Honoring Speaker David Ralston
Dayle and I were honored to gather with friends, colleagues, and leaders from across the state to honor the late Speaker David Ralston at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for David E. Ralston Hall at the University of North Georgia’s Blue Ridge campus.
Speaker Ralston held a strong belief that higher education leads to greater opportunity and generational change for Georgians and their families.
That’s exactly what the new academic building at the University of North Georgia represents—an opportunity for countless young people and students to create a better future not only for themselves, but for their families, communities, and our state.
His legacy has already been cemented in our history through the incredible policies he championed on behalf of his fellow Georgians, but I am grateful that his name and memory are now memorialized for generations to come.
Cutting the ribbon at David Ralston Hall with current and former leaders from across the state of Georgia
Enjoying conversation with Chancellor Sonny Perdue at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
Pictured with Chairman Rick Jasperse, Governor Brian Kemp, Chairman Matt Hatchett, and Terry England
Georgia Forestry Association
Last week, I spoke to an incredible group of timber producers, farmers, and advocates at the Georgia Forestry Association’s annual conference in Jekyll Island.
Georgia has been consistently ranked the #1 State for Forestry because of our leadership’s commitment to supporting this vital industry that provides thousands of good-paying jobs for hardworking Georgians and generates billions of dollars in our economy each year.
After Hurricane Helene left behind unprecedented damage to timberland across Southeast Georgia, the House committed to providing the relief our foresters needed to be made whole. We were proud to champion over $1 billion in direct relief to those impacted through funding in the AFY 2025 budget and tax relief for our forest landowners and farmers.
We recognize there are still challenges facing our timber industry, with recovery efforts still underway and the timber market undergoing significant changes, but the House remains committed to standing alongside our state’s foresters every step of the way.
Speaking to members of the Georgia Forestry Association at their Annual Conference on Jekyll Island
Pictured with Herbert and Sandra Hodges, the Georgia Forestry Association’s 2025 Tree Farmers of the Year
Hurricane Relief for Homeowners
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs has allocated federal funds for disaster recovery related to Hurricane Idalia, Tropical Storm Debby, and Hurricane Helene. Funding is available in certain counties to repair and/or replace storm-damaged homes and to help families who may be struggling to keep up with their mortgages.
To check your eligibility, please visit https://surveys.georgiahrrp.com/ or call (678) 233-2590.
The Martha Zoller Show
On Thursday morning, I was in Gainesville to join WDUN’s Martha Zoller Show. We recapped the 2025 Legislative Session and discussed what’s ahead for the House in 2026.
You can listen to the full interview on www.accesswdun.com.
Pictured with Martha Zoller at WDUN’s new studio in Downtown Gainesville
My best,
Speaker Jon Burns