It’s hard to believe that 2025 is upon us, but here it is. With the new year comes both new challenges and opportunities. It also means the campaigns and elections are over, and now is the time to govern.
The Georgia General Assembly convened under the Gold Dome to begin this year’s session on Monday, January 13th. There are many uncertainties about what will transpire each session. There will be bills introduced for action that are well researched and supported by general consensus. There will be bills introduced for show, and others are just to test the waters.
Some proposed legislation causes distraction and some seeks action. Some bills will move fast, some will move slowly, and some will never move. Some bills will sail while others will sink. Some will play ping-pong between the House and Senate, and others will have different versions on the same subject in each branch.
With all that uncertainty, there is one thing you can be certain of: GMA will be there under the Gold Dome each and every day. Our team of advocates will review and evaluate every bill. We will stand up for cities by opposing those bills that are harmful and supporting those that are helpful.
Our advocacy team will provide a Gold Dome update to you every Friday during the session, and we strongly encourage you to read it, and to respond to us with your questions, comments, and suggestions. If you look at GMA’s long-standing tagline, there are 3 words—Advocacy, Service and Innovation. It is intentional that “advocacy” is the first word. After all, GMA was founded 92 years ago for that very purpose, and our commitment to legislative advocacy is unwavering.
Another opportunity for member engagement is our Friday Focus call. Every Friday during the session, we will have a virtual call for every interested member to get an overview of the prior week and a preview of the issues in the upcoming week. The call is one hour only and always at 9 am. All you have to do is sign up. All GMA members should have received an email with a link for the calls.
This year there will be many important issues debated. There will be bills affecting housing policy, the use of school zone cameras, annexation dispute resolution panels, transportation funding, and tort reform, just to name a few. GMA will be there fighting for the interest of all Georgia cities.
The one thing that ensures our success is your voice and your presence. Please take the time to get to know your state legislative delegation. Get their cell phone numbers. Email them. Call them. Communicate with them. They listen to you. Especially when all Georgia cities speak with one voice, state leaders listen.
When we ask for your assistance, we need it, and the reason we need it is to help you and your city. When we send out a call to action, it means we need you to take action. When our members are with us, we are strong. And when we stand and speak together, we are truly Cities United.