James Jan-Feb 2024 web - Flipbook - Page 40
A prime example of this— and
one of the highlights of my first session— was the passage of House Bill
128. It emphasizes the importance
of preserving and expanding our
economy through increased competition. It also recognizes the need
to promote and develop minority,
woman-owned and veteran-owned
businesses for the security and
well-being of our state. Gov. Brian
Kemp initiated this effort with an
executive order aimed at addressing
challenges small businesses face—
particularly those owned by minorities, women, and veterans— in their
dealings with the state.
HB 128 significantly increases
opportunities for small businesses
to engage with the state and participate in the procurement process. It
aims to streamline the certification
process, reduce red tape and remove
barriers for new entrepreneurs in
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JAMES
JANUA RY/F E B RUA RY 2024
navigating the state bureaucracy.
Additionally, it enables the state to
accept certifications from entities
other than itself.
I look forward to working with
my colleagues to build on this work
during the 2024 session. While HB
128 is a promising start, I’m determined to further empower small
businesses in Georgia and help our
state tap into the plethora of minority-, woman-, and veteran owned
businesses. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow legislators to
further reduce the challenges entrepreneurs face in state procurement
and equip them with the knowledge
they need to engage with both the
public and private sector entities in
the upcoming session.
This work should begin with
H.R. 487, a resolution for the creation of a House Study Committee
on minority- and woman-owned
businesses in state contracting. I
want the opportunity to partner
with stakeholders to establish
platforms and forums that facilitate
connections between some of our
state’s leading businesses and small
enterprises. My ultimate goal is to
cement Georgia as the best place for
families and businesses to thrive.
Assisting these entrepreneurs
by cutting red tape and demystifying the procurement process must
empower a new generation of Georgia-grown businesses and make
our state, local communities, and
families stronger. In this session, it
is my hope that while we may not
always agree, the light from the
dome will illuminate our path as we
work together toward a stronger,
safer and prosperous Georgia.
Tanya Miller has extensive career experience
that includes working as a prosecutor and assistant district attorney with Fulton County and as
a lawyer with the U.S. Justice Department.