ATLANTA – State Representative Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), chair of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee, was recently recognized by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) with a 2021 ACCG Legislative Service Award during a Bryan County Board of Commissioners meeting. The ACCG Legislative Service Awards program honors Georgia General Assembly members for their work during the legislative session.
“I am honored and thankful to receive this recognition from the ACCG,” said Rep. Stephens. “Tourism is an economic driver for our coastal communities, especially in and around the Savannah area, and our county hotel/motel taxes collected from visitors provide crucial support to our local governments. Therefore, I was proud to sponsor House Bill 317 to help ensure that this revenue is collected fairly and efficiently. I look forward to working with the ACCG and believe our joint efforts under the Gold Dome can better our counties and ultimately lead to a better Georgia.”
Rep. Stephens was selected by the ACCG for his sponsorship of House Bill 317 during the 2021 legislative session. This legislation seeks to improve the process by which county hotel/motel taxes are collected for short-term rental properties, ease the administrative burden on owners of those properties, as well as increase funding for local tourism and economic development.
“ACCG is, yet again, pleased to honor our state legislators through the association’s Legislative Service Awards program,” said Dave Wills, executive director of the ACCG. “The significance of collaboration between state and local government continues to be underscored with issues like public health, public safety and elections in the forefront. This award program offers our appreciation to our state elected leaders for their work to advance Georgia’s counties.”
The ACCG is Georgia’s county association and works on behalf of county officials and their communities by providing public policy and legislative advocacy, leadership development, civic and community engagement initiatives, insurance and retirement programs that specialize in local government needs and other cost-saving programs. Formed in 1914 when county officials came together to help fund the state’s first highway department, ACCG today serves as a catalyst for advancing Georgia’s counties.
For more information about the ACCG, please visit www.accg.org.
For more information on HB 317, please click here.
*Editor’s Note: A photo of Rep. Stephens with the award during the recent Bryan County Board of Commissioners meeting is attached.
Representative Ron Stephens represents the citizens of District 164, which includes portions of Bryan, Chatham and Liberty counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and currently serves as Chairman of the Economic Development & Tourism Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and the Creative Arts & Entertainment, Rules and Ways & Means committees.
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