Dear Friends,

This month, the state of Georgia announced a new record in labor force participation as our state unemployment rate fell to 3.2%. This is .9% below the national average. In August, Georgia’s labor force increased by 9,498 to an all-time high of 5,490,319, up 68,659 over the past year. Employment rose by 13,013 to an all-time high of 5,314,822, up 76,272 over the past year. Press Release
Also this month, Georgia was ranked as #1 for business by Area Development Magazine for an unprecedented 13 years in a row! From the press release, “Georgia is at the heart of the American comeback story across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing,” said Governor Brian P. Kemp. “The workforce talent, facilities and project sites, and partnerships we’ve cultivated over these last eight years will only further that momentum in the years to come. I want to thank and congratulate the economic development community, the General Assembly, the educators and workforce developers, and most of all the hardworking Georgians themselves who made this possible. This announcement is yet another testament that we’re delivering on the shared goal of creating more jobs for Georgians.” Press Release
To help maintain our #1 ranking for business and Top State for Talent, the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Strategy announced the appointments of Lindsay McVicar as Workforce Director and Stacey Lutz as Interim State Literacy Director, strengthening the agency’s capacity to advance literacy outcomes and coordinate workforce strategy across the state. Press Release

Proposed Constitutional Ballot Questions

Proposed Amendment #1 House Resolution 32: 
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia, for the purpose of protecting family farmland, be amended so as to increase the maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property from 2,000 acres to 4,000 acres?”
This proposed amendment will allow a single landowner to receive the Conservation Use Valuation Assessment tax benefit on up to 4,000 acres of qualifying farmland or timberland, instead of the current 2,000-acre limit.

Proposed Amendment #2 House Resolution 251:
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to require that all probate court judges be elected in nonpartisan elections?”
This proposed amendment will allow all probate court judges to be elected with no political party affiliation.
Proposed Amendment #3 House Resolution 1243:
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to dedicate certain existing revenues, including revenues reallocated by law, to a nonlapsing fund to be used exclusively for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of emergency 9-1-1 systems in this state?”
This proposed amendment will create a dedicated state fund to support the modernization of Georgia’s 911 system. Please note this fund will NOT create a new fee or raise the existing one.  It will simply redirect the current 911 fee into the proposed statewide fund to support the transition to the state’s next 911 system. The new system will allow photos, texts, and videos as a way to reach a 911 operator.