ATLANTA — House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, said Wednesday he wants lawmakers to do their jobs and not watch the clock. 

At the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Eggs and Issues breakfast, state and federal leaders outlined their vision for 2020 — from new task forces to longtime campaign staples — but Ralston had one thing he wanted to say.

There will be no legislative end-date, he said, until there’s a “clearer picture” of the state’s budget.

“Georgia is a big, growing, dynamic state and budget decisions that impact people of this state, I believe are too important to be influenced by the legislative calendar,” he said in a short speech. “We were elected to do a job, and we will do that job and we will do it the right. We will take the time necessary to get the work done.”

Ralston said the House has always “led” work on transportation funding, rural development, income tax cuts and ethics reform, and a rushed session during an election year will not change the work that needs to be done.

“I have already cautioned around the Capitol that one person’s waste can be another’s viable expenditure…” he said. “I want to begin by asking for your patience this year. And the patience of our members. We have no date set or term end.”

The General Assembly generally convenes for 40 legislative days each year, beginning in January. However, the calendar varies. 

Ralston’s address Wednesday morning followed words from Gov. Brian Kemp, U.S. Sen. David Perdue and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan.

Duncan announced the formation of the new Georgia Innovates Taskforce —  designed to make Georgia the “technology capitol of the East Coast.”

Among the group of college presidents, executives and CEOs, former U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson — who retired before the end of his term due to health reasons — will serve as the co-chair.

“(Members) are going to create an opportunity to be a direct workforce for us,” Duncan said, “a working group to help champion, to help consult, to help guide us and things around public policy and things that we can do in the rural areas.”

Kemp took the time to bolster his proposed health care waivers.

“These proposals, Georgia Access and Georgia Pathways, take advantage of new flexibility that the Trump administration is giving states to break free from a top-down health care approach that continues to literally bankrupt some of our citizens,” Kemp said.

Kemp’s Medicaid waiver dodges “the burdens of federal government regulations that cost too much” and “fail to deliver,” he said.