Georgia lawmakers will be back at work Tuesday under the Gold Dome in a special called session.
On the heels of Tuesday’s General Elections, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal issued a proclamation Friday calling for the General Assembly to meet in a rare special session beginning Tuesday, Nov. 13. In his proclamation, the Governor limited to agenda to two items — providing emergency funding to state agencies and local governments affected by Hurricane Michael, and ratifying an executive order he issued last summer restoring a tax exemption on sales of jet fuel that primarily benefits Delta Air Lines Inc.
“Many of Georgia’s communities were severely impacted by Hurricane Michael as families, businesses and farmers sustained significant financial losses,” said Deal. “In response, I have asked the General Assembly to reconvene and take immediate action to provide relief funding and spur economic recovery for the affected areas. Our state appropriations need to be amended to minimize financial losses following the storm and to ensure Georgia’s continued prosperity in the coming months. I look forward to working with the General Assembly and the leadership of both chambers to provide much-needed support for those affected by Hurricane Michael.”
Initially, Deal said he expected to seek $100 million from the legislature to provide relief for residents in south Georgia who were impacted by Hurricane Michael. However, late last week, Deal said updated assessments have upped the needed-funding to about $270 million. According to the Governor, the money will be used to pay for debris removal, street repairs and overtime pay for state and local government workers who responded to the storm.
Lawmakers will also be asked to ratify an executive order Deal issued on July 30, 2018 which would restore the jet fuel tax break after the Republican-controlled General Assembly took the provision out of a broader tax reform bill lawmakers passed last spring. The proposed restoration of a tax exemption Delta and other air carriers had enjoyed until 2015 was pulled from the tax legislation during a political flap following a stand Delta took against the National Rifle Association in the wake of the February mass shootings at a Florida high school.
The special session is expected to take no more than a week.
