’ dollars while ensuring economic growth and job creation continues to grow in our great state.

Something new here at the Georgia Senate is livestreaming of standing committees that meet in one of the five rooms wired during the Senate Transparency Project. This is in addition to the Senate Chamber being livestreamed during session days. The goal of this project is to bring transparency to standing committee meetings, where legislation is discussed and vetted before moving forward in the legislative process. Another objective is to provide access to our process for those who do not live in the metro area and cannot get to Senate committee meetings quickly. I truly encourage you all to take the time to watch these livestreams. But, if you can’t get to a computer during the meeting time, each and every meeting video is archived to be watched during any time—day or night.

On day four of the session, Gov. Deal gave his last State of the State address. Within his address, Gov. Deal focused on the growth across the board within the state of Georgia. For the past five years, Georgia has been named the number one place to do business. Overall, we have a very busy session calendar ahead of us as we work on the Governor’s budget proposals, legislation pending from last year and other issues that may arise.

I would like to say thank you to all of my constituents for your encouragement and care for the 51st District of Georgia. Please call or email me with any questions, comments or concerns you have and I look forward to hearing from you.

Georgia Trend names Sen. Steve Gooch one of Georgia’s most influential people

State & National

ATLANTA – Senator Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega) was recognized as one of Georgia’s most influential people by Georgia Trend magazine. The magazine’s annual list recognizes the 100 Most Influential Georgians.

“It is an honor to be recognized among this distinguished list of leaders in our great state,” said Sen. Gooch. “I look forward to working with my colleagues and local community leaders to keep Georgia moving in the right direction. Over the past several years, we have seen numerous businesses moving to Georgia leading to additional economic growth and job creation. We will work hard during this upcoming session to continue this progress for our state.”

Georgia Trend recognized Sen. Gooch’s work in the Georgia Senate and his consistent efforts to improve education and public schools for children in his district and around the state. They also acknowledged his work on job creation, immigration, tax reform and the right to bear arms. Sen. Gooch has also been a leader for transportation in Georgia.

Georgia Trend releases their 100 Most Influential Georgians list annually. The list includes individuals who make a positive impact on the lives of Georgians and make decisions that affect the well-being of the state. Naming the top 100 is a year-round process and the final list includes those who “have exhibited the character necessary to inspire, challenge, lead – and influence us.”

Additional information can be found on the Georgia Trend magazine website link below:

http://www.georgiatrend.com/January-2018/2018-100-Most-Influential-Georgians/

State Senator Steve Gooch Talks About Economic Development in Rural Georgia

Politics

This past Friday we continued our discussion about rural Georgia with 51st district (R) State Senator and Lumpkin County’s economic development director, Steve Gooch. Our three areas of focus: rural Georgia economy, broadband access, and health care. Although the district doesn’t want to see something in the line of the KIA plant they most certainly would be open to small companies offering high paying, high tech jobs. In order to attract these types of companies; the area must provide good schools, fast internet, and quality health care. We discussed Piedmont Mountainside new stand alone emergency health care center in Gilmer County; a model for quality health care in rural areas. When our discussion turned to high speed internet for the area, Gooch was unable to say they “moved the ball” concerning Senate Bill 232, Facilitating Internet Broadband Rural Expansion (FIBRE) Act.

51st District State Senate Candidates on FYN’s Candidate Day

Election, Politics

Steve Gooch and John Williamson speak on FYN’s Candidate Day for the citizens on the eve of the election day.

https://youtu.be/NfjOyY2DcF8

Tuesday is Deadline to Register for May Primary

News, Politics

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — Much is at stake in state and local elections May 24 but you can’t vote if you’re not registered and the last day to register is Tuesday, April 26.

One of the most important races is in the 9th District where incumbent U.S. Congressman Doug Collins of Gainesville has come under fire from conservatives for his support of President Obama’s Omnibus bill. His challengers include former 10th District Congressman Paul Broun, Lanier Tea Part Patriots founder Mike Scupin, White County educator Roger Fitzpatrick and retired Army and National Guard Brigadier General Bernie Fontaine.

State Senator Steve Gooch of Dahlonega is running for re-election in the 51st District and has drawn a challenger in John Williamson, co-founder of the Gilmer CountyTea Party.

Several key races highlight local elections. Board of Commissioners Chairman Chris Dockery has drawn a challenger in current District 1 Commissioner Doug Sherrill. Dr. David Miller and Bill Scott will compete the seat being vacated by Sherrill. There is a four-way race for District 2 Commissioner where the candidates are incumbent Steve Shaw, Bobby Mayfield, Carlton Smith and D.J. Wight.

In the race for District 1 Board of Education, the candidates are Catherine Ariemma, Jay Sessions and Mera Turner.

Williamson Announces for Georgia Senate Seat in the 51st District

Politics

John Williamson, a 34 year resident of Gilmer County, announced today that he has qualified for the 51st District Senate seat in the May 24th Republican primary.  “I am dissatisfied with the paths taken by our legislative leaders, especially with their increased taxation. Rather than sitting back and complaining I decided to take action, to volunteer to be a part of the political process and do what I can to move the ship of state back to common sense Republican ideals.  I want to give the voters in the 51st district a choice, one that values transparency; a choice to break away from the entrenched power politics that intimidates us in North Georgia and responds only to the wishes of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the corporations that want to force their values on us and our state.  I recognize the difficulties of making a significant change in our state government, but I can promise you that my votes will reflect our shared values.”

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