Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announces transition team, outlines priorities for Georgia

Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announced her Georgia's Promise transition team and discussed health care, the state budget and her conversation with Gov. Brian Kemp.

Key takeaways

• Transition leadership: Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announced her Georgia’s Promise transition team, naming John King as chief operating officer and several business and political leaders as co-chairs.
• Kemp cooperation: Bottoms said Gov. Brian Kemp offered resources and staff support to help ensure a smooth transition.
• Budget concerns: Bottoms estimated Georgia’s budget surplus could shrink to between $1 billion and $2 billion by January.
• Policy priorities: Her administration plans to focus on affordability, Medicaid expansion, public education, data center policy and mental health care.
• What’s next: Bottoms said additional transition team members, policy leaders and senior staff will be announced in the coming days.

ATLANTA, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Georgia Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms announced the leaders of her transition team Friday, outlining priorities that include lowering the cost of living, expanding access to affordable health care and investing in public education.

Bottoms said the transition, called Georgia’s Promise, will focus on preparing her administration to govern when she takes office in January.

“Our goal is simple, to be ready to govern on day one,” Bottoms said.

She also acknowledged the devastating flooding in North Georgia, saying her team has been in contact with Gov. Brian Kemp’s administration and will continue monitoring conditions.

Business and political leaders join transition team

Bottoms named John King as chief operating officer of the transition. King previously served as chief operating officer during her administration as mayor of Atlanta.

The transition co-chairs announced Friday include Arthur Blank, Roz Brewer, Jason Carter, Carmen Chubb, Richard Cox, Jane Kidd, Michelle Nunn, Vicki Palmer, Tyler Perry, and Rashad Taylor.

Bottoms also announced several honorary co-chairs, including Lt. Gov.-elect Josh McLaurin, Senate Democratic Leader Harold Jones, House Democratic Leader Carolyn Hughley, former governors Roy Barnes and Joe Frank Harris, U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, and former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn.

She said additional transition leaders, policy advisers and senior staff members will be announced in the coming days.

“We are taking a very deliberate approach and we will make sure that we get these decisions right rather than trying to move things quickly,” Bottoms said.

Kemp offers support for transition

Bottoms said she has spoken with Kemp, who offered to make his staff and administration resources available to help ensure a smooth transition.

She described their personal relationship as cordial despite their political disagreements.

Bottoms also said Kemp indicated he did not see a need for a special legislative session to reduce the incoming governor’s powers or redraw political districts.

Kemp left open the possibility of calling a special session to address budget priorities, according to Bottoms, but did not commit to doing so.

State budget could complicate priorities

Bottoms acknowledged that Georgia’s financial position could affect how quickly she delivers on campaign promises.

She said the state had a roughly $15 billion surplus when she began campaigning, but she believes that amount could fall to between $1 billion and $2 billion by January.

Those figures were Bottoms’ estimates during the news conference.

“Obviously you have to work with what you have,” she said.

Bottoms said her administration will review the state budget and prioritize spending based on the issues voters identified during the campaign.

Those priorities include the cost of living, health care and public education.

Medicaid expansion remains a priority

Bottoms reiterated her support for expanding Medicaid in Georgia and replacing the state’s Georgia Pathways program.

She said approximately 300,000 Georgians lack access to Medicaid because the state has not expanded the program.

Bottoms also raised concerns about higher Affordable Care Act insurance premiums and changes to federal financial assistance.

“We want to make sure that we have a system that works,” she said.

Asked how she would pay for Medicaid expansion while dealing with a smaller state surplus, Bottoms said her administration would review the budget before determining how quickly the proposal could move forward.

She said she believes Georgia has left $700 million in federal funding unused by not expanding Medicaid and that the federal government would cover 90% of expansion costs.

Those estimates were provided by Bottoms and were not independently verified in the news conference.

“It’s a priority and we will budget accordingly,” she said.

Data centers, reproductive rights, and mental health

Bottoms said her administration will also examine the state’s approach to data center development, including potential construction pauses and tax policies.

“All things related to data centers will be on the table,” she said.

She plans to seek guidance from experts before deciding how to proceed.

On abortion rights, Bottoms said she would work with legislative leaders to determine whether legislation could advance during the upcoming session. If not, she said she would pursue the issue at the next available opportunity.

Bottoms also identified mental health care as a priority, particularly its impact on law enforcement, correctional facilities and the criminal justice system.

She said Georgia should expand access to mental health treatment and consider building on specialty courts and diversion programs developed under previous administrations.

Preparing to govern across Georgia

Bottoms said the transition team will draw on leaders and ideas from across the state, not just metro Atlanta.

She pointed to representatives from Athens, Augusta, and Columbus as examples of the geographic diversity she wants reflected in her administration.

She also said she plans to learn from other governors, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, about working with lawmakers from opposing political parties and responding to federal funding challenges.

Bottoms described her election as a historic moment and said she hopes it encourages young Georgians.

“I look forward to representing all of Georgia,” she said.

The transition team is expected to announce additional appointments and policy leaders in the coming days.