The Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce is holding its annual Pre-Legislative Session Breakfast next week.

The event, which is $5 for chamber members and $30 for non-members, is set for 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Lanier Technical College Forsyth Conference Center.

Laura Stewart, the chamber’s director of communications and events, said the breakfast offers attendees a sneak peak at issues that likely will be raised during the 2013 Georgia General Assembly.

“It definitely is a good way to already start thinking about the new year in a sense,” Stewart said.

Speakers will include state Reps. Mike Dudgeon, Mark Hamilton and Calvin Hill; Reps.-elect Geoff Duncan and Kevin Tanner; and state Sens. Steve Gooch and Jack Murphy.

Stewart said each member of the local state legislative delegation will speak briefly on an issue, after which the audience can ask questions.

“We’ll have a moderator, so they will kind of do a bio on each one and then [the legislators] will each be speaking on a different topic … we’ve tried our hardest to make it differing topics,” she said.

“It obviously gives you an opportunity to get in front of your [representatives] and find out what you want to know since we’ll also be doing questions from the crowd.”  

According to Stewart, the topics will range from state and national issues to others more geared toward chamber members.

“Definitely education will be covered, as well as health care changes and medical malpractice,” she said. “Probably with it being a chamber event, there will be some topics focusing on being a small business, sustaining small business and small business start-ups.”

Stewart said the gathering, which this year is being held in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Lanier-Forsyth, is always a popular one.

“Historically, the event has garnered around 75 guests,” she said. “That was just at times when the chamber has hosted it on its own … this year it’s kind of a joint venture and a duel event between the Rotary Club and the chamber so we’ll be pulling from two different audiences, so I expect us to have a really good crowd.”

She also noted that the timing of the event is good for a strong turnout.

“It’s at a time when it’s close to the holidays … so things are dying down in offices and at work, so it gives people the opportunity to get out to something like this.”

Stewart asked that anyone interested in attending the event register online at www.cummingforsythchamber.org.