Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns speaks during a press conference on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta VoiceGeorgia House Speaker Jon Burns (R-159) held a pre-session press conference outside of the House Chamber on Wednesday afternoon. Burns, who represents Newington, Rocky Ford, and parts of Statesboro and Springfield, maintained a positive outlook throughout the presser. “This chamber will be effective and impactful,” he said. During his time behind the microphone, Burns spoke about why the Republican Party was able to maintain a majority in the House, the impact of working well with current Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican, and how among many things, education and healthcare will be priorities this session. “In Georgia, we’re making a difference around the state,” Burns said. “The members of the House have been working diligently.”The Georgia General Assembly begins on Monday, Jan. 13, and will proceed for 40 days. Burns said he expects for the House to get laws passed that will benefit all Georgians. There are 20 new members of the House this year. “We must move forward with the type of legislation we have had in the past,” he said. “We can make a difference and get some things right.” The press conference touched on a range of topics, including the aforementioned education, which Burns spliced into a couple of segments. Making sure a secure learning environment was one, and that meant increasing school safety measures, he said. The school shooting at Apalachee High School, which took place on September 4, 2024 was not mentioned, but it didn’t have to be. The House Speaker added that school zone cameras, mental health, and literacy were also important issues that will be addressed this session. “We want to be proactive, not reactive,” he said. Boys in girls sports, a topic that incoming President of the United States Donald J. Trump stood firmly on during his 2024 campaign, came up on Wednesday as well. “Some of us have been in guys’ locker rooms and it’s not a place for girls,” Burns explained. Healthcare, IVF, jobs, public safety, tort reform, and a Hurricane Helene recovery package also were topics of discussion. Along with “boys in girls sports”, the state’s economic development might have had the majority of Burns’ attention during the press conference. “We will continue to make those strategic investments in Georgia,” Burns said. He immediately added that reducing taxes in the state is at the top of the House’s to-do list. He also said the state’s growth in jobs and development came from the economic responsibility of Kemp. Burns also credits Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue for his work in those departments. “What we want to do in the House is help as many Georgians as we can,” Burns said. “We‘ll leave no stone unturned.”Burns opened the press conference by making available commemorative coins for the media covering the House and Senate this session. He thanked the media for informing the public of the moves being made in the House several times during the 30-minute press conference. Burns, who took time to introduce himself to media members that he hadn’t met yet during a reception earlier that day, also took questions from the assembled media after he was done speaking.Other News: Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta VoiceA National Day of Mourning was held on Thursday, Jan. 9 in honor of late United States President and former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.Carter, a native of Plains, Georgia, passed away on Dec. 29, 2024. He was 100 years old. His portrait inside the Georgia State Capitol was partially covered in a black cloth to pay respects to his passing. The post ‘We’ll leave no stone unturned’, says House Speaker Burns of 2025 session appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.