Tech Sets 2019 Legislative Priorities
Georgia State Capitol. Photo courtesy of Getty Images
The Georgia General Assembly will begin its 2019 legislative session on Monday, Jan. 14, with new and returning faces under the Gold Dome following elections in November. Later that day, state leaders will gather at McCamish Pavilion for the inaugural swearing in ceremony.
For Georgia Tech’s Office of Government and Community Relations, it’s business as usual to promote Tech’s legislative priorities. After securing the final round of construction funding last year for the Price Gilbert Library and Crosland Tower renewal project, this year Tech will request $4.3 million for planning and design funds for Tech Square Phase III, a two-tower complex in Tech Square to enhance innovation and academic programming.
Georgia Tech will also seek to strengthen partnerships for Georgia Smart Communities programming, an initiative out of Georgia Tech that serves both metro and rural communities throughout the state to enhance infrastructure through technology-based solutions.
Together with the University System of Georgia (USG), the Georgia Tech team will also work to promote important System-wide priorities. This includes $82.6 million in new Formula Funds for enrollment growth, shared among all USG institutions to support critical day-to-day operations and academic quality, and $75 million in Major Repair and Rehabilitation Funds to repair aging facilities across the USG, including more than $100 million for Tech in deferred maintenance needs.
On Tuesday, Feb. 12, Georgia Tech will join the USG’s other research institutions under the Gold Dome for the annual Student Day at the Capitol. This event allows students to share their appreciation for the ongoing support from state lawmakers and learn more about Georgia’s legislative and budgetary processes.
During the 2019 legislative session, Georgia Tech will have 13 students serving full-time as interns to legislators, committees, and staffers through the Georgia Legislative Internship Program, offered in collaboration with the Georgia General Assembly and colleges and universities throughout Georgia.