1. Closing Georgia’s Digital Divide
The Georgia Association of Black County Officials (GABCO) supports policy measures that improve digital connectivity in support of education and economic development. Both the present and the future of our local economy rests on Georgians especially those from underserved communities having access to the latest technology, including high-speed (broadband) internet, connected classrooms, and STEAM education and training.
GABCO intends to work with our colleagues and community partners to influence legislation that expands broadband — especially in poor neighborhoods and rural counties — and increased access to technology (through the lens of equity). We also support initiatives that increase the number of African Americans and other underrepresented groups in STEAM fields.
2. Removing Barriers to Affordable Healthcare
GABCO supports policy measures that expand healthcare access and increases its affordability to all Georgians. The Caucus intends to work with our colleagues and community partners to adopt legislation that provides underserved communities and rural counties quality affordable healthcare, supports our hospitals, invests in further diversifying the medical profession, and fully explores all federally funded options capable of meeting the health care needs of Georgians. We want to fight the healthcare and hospital desserts in Georgia.
3. Making Smart Investments in Education
GABCO supports policy measures that contribute to improving access, retention, and completion at our state postsecondary institutions. GABCO intends to work with our colleagues and community partners to expand pre-K, pursue innovative approaches towards improving K-12 student performance, increase high school graduation rates, improve college readiness, increase public investment in our public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as explore other fact-based, data-driven legislation capable of achieving greater equity and success.
4. Continuing to Reform the Criminal Justice System
GABCO supports policy measures to address the historic and systemic inequality within the state criminal justice system as it pertains to the arrest, conviction, incarceration, parole, and reentry of African Americans and other people of color. GABCO intends to work with our colleagues and community partners to adopt legislation that targets the causes of such disparities, halts private sector profiteering from the incarceration of minorities, invests in citizen re-entry, decreases the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers and ensures greater sentencing equity, including pre arrest and pre trial diversion and treatment for non-violent, drug related offenses and those suffering from me tal illness
5. Protecting the Workforce and Strengthening the Middle Class
GABCO supports policy measures that improve upward mobility and ends intergenerational poverty inbunderserved communities. GABCO intends to work with our colleagues and community partners to adopt legislation that supports home ownership, access to capital, small business development, workforce development, access to childcare, and investment in multimodal transit and transportation.