New Georgia House speaker not making many policy commitments

New Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns poses for a portrait at the Georgia State Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

New Georgia House speaker Jon Burns says he doesn’t want to pass any laws on abortion while awaiting court action, isn’t interested in fully expanding Medicaid, and leans toward giving Atlanta more time to reduce crime before allowing citizens in its Buckhead area to secede.

But on many more issues, the self-proclaimed “country boy” who has taken the reins of the House after David Ralston’s death is avoiding a public position, saying he wants to see the details of legislation or what his committee chairs think.

Burns, a Republican business owner and timber farmer from southeast Georgia’s Newington, took questions from reporters Thursday on his policy aims for the 2023 legislative session. Burns said his overarching goal is to promote “a better life for Georgians,” but he said he wants to give other people more input into decisions.