Georgia manufacturers on her mind: Brittney Hull represents GAM in the Legislative Session
It’s just after 5:15 a.m. in Perry, Georgia, and the sun won’t be up for more than two hours, but GAM’s Vice President of Government Affairs, Brittney Hull, is already merging onto 75 North on the way to Atlanta. It’s another day in Georgia’s legislative session, and she is headed for the Gold Dome.
By 6:45 a.m. she’s on the third floor, having a cup of coffee as the building starts to fill up. This is when she has a chance to see what bills are in the hopper; new legislation that is being introduced for the first time that day. This is also the time each day she connects with the people she works alongside throughout the legislative process. “Bills aren’t on the agenda, it’s about relationships,” says Hull.
"...it's about relationships."
In the morning, she is engaging with legislators and their staff members. She’s getting an understanding of the issues most important to them and their constituents. She’s also helping them understand the needs of GAM members, because manufacturers are their constituents, too, and GAM is the only organization in Georgia exclusively representing the state’s manufacturing industry. It’s also a time to analyze the conversations going on around her, who’s talking to who, identifying groups who seem to be working together, and determining if their interests are good for our industry.
GAM is the only organization in Georgia exclusively representing
the state’s manufacturing industry.
Sometimes she sits down to lunch with a legislator or a committee member considering a bill of importance to GAM. But most of the time it’s a quick snack to make sure she is prepared for the afternoon’s committee meetings. Brittney monitors three to four meetings each day, and often testifies on behalf of our membership. Throughout the day, she’s also connecting with GAM members, colleagues, staffers, or committee members about the decisions happening in other meetings. “You have to prioritize your time for the meetings and bills that are most important,” Hull says.
By 7:00 p.m. most committee meetings have ended and it’s dinner time. The House and Senate have gaveled out for the day, so dinner is usually with a lawmaker, sharing the needs and concerns of Georgia’s manufacturers. “There are long days, fulfilling days, frustrating days, and joyous days.”
"There are long days, fulfilling days, frustrating days, and joyous days."
She’s usually headed back to Perry by 9:30 p.m. If the day runs much later, she’ll stay in Atlanta so she can be back at the Capitol bright and early. This is an election year and with redistricting affecting their elections, legislators have set a tight schedule to finish the session and get on the campaign trail soon. “The schedule makes for 17-hour days back-to-back and to say they are long is an understatement."
The pace is quickening as we approach March 28, when the Legislators have scheduled Sine Die. Latin for "without day," this is the unpredictable and celebratory final night of this year's session. This year also carries extra significance, as it marks the end of the biennium, the two-year period for which Legislators are elected.
“It’s demanding but rewarding. When you can help a legislator understand a member’s issue, and they create a bill to address that specific need, and then we watch those legislators take up our cause and carry that bill across the finish line before Sine Die, then our work was worth it.”
This is Brittney’s second session representing manufacturers for GAM. She is a former GAM member, 11-year government affairs professional, wife and mother of two children and a die-hard Georgia Bulldog.
GAM members: be sure to catch Brittney, along with GAM VP and General Counsel, Clay Jones, on the Legislative Update podcast, being released throughout the session. Also check out the 2024 session bill tracker, which breaks down the different legislation GAM is watching.
If you've missed the emails for the podcast and bill tracker please reach out to us.