Jay Neal

Jay Neal Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Transition, Support and Reentry, Georgia Jay Neal was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 2004 and served until being appointed by Governor Deal to serve as Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Transition, Support, and Reentry effective Nov 15, 2013. As Vice-chair of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Neal was asked to carry Agency legislation for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) during his freshman year and quickly became the “go to” House Member for GBI legislation. Also in his freshman year, Rep. Neal authored legislation that reduced the number of meth labs in Georgia by 65 percent in the first year. Rep. Neal served as Chair of the House Committee on State Properties from 2011-2013, Vice-Chair of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, and on the Appropriations Committee, Insurance Committee, Children and Youth Committee, Economic Development and Tourism Committee, and Juvenile Justice Committee. Rep. Neal also served as Co-Chair of the Legislative Behavioral Health Caucus from 2010-2013. Rep. Neal was the leading advocate for recovery in the General Assembly from 2006 until his resignation and helped establish the annual Addiction Recovery Awareness Day (ARAD) Rally at the Capitol. The ARAD Rally draws hundreds of advocates from around the state and continues to grow each year. In 2011, Rep. Neal authored HB265 establishing the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians which has led to Criminal Justice Reform for Adults and Juveniles. Rep. Neal has shared the story of Criminal Justice Reform in Georgia with numerous states and conferences.