Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's 2023 State of the State address, annotated

Gov. Brian Kemp with several Georgia Supreme Court justices at his 2023 State of the State address on Jan. 25 at the Georgia state Capitol. (Matthew Pearson/WABE)

In his first State of the State address as a second-term governor, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp told lawmakers and other public officials gathered in the Georgia House chamber that the state is beginning a “new era” and the upcoming legislative session will be “one of consequence.”

Kemp is fresh off a decisive re-election victory and has signaled he intends to focus his second term less on the divisive social issues that defined his first four years in office. Instead, his speech focuses on education, housing, economic development and health. Absent are mentions of guns, abortion, election law and school curriculum that animated the last session.

WABE reporters and editors have annotated Kemp’s address, as prepared for delivery, with context and fact checks.