Georgia lawmakers will meet at the State Capitol in a special called session beginning November 13 to address the state’s recovery from Hurricane Michael — including the need to amend the state budget to fund the recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Gov. Nathan Deal notified House Speaker David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle of his plans to call for the special legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly early Tuesday morning.
“Georgia was severely impacted by Hurricane Michael and many communities across our state sustained heavy financial losses,” said Deal. “In response, I will ask the General Assembly to take immediate action and lead the way in spurring rapid economic recovery for southwest Georgia communities. Our state budget also needs to be amended to ensure that we adequately cover our obligations. I hope to work quickly with the General Assembly in the coming days to provide support to the Georgia communities that need it most.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Butch Miller (R-Gainesville) supported the call by Governor Deal, making special reference to the devastating impact Hurricane Michael had on Georgia farmers.
“The majority caucus and I support this session and believe it is vital in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael,” said Pro Tem Miller. “Agriculture is a major player in our state’s economy and right now our farmers need our assistance more than ever. We will also be taking up several issues that our governor and legislature feel are vital to our great state as well as our recovery and I look forward to working on each one including tweaking our Fiscal Year 2019 budget in the aftermath of the storm. Although this is an opportunity on the state level to solve our own economic challenges, I thank the federal government for working alongside us in this effort.”
Speaker of the House David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) also agreed with the need for the special session, “We owe it to the citizens and local governments impacted by Hurricane Michael to continue supporting their recovery efforts. As such, we will need to amend our FY 2019 budget to fund the work ahead.
“As we petition the federal government for recovery assistance, I know that this Special Session will also demonstrate both the severity of the storm’s impact and the sincerity of Georgia’s commitment to the recovery process. I want to thank all of our federal partners for their assistance thus far — particularly President (Donald) Trump, Vice President (Mike) Pence and (Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue).”
Hurricane Michael hit the Florida panhandle earlier this month as a Category 4 storm, causing devastation in areas like Mexico Beach and Panama City. It was still at hurricane strength when it crossed into southwest Georgia, leaving severe damage across the area in its wake.
The regular session of the 2018 General Assembly adjourned sine die on March 29, 2018. Article V, Section II, Paragraph VII of the Constitution of the State of Georgia grants the governor the power to convene a special session of the General Assembly.
