NEWS

Last week, the Chamber hosted its Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast in the newly-renovated Harborview Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency. Featured speakers included the Chamber’s Board chair Sam McCachern and Governmental Affairs Committee chair Bart Gobeil, State Representatives Carl Gilliard, Jesse Petrea, Bill Hitchens and Ron Stephens, and State Senators Ben Watson and Lester Jackson.
At the breakfast, the Chamber announced its legislative priorities for the upcoming year. The 2018 legislative agenda is laid out below; click here for a downloadable PDF version.

SAVANNAH AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 2018 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

2018 Legislative Priorities

• Defend against legislative measures that would negatively impact Savannah’s business climate, appear distriminatory in nature or would harm the ability to create, attract, retain and expand jobs and investments.
• Support continued funding of the Savannah Harbor Deepening Project.
• Support efforts to obtain the funding needed to study the feasibility of consolidating the City of Savannah and unincorporated Chatham County.
• Support Georgia Southern University’s Board of Regents’ request for $2.7 million in equipment for the new Waters College of Health Professions facility on the Armstrong campus.
• Support Georgia Southern University’s Board of Regents’ request for $3.7 million for the renovation of Herty Hall.
• Support the recommendations of the Georgia Military Affairs Study Committee in an effort to retain and grow this important statewide economic development target industry, including initiatives to attract and retain military veterans through tax and education incentives that encourage veterans to reside in Georgia.

Key Pro-Business Policies & Positions

• Support efforts to obtain the necessary funding for the design and engineering phase of the Georgia International Maritime and Trade Center expansion project.
• Support enhancement of Georgia’s historic preservation incentives to encourage investment in rehabilitation of historic landmarks.
• Advocate for legislation, initiatives and funding to support programs such as Move-On-When-Ready, Georgia College & Career Academies and other efforts that address early childhood, Pre-K through 12th grade, and higher education to prepare students for future careers while providing the region’s current and future employers a skilled workforce.
• Support funding and state policies that will have a positive impact on the healthcare for the citizens in Georgia. Without top quality healthcare, businesses in Georgia will suffer and it will be difficult to attract new business to the state. Support policies that positively impact medical education, access to healthcare throughout the state of Georgia and adequate funding of Medicaid and the State Health Benefit Plan.
• Maintain funding under the Transportation Funding Act of 2015 to benefit growth and efficiency and allow for the investment in roads, bridges and highways.
• Support the UGA Skidaway Instituite of Oceanography’s efforts in seeking a recurring annual request for $114,000 that will support the use of the Institute’s research vessel, the R/V Savannah, for use by graduate and undergraduate students.

Questions about the Chamber’s Legislative Affairs Council can be directed to Jared Downs at JDowns@SavannahChamber.com.