As with every year, the second Monday in January marked the beginning of Georgia’s legislative session. This is part two of the 2017-2018 regular session, which means bills that were introduced last year but did not make it over the finish line will have the opportunity to become law again. We will no doubt still see plenty of new bills introduced, but there is one key difference between last year and this year.
There are midterm elections in 2018. Elections for everyone from the Georgia House and Senate to the U.S. House of Representatives. For both parties, this will mean a return to the red (or blue) meat issues that drive voters to the polls. In this week’s column, I will delve into what that looks like for Democrats.
The number one priority being communicated from the Democratic caucuses in both chambers is Medicaid expansion. Democrats have been fighting for Medicaid expansion since its incorporation into the Affordable Care Act implemented by President Obama, but Republicans in the state have held fast against it for solely political reasons. What other explanation is there for refusing additional tax money flowing back to the state from Washington to care for the sick? The bill(s) will almost certainly see little to no traction again this year as in others, but given the strong electoral position of Democrats this year, Republicans might want to consider some sort of olive branch to address this priority. Quality, affordable health care throughout the entirety of Georgia would be a win for everyone.
There are several other agenda items that will carry over from past years, such as raising the minimum wage, making higher education more affordable, and expanding protections against workplace discrimination. However, the last year has also driven interest in several new priorities.
Lastly, environmental issues have always been at the top of the minds of Democratic legislators, but the unprecedented withdrawal of the United States from the Paris climate accord has renewed demand for serious sustainability initiatives. We will almost certainly see legislation to drive interest in solar power, wind power, and other renewable resources come up in the session.
Though Republicans maintain a powerful hold on the Gold Dome, Democrats have reason to be hopeful for movement on at least a couple of these issues. Republicans lost several seats in special elections last year that were considered safe by small margins, and working with Democrats to achieve something resembling progressive reforms could win them back that small margin in swing districts. If not, the blue wave that is shaping up to crash over the nation may hit Georgia harder than they expect.
