Governor Deal To Call Special Session For Hurricane (And Jet Fuel Tax) Relief

Word is going out among legislative leadership that Governor Deal will call a special session of the Georgia General Assembly to deal with the catastrophic after effects of Hurricane Michael. As noted yesterday, the losses in some counties in Southwest Georgia to their economy and major infrastructure are staggering.

It appears the call will also include ratifying the Governor’s action earlier in the year to suspend collection on jet fuel taxes at Hartsfield-Jackson and other major airports. As the move was an executive action, the move must be ratified for the tax relief to become the law of the state.

Note that the special session’s activities will be limited to whatever the Governor includes in the call. Thus, if Amazon HQ2 or other items were to also be considered, they would have to be specifically mentioned.

Look for lawmakers to convene the week after the November 6th election.

Notably, incumbents and current office holders who are already hoping to avoid a runoff now have extra incentive to avoid one. Candidates currently holding a state office cannot raise campaign funds when the legislature is in session.

UPDATED: Here’s the official release from Speaker Ralston.

ATLANTA – Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) issued the following statement regarding Governor Deal’s announcement of a special legislative session:

“I support Governor Deal’s call for a Special Session of the Georgia General Assembly. We owe it to the citizens and local governments impacted by Hurricane Michael to continue supporting their recovery efforts. As such, we will need to amend our FY 2019 budget to fund the work ahead.

“As we petition the federal government for recovery assistance, I know that this Special Session will also demonstrate both the severity of the storm’s impact and the sincerity of Georgia’s commitment to the recovery process. I want to thank all of our federal partners for their assistance thus far – particularly President Trump, Vice President Pence and Secretary Perdue.

“I want to thank those House members who have worked day and night to help their constituents in some of the hardest hit areas including several of our committee chairmen: Gerald Greene, Jason Shaw, Sam Watson, Darlene Taylor, Penny Houston & Ed Rynders. I also want to commend all of the first responders and officials on the local, state and federal levels who have answered calls for help in Georgia.”

Updated Again, Governor’s Press Release:

October 23, 2018
Gov. Nathan Deal today notified House Speaker David Ralston and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle that he plans to call for a special legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly. The special session is set to convene on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

“Georgia was severely impacted by Hurricane Michael and many communities across our state sustained heavy financial losses,” said Deal. “In response, I will ask the General Assembly to take immediate action and lead the way in spurring rapid economic recovery for southwest Georgia communities. Our state budget also needs to be amended to ensure that we adequately cover our obligations. I hope to work quickly with the General Assembly in the coming days to provide support to the Georgia communities that need it most.”

The regular session of the 2018 General Assembly adjourned sine die on March 29, 2018. Article V, Section II, Paragraph VII of the Constitution of the State of Georgia grants the governor the power to convene a special session of the General Assembly.