Beyond death and taxes: 2024 Legislature eyes fairly bold agenda

Benjamin Franklin allegedly once quipped, “Our new Constitution is now established, everything seems to promise it will be durable; but, in this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes,” which is ironic since most governments love involving themselves in every aspect of your life and income. But do you know the difference between death and taxes? Legislators don’t meet annually to make your death worse, at least according to an old joke.

There’s little love for lawmakers, particularly those in Congress. As a governing body, it has an approval rating of 15 percent. That makes it only slightly more popular than Hamas, an organization that 14 percent of Americans view favorably. Concerning as that may be, Georgia’s state lawmakers deserve a much more favorable view, given that the Peach State is comparatively in great shape.

The state’s rainy day fund has surged from $104 million in fiscal year 2009 to over $16 billion in fiscal year 2023; Georgia lawmakers have long maintained a balanced budget, unlike their congressional counterparts in Washington D.C.; the state boasts a AAA bond rating; our unemployment rate sits at around 3.4 percent; the Peach State has been rated the best state to do business in for 10-years running; and we have the country’s eighth-lowest tax burden.

This is to be celebrated, but as policymakers understand, there’s much more work to do. With the 2024 Legislative Session approaching, the year’s agenda is coming into focus, and taxes, workforce issues and tort reform look to be central issues.

“Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, and members of the General Assembly announced today their shared priority of introducing and passing legislation in the upcoming regular session of the General Assembly that will accelerate a decrease in the state individual income tax rate,” reads a statement from the governor’s office.

The ultimate goal is to bring Georgia’s income tax rate down to 4.99 percent. While nine states have no income tax whatsoever, lowering the tax rate to below 5 percent would be a boon that would save Georgians over a billion dollars a year. It would also be a compliment to Kemp’s prior work to temporarily suspend the gas tax that saved taxpayers billions.

Kemp and his allies are also looking to reduce the burden on Georgians in other ways—by reforming the legal system. “Next legislative session,” Kemp said, “I look forward to working with members of the General Assembly on legislation that provides much needed relief to countless small businesses and job creators, reduces insurance premiums for hardworking Georgians and their families, and treats both plaintiffs and defendants fair!”

Georgia’s tort system is nothing short of a mess. The Americans for Tort Reform Foundation ranked the Peach State as the country’s number one “judicial hellhole,” and understandably. Its legal system fosters lawsuit abuse that levies a heavy price on companies that pass the cost on to consumers to the tune of over $1,100 per person per year.

Last session, legislators pursued tort reforms, but they all fell short, including a common-sense bill that would have allowed juries to consider whether plaintiffs were wearing seatbelts in car accident cases when awarding damages—something that’s forbidden currently. Legislators may resurrect this bill and others in the coming session, which should hearten voters. The status quo simply ensures that Georgians have to work that much harder to earn a living.

Despite the state’s low unemployment rate, employers are struggling to fill open roles as Georgia suffers from workforce shortages. While there are numerous drivers behind this trend, burdensome professional licensing laws are an unmistakable contributor. Georgia has made great strides in this area, including the passage of Rep. Chuck Martin’s House Bill 155, which made it easier for licensed individuals moving to Georgia to more easily obtain employment.

Thanks, in part, to Sen. Larry Walker’s Senate Occupational Licensing Study Committee, licensing looks poised to remain top priority. The study committee’s findings suggest that lawmakers might explore ways to make the licensing process more efficient, provide more adequate funding to the state’s professional licensing board division and remove unnecessary barriers.

While policymakers have done an admirable job to make Georgia one of the best places to live, work and play, it’s satisfying to see that they aren’t resting on their laurels. Unlike Congress that seems to do little—at least little good—the Georgia General Assembly has a growing agenda before them. Instead of focusing on death and increased taxes, they seem intent on improving life and reducing taxes. I can get on board with that.