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Thoughts thus far about the 2021 Georgia Legislative Session Before I dive into the nuts and bolts of the 2021 session, I just want to say how welcoming the CBA community has been to me. I am happy and excited to be here and I greatly enjoy the work I am doing on behalf of Georgia’s community banking industry. The work so far with CBA has been enlightening and. I am particularly grateful for the guidance and mentorship of Lori Godfrey and being able to learn from one of Georgia’s top lobbyists is a privilege!
With all the complexities of this year added on to what usually is already a hectic 40 legislative days, Tyler Eck Government and it is a wonder that anyone can Regulatory Relations manage everything going on under Associate the dome. The speed at which the Community Bankers Georgia legislators are working is Association of Georgia neck breaking. In just six weeks, more than 800 bills have been dropped. The budget and legislation related to the pandemic passed through the House and Senate at warp speed. Lori and I have been working diligently to keep track of the legislation and changes happening in real time for our community banks and updating the CBA of GA Weekly Update and Advocacy Blog to keep you informed. The blog is a centralized place for you to see our weekly updates and to view legislation that we are tracking. While the use of technology has provided easier access to and review of committee meetings, the impersonal aspects of technology have made forging the one-on-one relationships I was hoping to develop my first year more difficult, but not impossible. As I’m sure you know, there was a large amount of turnover this last election cycle. There are many freshman legislators that, like me, are still learning the ropes. While the virtual environment does make it challenging, Lori and I have been able to secure appointments with many freshman legislators that are on the committees we work with often. We have been focused on ensuring they know the differences between community banks and other financial services providers. Fortunately, many are familiar with community banks and some even bank with of our local community banks.
TheMy first day down at the Capitol representing CBA proudly. Masks up! 2021 Georgia Legislative Session felt like it began as an Olympic sprint that has turned into a marathon that just keeps racing along. 2020 and 2021 have been historical in many ways and I believe this session will go down in political history as unique and challenging. The pandemic is once again forcing legislators and lobbyists to utilize technology to do the work of the people. It has required growth and perseverance by everyone involved and made my first session as a community bank lobbyist especially memorable.
The Dome today stands out against the sky as I ended my first day at the Capitol for CBA. M ar c h / A p r i l 2 0 2 1 | G e or g i a C o m m un i ti es F i rs t | 5
