ATLANTA — Georgia House Democrats are unveiling their legislative priorities for next year’s session, saying federal cuts to education and healthcare are shaping a renewed focus on working families and economic stability.
House Democratic Caucus Chair Tanya Miller says the party’s agenda, themed “Live, Learn, Earn,” centers on what she calls the basic needs of Georgia families, from affordable housing and healthcare to fair wages and access to education.
“We talk about healthcare, we talk about affordable housing, we talk about safe communities and the affordability of education,” Miller said.
Among the proposals, expanding PeachCare coverage to adults, restoring the HOPE Scholarship to a need-based standard, raising Georgia’s minimum wage, and offering tax cuts to employers who pay livable wages. Miller called the state’s current minimum wage “abysmally low,” adding, “No one can live off of that amount of money.”
Democrats also plan to prioritize reproductive rights and responsible gun ownership, including safe storage laws and red flag measures.
“No one wants to take anyone’s guns away, but we do believe that there are some legislative things we can do to make us all safer,” Miller said.
Housing remains another major concern. Miller says corporate ownership of residential properties is driving up costs statewide. “We can’t be both the number one state to do business and then people can’t find affordable housing,” she said.
Miller added that with federal funding reductions, Georgia will likely have to carry more of the burden to support essential programs. “Our citizens are being taxed, we’re paying state taxes, we’re paying federal taxes, and then we’re seeing all of the benefits of our burden of the federal tax not coming to our state,” she said.
The caucus says its priorities are aimed at building “economic prosperity from the bottom up,” beginning with working families, small businesses, and entrepreneurs.
WSB’s Veronica Water contributed to this story