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Kemp to deliver State of the State speech

Governor Brian Kemp makes his third major speech of the week today in Atlanta: the Athens Republican, who delivered his inaugural address Monday and spoke at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce's annual Eggs and Issues legislative breakfast Wednesday, speaks to a joint session of the Georgia House and Senate, laying out his budget priorities for the General Assembly that is now into its fourth day. 

From the AJC's Greg Bluestein…

The governor first unveiled his school safety plan in September, with a goal of pouring a total of $90 million into initiatives that also include financing a school safety division within the Georgia Department of Education.

It’s part of the overall approach by Georgia Republicans to try to address safety initiatives after mass shootings at schools without delving into a debate over new gun control measures.

Case in point: House and Senate lawmakers last year allocated $16 million in school safety funding after the mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla. school left 17 people dead. A range of gun-related proposals, meanwhile, stalled in the Legislature.

The November election heightened the divide. Top Georgia Democrats bucked years of pro-gun positions last year to embrace new restrictions, such as a ban on assault rifles and waiting periods.

And leading Republicans, including Kemp and just about every other statewide GOP candidate, pushed to aggressively expand where people can carry firearms.

Since his election, Kemp has said he would continue to champion Second Amendment rights. But he's been notably non-committal about a plan he supported in the campaign to let people carry concealed firearms without a permit.

Instead, he’s focused on broader appeals that are less likely to draw Democratic opposition. And soon after his speech, bipartisan legislative leaders signaled they were receptive to his school safety plans.

“We can all agree with Governor Kemp that the safety of our schools and students is a top priority,” said Republican P.K. Martin, chair of the Senate Education Committee. “We made an investment in school security last session, and safe schools continue to be a priority in the Senate.”

State Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, a Decatur Democrat and a leading advocate for gun restrictions, said she welcomed Kemp's plans.

“My three school districts can benefit from new money for cameras and security equipment,” said Oliver. “Most importantly, additional school counselors who can focus on school climate and children in trouble will help keep schools safe.”

And Carolyn Hugley, a Columbus Democrat, added that she hopes Republicans “will leave all options on the table as we work to protect our children.”

The cost of the programs raised other fiscal questions, since Kemp has promised he won’t raise taxes to pay for any of his proposals.

Stephen Owens of the left-leaning Georgia Budget & Policy Institute praised Kemp for “wisely” highlighting school safety as a priority. But he warned against relying solely on economic growth, rather than increasing taxes, for initiatives that could top $700 million annually.

“Adding additional revenue will provide the funds necessary to display a commitment to the teacher workforce and school safety, as well as show the state is dedicated to public education,” he said.

‘Grab some nails’

Kemp's "stop and dismantle" program also played a central role in his run for governor. He first unveiled it in April as part of a broader push to emphasize crackdowns on crime and illegal immigration.

The plan would also give the state Attorney General more power to prosecute gang members and pour an unspecified amount of state funding to improve a database created in 2010 to track gang members.

For Kemp, who was in a tight race for the GOP nomination, the tough talk was a way to appeal to conservatives and echo President Donald Trump, who made targeting MS-13 and other violent gangs a linchpin of his criminal justice policy.

Statistics on gang membership and gang-related crime in Georgia aren't easily available - the FBI hasn't published a gang threat assessment since 2011 - and some critics have accused Kemp of fear-mongering. Some gang investigators, meanwhile, have recently documented a rise in gang activity.

In his address, Kemp cited statistics from a 2018 law enforcement survey to urge lawmakers to immediately target what he called a “crisis that stretches statewide.”

“It’s a great time to be a Georgian,” he said. “But it’s not time to grow complacent. Let’s pick up a hammer and grab some nails. It’s time to start building on the solid foundation poured by those who came before us.”

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