The Jolt: Jobs will dominate early GOP agenda in Georgia Legislature

Look for incoming Lt. Gov. Burt Jones to endorse legislation that could begin to address that issue.

We’re told Jones plans to back a measure from state Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, to require the state to identify ways to reduce educational, experiential and training requirements for state government jobs.

The goal, according to a draft copy of the measure, would be to “reduce the number of positions for which a four-year college degree is required as a condition of employment.”

It’s one of the few pieces of Jones’ 2023 agenda to emerge as the Republican faces pressure to sharpen his own policy platform while leading an often-fractious Georgia Senate. He’s also been dogged by headlines about his role in former President Donald Trump’s fake elector effort.

Look for more economic proposals soon from Gov. Brian Kemp, who spoke of plans to push legislation to loosen local zoning restrictions to clear the way for more workforce housing.

“We’ve got to move the needle on workforce housing in our state,” Kemp said. “My budget proposal will have money for a local-state partnership to start tackling the workforce housing issue we’ve seen.”

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Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC

Credit: Curtis Compton/AJC

UNDER THE GOLD DOME, Legislative Day 2:

Watch House & Senate floor action live here.

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LISTEN UP. The newest episode of the Politically Georgia podcast is in your feeds today.

We’re rounding up the first day of the Legislative session, the Georgia leaders spotted hours later at the National Championship football game in California, and what’s ahead for the week.

Listen and subscribe to our podcast for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.

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POWER CREDITS. Solar panel giant Qcells announced today that it is dramatically expanding its Dalton-based operations in Georgia with two new plants and roughly 2,500 new jobs.

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

State and federal officials say the $2.5 billion project will be the largest investment in clean energy manufacturing in U.S. history and, naturally, politicians from both sides of the aisle want a piece of the credit for making it happen.

U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock connected the dots between Democratic policies and Qcells’ expansion. So did President Joe Biden.

“This investment is a direct result of my economic plan and the Inflation Reduction Act,” Biden said in a statement. “Hanwha’s Qcells investment will create thousands of good-paying jobs in Georgia, many of which won’t require a four-year degree.”

Gov. Brian Kemp, whose administration helped seal the deal, pointed to Georgia’s “business-friendly environment that means jobs for hardworking Georgians in every corner of the state and success for both existing and new companies.”

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ROOTING FOR RALSTON. Statehouse lobbyists and the companies and interests they represent have a favorite in the special election to succeed the late House Speaker David Ralston in House District 7 — Sheree Ralston.

The late Speaker’s widow and executive director of the Fannin County Development Authority faces a Jan. 31 runoff with bank executive Johnny Chastain.

Credit: Courtesy photo

Credit: Courtesy photo

Our campaign finance expert James Salzer reports that Ralston’s latest campaign disclosure includes donations from more than a dozen Capitol lobbyists and lobbying firms, and dozens more business associations they represent.

Donations from Capitol interests, along with David Ralston’s former colleagues made up about half of the $97,250 she reported raising on her end-of-the-year report. And she also received plenty of local support in Blue Ridge.

Chastain has done pretty well in that regard too, reporting about $81,000 in contributions. But about half of Chastain’s money came from a self-funded personal loan.

The winner of the race will take office while the state House’s annual legislative session is already underway. The General Assembly convened for the year on Monday.

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BAD NEWS. Another day, another terrible Herschel Walker campaign headline, even in 2023. A former aide to the Walker campaign said he was sexually harassed by CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp last year when Schlapp traveled to Atlanta for a Walker event. The aide said he immediately told the Walker campaign, which was responsive, and is speaking out now because he feels Schlapp should be “held accountable.”

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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

TAXING ISSUE. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter has reintroduced legislation to replace the federal tax code with a national sales tax.

In a news release, Carter said his bill would eliminate all personal and corporate income taxes, the death tax, gift taxes, and the payroll tax, as well as the need for the Internal Revenue Service itself.

The idea has been part of the conservative wish list since former Georgia Congressman John Linder first floated it in the 1990s.

Carter said Speaker Kevin McCarthy has agreed to give his legislation a vote on the House floor, part of the many agreements he negotiated to win GOP support for his run for Speaker.

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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

BUDDY RULES. Speaking of U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, the famously ferocious Georgia football fan told us he chose voting on the House Rules package over his tickets to the National Championship in Los Angeles Monday night.

The four-day wrangling over who would become House speaker delayed the key vote until Monday. And with Republicans having a razor-thin majority, Carter didn’t want to be absent.

“It’s just too important,” he said. “This is my responsibility, and it’s something I take very seriously. You don’t find very many Georgia fans as avid as I am, but at the same time, yeah, it cost me a bunch of money. But that’s a chance you take sometimes.”

Carter said he has reached out to the White House about hosting the team for a celebration, something that didn’t happen after last year’s victory, and took the lead on a House resolution congratulating the team on its undefeated season. All 13 of the other members of the Georgia delegation signed on as co-sponsors.

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MORE DAWGS. The rest of Georgia’s congressional delegation made sure Congress duly celebrated the team. Freshman U.S. Rep. Mike Collins’ first-ever floor speech Tuesday was a tribute to the back-to-back national champions.

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Albany, added his congratulations to the Congressional Record.

And U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock posted a shout out to the team on social media “from one back-to-back winner to another.”

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MCCORMICK SPEAKS. Freshman U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick also made his first floor speech on Tuesday, expressing his opposition to abortion and calling out attacks against churches and nonprofits that oppose it, too.

“For those of us who believe that the child is in existence and recognized by God before they’re born, wouldn’t it be immoral for those people to not stand up for what they believe is life?” McCormick, R-Suwanee, said.

McCormick was speaking in support of a measure that will be on the House floor today that calls on the House to condemn violence targeting anti-abortion facilities, groups, and churches.

It is among a series of anti-abortion legislation the new Republican majority has promised to bring to a vote.

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TODAY IN WASHINGTON:

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Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

Credit: Nathan Posner for the AJC

SELECT COMMITTEES. The House vote Tuesday to create a select committee to assess America’s competitiveness with China was bipartisan, with the measure passing 365-65.

Most of Georgia’s delegation was in favor of the legislation, with Democratic Reps. Hank Johnson and Nikema Williams among those voting “no.”

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop said in a news release that he supported the bill because no other standing committee had the authority to address a topic he found increasingly relevant.

The second measure, approved on a party-line vote, authorized a second House select committee to investigate whether federal agencies like the IRS and FBI have targeted Americans for partisan purposes.

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BIDEN TRADE REP. The nation’s top trade official is coming to Atlanta this week to tout President Joe Biden’s economic agenda ahead of the president’s planned appearance Sunday at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

The AJC’s Drew Kann writes that Ambassador Katherine Tai, the United States Trade Representative and a member of the president’s cabinet, will join U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and a group of Georgia business leaders for a series of meetings on Thursday.

On Friday, Tai will speak to the World Affairs Council of Atlanta and meet later with local Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders.

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PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT. Gov. Brian Kemp has announced his new communications team at the state Capitol now that message man Cody Hall decided to open his own shop.

Andrew Isenhour, a familiar face to Capitol reporters, has been named Kemp’s communications director. Garrison Douglas, who overhauled the RNC’s Georgia operation last cycle, is coming in as press secretary. And Carter Chapman, an aide in the communications shop, has been promoted to deputy press secretary.

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AS ALWAYS, Jolt readers are some of our favorite tipsters. Send your best scoop, gossip and insider info to patricia.murphy@ajc.com, tia.mitchell@ajc.com and greg.bluestein@ajc.com.