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Legislature convened today;
Day at the Capitol set for March 5


GAE's Hutcherson sworn in as
a member of the Atlanta Board of Education

Lawmakers gathered today, Monday, January 12, to begin the second year of the 158th General Assembly.  On Thursday, Gov. Brian Kemp will give the annual State of the State address, which usually includes insights into his proposed state budget.

Every day that the legislature meets, GAE members will receive updates on legislation that impacts public school educators.  These alerts can also be found at: https://gae.org/legalerts

House and Senate leaders have issued the calendar for the full session.  Adjournment is scheduled for April 2.  Legislators will be in session all this week before members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees review the governor's budget next week.
Register today at: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/880584/

GAE member Patreece Hutcherson
sworn-in today as a member of
the Atlanta Board of Education
Newly sworn-in member Patreece Hutcherson (right) and outgoing Board Chair Erika Mitchell, just after swearing-in ceremonies.  Chair Mitchell is pinning the official emblem on her recognizing her as a member.
GAE staff and members turned out today to suppport Patreece at her swearing-in at the Atlanta Public Schools building today.

On behalf of GAE, Executive Director Dr. Craig Carter presented a dozen roses to Hutcherson, who also works as a school counselor in the Douglas County public schools.

In her speech to the assembled, she gave credit to fellow GAE member Lynda Wolfe Smith as her mentor.
Patreece Hutcherson was elected to the Atlanta Board of Education on December 2.  She beat the incumbent for the position with 54.1 percent of the vote.

Hutcherson graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta and received a B.S. in psychology from Morris Brown College and an M.A. in school counseling from The Ohio State University.
GAE Legislative Contact Team (LCT)
Zoom call on Jan. 20, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
All GAE members are invited to become part of the Legislative Contact Team (LCT).

The LCT provides you with opportunities to help you build a relationship with your representatives in the Georgia General Assembly.  The goal is for GAE members, who are constituents of their Representative or Senator, to become the local education expert they know so that you can then reach out when education bills are under consideration.

All members are asked to join - we'll provide you all the information you need, we just need you to provide your time and talents to email your legislators.

Join us for the 2026 kick-off session to learn more and become part of the GAE LCT.  Please register for this meeting at: https://www.mobilize.us/gae/event/885599/
Senate elects Senator Larry Walker, R-Perry,
as Senate President Pro Tempore
The Georgia State Senate today officially elected Sen. Larry Walker, R-Perry, as President Pro Tempore.  The position is the second most powerful position in the Senate.

Walker was GAE's sponsor for a bill that repealed the law that capped the formula used to determine benefits for ESPs in the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS).
Georgia Congresswomen Marjorie Taylor Greene resigns
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, (R-14th Congressional District) resigned her congressional seat on January 5.  Gov. Brian Kemp has set a date for a special election on March 10.
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