Georgia Chamber President Chris Clark and Senior Vice President David Raynor presented the state chamber’s “report card” to local Chamber Directors, specifically focusing on legislation from the recent legislative session to increase Georgia’s economic competitiveness, encourage job creation and attract new investment to the state.

The House and Senate passed legislation addressing agency procedures for licenses designed to create an online tracking process.  With this, applicants can view a timeline and their application status, plus allow for expediting permits.  Other legislation passed that would provide for an annual federal rules and regulations report to be compiled in an attempt to combat duplicative state and federal regulations.

Clark and Raynor also commended Sen. Golden’s legislation, SB 402 which will allow the state’s Employees’ Retirement System to devote up to 5 percent of the system’s assets to certain types of alternative investments, including venture capital funds.  Additional venture capital in Georgia would diversify our state’s economy and create clusters of business innovation to generate economic development.

HB 48 was also sent to the Governor, which would expand the existing local Freeport option to exempt, in part or whole, business inventory not covered in the current exemption from local property tax through a local referendum. This would provide an option for local governments to remove this burdensome tax, attracting new business and helping existing business grow throughout the state.

Chris Clark took a moment to commend our local delegation, Sen. Golden, and Reps. Ellis Black, Amy Carter and Jason Shaw for their continued support of pro-business legislation.

For more information on these issues, click here.