ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Georgia's youngest lawmakers outlined their vision for the near future on Wednesday.
The Future Caucus — made up of Millennial and Gen Z lawmakers under the age of 45 — held a press conference after their first meeting together this week, noting that artificial intelligence, housing, and criminal justice reform are all points of focus for them.
About 21% of members of the Georgia General Assembly are millennials or Generation Z. Georgia is one of 33 states that has a futures caucus in its legislature.
“We believe that the next generation of leaders can build a better future, can build a healthier democracy, and can build a culture of pluralism,” said Leila Zidan, President and CEO of the National Future Caucus. “The young legislators who are part of the Georgia Future Caucus and are part of the Future Caucus network will one day be powerful committee chairs, speaker of the House, governor, you name it.”
“It's young lawmakers across the country who are really driving this bipartisanship,” said Rep. Jasmine Clark (D-Lilburn), chair of the Democratic caucus. “We won't agree on everything, but Georgia's future caucus will work together, on both sides of the island, side by side.”
The caucus' co-chairs said having bipartisanship is especially important in an election year that is sure to be contentious. Indeed, the caucus has thrown its support behind a bill regulating artificial intelligence in Georgia elections and another regulating its use in state agencies.
Since it's still early in the session, they also want to put their stamp on bills that would promote workforce development, housing, school safety and criminal justice reform.
“Younger Georgians need an inspiring place to work, they need workforce solutions, they need safe communities and safe schools they can take their young children to,” said Rep. Steven Saenz (R-St. Marys), chairman of the Republican caucus.
Since its inception, the Future Caucus, a 501(c) nonprofit, has worked with about 1,800 legislators. The Georgia Chapter has been active since 2017 with approximately 50 currently eligible members.
“I'm not one of those people pretending that this isn't an election year, that there's going to be things that we won't agree on,” Clark said. “But I think there are certainly places where legislators can come together and sit in a room and talk and work on policy that we can all get behind.”
Copyright 2024 WANF. All rights reserved.
