“I am an unabashed lover of the state of Georgia,” House Speaker David Ralston shared in his opening remarks at the January 2022 Gwinnett Chamber On Topic Luncheon. The event, presented by Rocket IT, hosted 170 regional business and community leaders all interested in what the Speaker would be focused on during this year’s legislative session.
Speaker Ralston began by emphasizing Gwinnett’s importance to the state of Georgia noting that approximately one out of 10 Georgians reside in Gwinnett, and the 25 members of Georgia’s General Assembly who represent districts in the county make up over 10% of the state’s legislative body. Among these legislative members, the Speaker recognized those with leadership roles in the House: Representative Bonnie Rich, Majority Caucus Chairman and Representative Chuck Efstration, Chairman of House Judiciary Committee. Other Members of Gwinnett’s legislative delegation who hold leadership roles include Senator Gloria Butler, Democratic Leader, Senator Clint Dixon, Governor’s Floor Leader, and Representative Sam Park and Senator Sheikh Rahman who both chair the Gwinnett House and Senate delegations respectively and sit on the Chamber’s board of directors. He went on to highlight Georgia’s best-in-class business climate for nearly a decade, its recently reported 2.8% unemployment rate, and its triple-A bond rating, which is something Gwinnett County also boasts. On this solid foundation, the Speaker shared that his focus would rest in three primary areas this session: public safety, mental health, and the state’s budget. Ensuring public safety officials have the necessary funding to fight crime, expanding accessibility formental health treatment, and prioritizing sound fiscal management policies to ensure a balanced budget and lower taxes were actionable items of those focal points.
Attendees were ultimately reminded of Georgia’s brand of southern hospitality, global understanding and a commitment to excellence that allows the state to attract businesses around the world; a brand very reflective of Gwinnett. To learn more about the Gwinnett Chamber’s public policy initiatives, visit www.gwinnettchamber.org/publicpolicyagenda. To register for an upcoming event, check out www.gwinnettchamber.org/events.
