[January 25, 2026] | This past Monday we started the second regular session of the 158th Georgia General Assembly. What that means is we were sworn in last year. We had our 40-day session last January, February, and March. We adjourned, and now we're back for the second part of the two-year session. All the bills that were put in place last year are still in play, and we will look at lots of new ideas in the upcoming months.
For the past three years, the Georgia Building Authority has been renovating the Capitol building. And this week we recognized the folks who did the work. It was a massive undertaking which had to be done very timely so we would be back in the building in January. It was good to know that the new replacement carpet this time came from one of our homegrown carpet makers in Dalton.
The most important part of this week: this was Governor Kemp's final State of the State Address as our governor. It was a very good speech, covering many of the things he had done the last seven years.
If you go to my Facebook page, you'll see a few pictures I took about it, including the many standing ovations that Governor Kemp got from both Republicans and sometimes the Democrats.
One of the key things he said, that I want to draw attention to, is during his time we have given $9.7 billion back to Georgians in tax relief. No other state has done that! We have all worked together to make this happen for you. He talked about what we've done for school security across our state, how we have funded education fully seven times. The pay raises we have given state employees and the funding of transportation projects across Georgia represent the tremendous investment in our state.
You know education is very important to me. During his tenure as Governor, we have funded HOPE fully and worked with the Board of Regents to hold tuition in check to improve its affordability. We've invested in our technical schools so that they can train Georgians for the jobs of tomorrow. We have increased teacher pay to the highest in the southeast, and as I said at the chamber meeting Tuesday morning, we have opened a new medical school, a new dentistry school, and increased our number of nursing classes.
I can't cover everything Governor Kemp said, but next week I'll talk about what he proposed in his budget, since after Martin Luther King Day is Budget Week, where all the department heads of every state agency will be before the General Assembly to talk about their budget and answer questions. It's the beginning of a long process where we put our two cents' worth in on what the Governor has proposed.
Finally, on Friday morning, we honored a great Georgian: Mr. Abit Massey from Gainesville. Mr. Massey was the leader of the Georgia Poultry Federation. He had quite the resume before he took on Poultry, but Pickens County 4-Hers will know him as the gentleman who always came to our table at the Georgia 4-H Congress to greet them, and if they got to meet him twice, he would know their names. He had a crazy ability to remember people's names and engage them and remember things about them. Since I knew Mr. Massey from my 4-H days, he was a great friend to me early in my career at the Capitol, giving me insight and wisdom in how that place really worked. I was always grateful for that. I wore my Poultry tie in honor of him Friday.
I encourage you to visit me at my Georgia Capitol office or call me if you have any questions or concerns regarding the bills, the legislative process, or any other measures considered under the Gold Dome.
My Capitol office number is 404-656-7153. My email is rick.jasperse@house.ga.gov. As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your State Representative.