Dear Friends,

January 14, 2019 was swearing in day for all of Georgia’s Legislative and Executive branches.
Our granddaughter Isabella held the Bible for my swearing in.

Governor Kemp, like any new governor, is still consolidating his team. His 2019 Budget recommendations reflected many of his campaign promises including salary increases for teachers, rural economic development, strong support for early intervention for school children., and continuation of judicial reform.  Anti-immigrant, anti-gay, and gun rights promises are on the back burner so far.

The 14 brand new Representatives in the Democratic Caucus brought a high level of experience and determination swelling our ranks to 75 (out of 180) and bringing new ideas and energy.  Most of the new Reps come from the Metro Atlanta area and they shifted control of Fulton, Gwinnett, and Cobb local delegations to a Democratic majority. Dekalb has no Republicans in its local delegation.

Focus on bringing rural Georgia into Georgia’s thriving economy produced two bills.  If passed, these initiatives will allow Electrical Membership Corporations (EMCs) and telephone cooperatives to apply for federal grants and loans for broadband expansion through the USDA’s Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program passed Congress in 2018. Here are the current versions:  http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20192020/179472.pdf 
and http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20192020/179963.pdf. To read more on this issue please go to : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_bpq6UdEJhSJW5Sp-O34_NJaGwt1OABSEumhDAOZ5tI/edit?usp=sharing

Here are my current leadership positions:  City of Atlanta Delegation, Chair and House Democratic Caucus, Secretary
Committees and Caucus: Appropriations (Health Subcommittee), Transportation, Natural Resources and the Environment, Higher Education, Ethics, the Fulton County Delegation, and the Working Families Caucus.
​                 Please contact me anytime at pat@patgardner.org
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your state representative!

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