Ballotpedia: Michael Smith (Georgia state representative)

Michael Smith received a B.S. from Kennesaw State University. He has spent most of his life in Cobb County, Georgia, where he resides with his wife and their four children. 

Michael Smith worked as an educator for the Cobb County School District.

Representative Michael Smith was elected as the State Representative for District 41 in 2013 and has served 5 terms in this role. He holds the positions of Secretary/Treasurer for the Cobb County Delegation and Chairman of the Education and Youth committee for the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

Candidate website

Believes Georgia's Child Care and Parent Services (CAPS) program is underfunded and restrictive, hindering working families' employment opportunities and advocates for increased funding, expanded eligibility, and reduced co-pays to improve access to child care.

Supports raising Georgia's minimum wage, arguing it benefits workers, boosts overall wages, increases consumer spending, enhances child success, and grows the state's economy without leading to job losses, especially as many workers are employed by large, capable corporations.

Supports raising Georgia's minimum wage, arguing it benefits workers, boosts overall wages, increases consumer spending, enhances child success, and grows the state's economy without leading to job losses.

Believes that consumer spending drives the U.S. economy and its decline can cause a recession, unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates to counteract falling employment, income, and spending; notes lower home prices may reduce inflation risk.

The candidate's website says, "Building a strong local economy and ending generational poverty means encouraging economic development, job creation and entrepreneurship. We need to create the kind of good-paying jobs that help build a strong middle-class."

Supports"Building a strong local economy and ending generational poverty means encouraging economic development, job creation and entrepreneurship. We need to create the kind of good-paying jobs that help build a strong middle-class."

The candidate's website says, "Eliminate the digital divide by providing broadband access to all communities so our students can excel, and our small businesses can compete."

Believes Georgia's slow post-2008 economic growth and high poverty rates are due to inadequate childcare, education, public transport, and a low minimum wage that disproportionately affects minorities, the elderly, and over 20% of children.

Believes real estate construction's decline from 2006 peak significantly impacted U.S. GDP and contributed to recession-related unemployment due to the sector's labor intensity.

- Believes Georgia's Child Care and Parent Services (CAPS) program is underfunded and restrictive, hindering working families' employment opportunities and advocates for increased funding, expanded eligibility, and reduced co-pays to improve access to child care.
- Supports raising Georgia's minimum wage, arguing it benefits workers, boosts overall wages, increases consumer spending, enhances child success, and grows the state's economy without leading to job losses.
- Believes that consumer spending drives the U.S. economy and its decline can cause a recession, unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates to counteract falling employment, income, and spending; notes lower home prices may reduce inflation risk.
- Supports"Building a strong local economy and ending generational poverty means encouraging economic development, job creation and entrepreneurship. We need to create the kind of good-paying jobs that help build a strong middle-class."
- The candidate's website says, "Eliminate the digital divide by providing broadband access to all communities so our students can excel, and our small businesses can compete."
- Believes Georgia's slow post-2008 economic growth and high poverty rates are due to inadequate childcare, education, public transport, and a low minimum wage that disproportionately affects minorities, the elderly, and over 20% of children.
- Believes real estate construction's decline from 2006 peak significantly impacted U.S. GDP and contributed to recession-related unemployment due to the sector's labor intensity.

Economy

Said, "We should invest in clean energy and new technologies that can create jobs and help our economy and our environment... We should transition to solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources of energy..."

Said, "Preserving our clean air, water, and natural environment is important... With the growing threat of climate change, it is even more important to pursue policies that increase energy efficiency, encourage renewable fuels, and reduce pollution."

- Said, "We should invest in clean energy and new technologies that can create jobs and help our economy and our environment... We should transition to solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources of energy..."
- Said, "Preserving our clean air, water, and natural environment is important... With the growing threat of climate change, it is even more important to pursue policies that increase energy efficiency, encourage renewable fuels, and reduce pollution."

Energy & the Environment

Believes poverty is exacerbated by limited transportation, rising rent, costly mobile home loans, and inadequate healthcare; supports Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act to reduce uninsured rates among Georgia's poor.

Believes poverty is exacerbated by inadequate healthcare; supports Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

- Believes poverty is exacerbated by inadequate healthcare; supports Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.

Healthcare

Supports legislation enhancing voter access by allowing address changes on election days, ensuring nearby polling locations, prohibiting polling closures shortly before elections, and increasing polling sites, to facilitate voter participation.

Supports legislation allowing address changes on election days, ensuring nearby polling locations, prohibiting polling closures shortly before elections, and increasing polling sites, to facilitate voter participation.

Supports enhancing voter registration and education, ensuring easier access to registration amendments and polling location information for Georgians; advocates for student stability by allowing school continuity after relocation.

Supports enhancing voter registration and education to ensure easier access to registration amendments and polling location information for Georgians.

- Supports legislation allowing address changes on election days, ensuring nearby polling locations, prohibiting polling closures shortly before elections, and increasing polling sites, to facilitate voter participation.
- Supports enhancing voter registration and education to ensure easier access to registration amendments and polling location information for Georgians.

Voting & Elections

The candidate's website says, "that would require early child care programs and schools to work with parents, guardians, faculty, and law enforcement to demonstrate preparedness for emergencies. In addition, Michael sponsored legislation that would"

The candidate's website says, "Marijuana should be decriminalized. Law enforcement should be allowed to allocate their resources to combat more serious crimes."

The candidate's website says, "In the event of an emergency please contact Georgia's School Safety Hotline... An initiative of the Georgia Safety and Violence Task Force, this is the nation’s first state-sponsored school safety hotline."

The candidate's website says, "Legislation Introduced to Assist Law Enforcement With Crisis Intervention"

The candidate's website says, "Our criminal justice system is broken. ... The focus on incarceration rather than rehabilitation for drug crimes has proven ineffective in reducing recidivism and drug addiction."

Supports "The focus on incarceration rather than rehabilitation for drug crimes has proven ineffective in reducing recidivism and drug addiction."

Supports reforming drug laws that harm poor and minority families, advocates for pre-trial interventions, diversion programs, and drug courts, and believes in rehabilitation over incarceration for drug offenses as a more cost-effective approach.

Supports reforming drug laws by implementing pre-trial interventions, diversion programs, and drug courts, and believes in rehabilitation over incarceration for drug offenses as a more "cost-effective" approach.

The candidate's website says, "On March 15, 2018, State Representative Michael Smith (D-Marietta) drafted a House Resolution proposing mandatory training for Law Enforcement in the event of a crisis... With this training police officers will be better equipped to interact with those experiencing emotional, physical, or behavioral distress."

Supports training police officers to be "better equipped to interact with those experiencing emotional, physical, or behavioral distress."

The candidate's website says, "We should allow judges to do their job and give them the flexibility and discretion that they need to look at the facts of each individual case and issue appropriate punishment... the legislature should reform minimum sentencing statutes and put the power back in the hands of the judges."

Said "We should allow judges to do their job and give them the flexibility and discretion that they need to look at the facts of each individual case and issue appropriate punishment... the legislature should reform minimum sentencing statutes and put the power back in the hands of the judges."

The candidate's website says, "Prison beds should be reserved for the worst offenders."

Believes "Prison beds should be reserved for the worst offenders."

The candidate's website says, "Michael made efforts to raise awareness and help fight the ongoing battle against child and sexual abuse..."

Made "efforts to raise awareness and help fight the ongoing battle against child and sexual abuse..."

- Supports "The focus on incarceration rather than rehabilitation for drug crimes has proven ineffective in reducing recidivism and drug addiction."
- Supports reforming drug laws by implementing pre-trial interventions, diversion programs, and drug courts, and believes in rehabilitation over incarceration for drug offenses as a more "cost-effective" approach.
- Supports training police officers to be "better equipped to interact with those experiencing emotional, physical, or behavioral distress."
- Said "We should allow judges to do their job and give them the flexibility and discretion that they need to look at the facts of each individual case and issue appropriate punishment... the legislature should reform minimum sentencing statutes and put the power back in the hands of the judges."
- Believes "Prison beds should be reserved for the worst offenders."
- Made "efforts to raise awareness and help fight the ongoing battle against child and sexual abuse..."
- Supports decriminalizing Marijuana.

Public Safety

Supports legislation to reduce student stress by permitting those who move to stay at their initial school for the rest of the academic year; appreciates the Senate's approval of HB 852.

The candidate's website says, "Children are our future and they deserve access to quality and safe education. ... Before teaching and learning issues can be addressed, teachers, students, and parents need to feel that their school is a safe learning environment. ... In order to provide safe school environments, schools need to implement safety crisis plans. ... When it comes to our children, all stakeholders should be involved in fostering a positive learning environment."

The candidate's website says, "HB 852 seeks to alleviate the anxiety and stress caused by families having to move in the middle of the academic school year... by allowing students who move, an option to attend their original school for the duration of the school year."

The candidate's website says, "examine the current criteria used to assess the performance of schools and school systems to determine whether components should be retained or revised to reduce the emphasis on standardized test."

Supports legislation granting local education boards the authority to let students who relocate during the academic year stay at their current public school until year-end.

The candidate's website says, "Prepare students for future jobs by providing them a quality education and increasing job/vocational training in our schools."

The candidate's website says, "Fully fund pre-kindergarten education"

Believes ensuring school safety is paramount before addressing educational issues, advocating for secure yet non-militarized learning environments where students and parents are free from worry about safety after school.

Said, "Make sure our schools are safe havens, where teachers can teach and children can learn."

The candidate's website says, "Michael is a former teacher, so he has a real respect for educators and the challenges facing our public schools. We need to make Georgia’s public education system an envy of the nation."

The candidate's website says, "Increase access to higher education"

The candidate's website says, "Increase vocational education and job training programs"

The candidate's website says, "Children are our future and they deserve access to quality and safe education."

Said, "Invest in our kids and our future"

The candidate's website says, "In order to provide safe school environments, schools need to implement safety crisis plans... When it comes to our children, all stakeholders should be involved in fostering a positive learning environment."

The candidate's website says, "In order to provide safe school environments, schools need to implement safety crisis plans."

Supports HB 852, allowing students to stay at their initial school after moving within the district, with parents covering transportation costs, excluding those with chronic disciplinary or attendance issues.

Supports HB 852, allowing students to stay at their initial school after moving within the district, with parents covering transportation costs, excluding those with disciplinary or attendance issues.

Supports collaboration among parents, guardians, faculty, and law enforcement for emergency preparedness in early child care and schools; advocates for reevaluating school performance criteria to lessen the focus on standardized testing.

Believes education access is key to economic prosperity, noting Georgia's poor and low-income children often underperform academically due to inadequate support, insufficient early education, underfunded schools, and high college costs; highlights income disparity by education level.

Believes education access is key to economic prosperity, noting Georgia's poor and low-income children often underperform academically.

The candidate's website says, "Invest in our kids and our future, through smaller class sizes and offering every student the range of classes they need to grow and prosper, like art, music and theatre, languages, advanced placement and gifted, and career-technical classes."

Wants to "Invest in our kids and our future, through smaller class sizes and offering every student the range of classes they need to grow and prosper, like art, music and theatre, languages, advanced placement and gifted, and career-technical classes."

The candidate's website says, "Increase vocational education and job training programs that help high school graduates and today’s workers prepare for the jobs of tomorrow."

Wants to "Increase vocational education and job training programs that help high school graduates and today’s workers prepare for the jobs of tomorrow."

The candidate's website says, "Stop generational poverty by combining accountability, support for teachers and parents, in an effort to improve low performing schools in our cities and rural communities."

Wants to "Stop generational poverty by combining accountability, support for teachers and parents, in an effort to improve low performing schools in our cities and rural communities."

The candidate's website says, "Increase access to higher education by making tuition more affordable through increased funding and holding the line on administrative overhead."

Wants to "Increase access to higher education by making tuition more affordable through increased funding and holding the line on administrative overhead."

The candidate's website says, "Fully fund pre-kindergarten education for all Georgia 4 year olds."

Supports, "Fully fund pre-kindergarten education for all Georgia 4 year olds."

Said, "I strongly support school safety plans... I plan to enact legislation that would require, in the case of a crisis, law enforcement to be trained on how to interact with emotional, physical, and behavioral disorders."

- Supports HB 852, allowing students to stay at their initial school after moving within the district, with parents covering transportation costs, excluding those with disciplinary or attendance issues.
- Supports collaboration among parents, guardians, faculty, and law enforcement for emergency preparedness in early child care and schools; advocates for reevaluating school performance criteria to lessen the focus on standardized testing.
- Believes education access is key to economic prosperity, noting Georgia's poor and low-income children often underperform academically.
- Wants to "Invest in our kids and our future, through smaller class sizes and offering every student the range of classes they need to grow and prosper, like art, music and theatre, languages, advanced placement and gifted, and career-technical classes."
- Wants to "Increase vocational education and job training programs that help high school graduates and today’s workers prepare for the jobs of tomorrow."
- Wants to "Stop generational poverty by combining accountability, support for teachers and parents, in an effort to improve low performing schools in our cities and rural communities."
- Wants to "Increase access to higher education by making tuition more affordable through increased funding and holding the line on administrative overhead."
- Supports, "Fully fund pre-kindergarten education for all Georgia 4 year olds."
- Said, "I strongly support school safety plans... I plan to enact legislation that would require, in the case of a crisis, law enforcement to be trained on how to interact with emotional, physical, and behavioral disorders."

Education

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Instagram

Michael Smith

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Georgia State House of Representatives.
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. All bills dealing with the state budget originate in the Georgia House of Representatives.
- The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up our state lawmaking body: the Georgia General Assembly.
- There are 180 members of the Georgia House of Representatives, each representing a single district.
- State Representatives are elected to two-year terms. They are paid a yearly salary of $17,342. They only serve in the role part-time.