We’re simply days away from the beginning of the 2024 legislative session and our elected leaders will as soon as once more make selections on essential points that have an effect on each Georgian. At Georgia First, we’re dedicated to advancing financial alternative, training, and well being outcomes for all Georgians — and we name on our policymakers to maneuver ahead in daring, but sensible methods to enhance the lives of all who name Georgia dwelling.
Bettering the well being of all Georgians
Maybe essentially the most prevalent difficulty on the minds of Georgians is well being care. With rising prices, hospital closures, and a protection hole dealing with tons of of hundreds of individuals, many Georgians can not create financial stability for themselves or their households. When an individual can not afford the well being care they want, all the pieces is in danger. Folks cannot work after they’re sick, youngsters miss out on essential studying, and companies small and enormous undergo after they haven’t got a dependable workforce.
We imagine well being care is crucial difficulty dealing with Georgia policymakers this 12 months.
A powerful workforce fuels Georgia’s financial competitiveness, and this will solely be achieved by having a wholesome, productive inhabitants. At the moment, about 487,000 Georgians don’t have entry to high quality, reasonably priced well being care, and these are sometimes low-wage employees, working dad and mom, veterans and the aged. By closing the Medicaid protection hole for these Georgians, our state will see elevated alternatives for well being care improvements, empowering people to raised handle their well being, bettering entry to significant well being providers, and defending Georgia households from medical debt and monetary stress.
Stronger literacy results in a extra viable workforce
Georgia’s long-term financial viability requires a dedicated workforce – one that’s wholesome, expert, and able to work. Funding in training is required to keep up our financial standing, however our state’s present literacy charges are alarming as we’re persistently ranked within the prime ten (or decrease) in literacy. Our future workforce must spend money on early care and training.
The science of early mind growth gives a roadmap for investments in early childhood training; Our lawmakers should merely prioritize this and proactively search for new funding sources. We’re heading in the right direction with the Governor’s finances proposal and give attention to cross-literacy in each the Georgia Home and Senate, however we won’t cease there.
Training, together with entry to well being care, will not be solely important keys to an individual’s success and high quality of life, they’re confirmed options for rising and strengthening Georgia’s center class.
To assist increased high quality training for all Georgians, and youthful learners particularly, we’re advocating for laws permitting sports activities betting. At the moment, hundreds of thousands of {dollars} are spent on sports activities betting in states exterior of Georgia. Income that, if allotted solely to training, might remodel our state and its households for generations — roughly $50 to $75 million yearly.
At the moment, two-thirds of Georgia’s third graders will not be studying at grade stage. Because the Get Georgia Studying marketing campaign summarizes, youngsters who can not learn proficiently by the tip of third grade usually tend to undergo poor well being, have self-discipline issues, grow to be teen dad and mom, and drop out of highschool. As adults, they’re extra prone to spend time in jail, expertise unemployment, and face a shorter life expectancy.
that is unacceptable. Georgia lawmakers should contemplate the long-term impacts if we don’t make investments extra in early care and training in our state.
Voting as a device for change
Voting is how Georgians can obtain change on essential points like well being care and training.
Free and honest elections are the bedrock of our democracy, and we’re strongly dedicated to making sure that each eligible Georgian’s proper to vote is protected. Outdoors influences have sown seeds of mistrust all through our nation, and Georgia has been positioned on the unlucky middle of baseless conspiracies which can be nonetheless a part of the electoral dialog, even almost 4 years later.
We will not return to 2020, however we all know one factor for certain: making modifications to the state’s voting course of throughout a presidential election cycle is a mistake Georgia can not repeat. We’ll work arduous to assist our native elections places of work by opposing any modifications to the voting course of throughout 2024 and advocating for higher steerage for Georgia’s 159 counties on the best way to handle challenges to voter eligibility.
With all the pieces we do, we get up for Georgians. To dwell a greater and more healthy life; simpler entry to reasonably priced well being look after themselves and their households; To obtain a top quality training and take part in the identical democracy on which our nation was based.
We’ll hold combating till each hardworking household, regardless of the place they dwell, has the chance to succeed. Let’s get to work, Georgia!
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