ATLANTA – The Chatham County Legislative Gang Prevention and Intervention Commission, chaired by State Representative Carl Gilliard (D-Garden City), will hold a press conference to announce the “912 Rescue Mission” initiative on Monday, October 18, 2021, at 9:30 a.m. at the Savannah Youth Regional Detention Center (191 Carl Griffin Drive).
Rep. Rob Leverett Named New Chief Deputy Whip of House Republican Caucus
ATLANTA – State Representative Rob Leverett (R-Elberton) was recently appointed by Georgia House Majority Caucus Whip Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) to serve as the Chief Deputy Whip for the caucus.
“I am honored to serve on this House leadership team during my first term in office,” said Rep. Leverett. “Georgia’s Republican-led legislature has consistently passed meaningful legislation that preserves Georgia’s conservative values, and I look forward to working with Whip Hatchett and the House Majority Caucus Whip Team as we fight against ineffective liberal agendas that seek to harm our state’s achievements, traditions and ideals.”
Members of the majority whip team and the chief deputy, in particular, play a critical role by monitoring legislation as it moves through both chambers of the Georgia General Assembly and by helping members of the majority caucus to better understand the details of bills and resolutions.
“I am pleased to welcome Representative Rob Leverett to this dynamic team,” added Whip Hatchett. “He is an attorney in Elberton, which has contributed to his success during his first legislative session under the Gold Dome. He has shown his expert knowledge of the law and is a skilled orator, and as a result, he authored four bills that are now state law in Georgia during his first term.”
Whip Hatchett also reappointed the following members to the Majority Caucus Whip Team: State Representatives John LaHood (R-Valdosta), Mark Newton (R-Augusta), Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), Stan Gunter (R-Blairsville), Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville), Houston Gaines (R-Athens), Noel Williams (R-Cordele), Ginny Ehrhart (R-Marietta), Dale Washburn (R-Macon) and Buddy DeLoach (R-Townsend).
“I am excited and ready to get to work with this Whip Team to advance our caucus’ conservative policies,” said Majority Whip Hatchett. “This is a proven group of leaders in the Georgia House of Representatives who work tirelessly on behalf of their constituents and our state. As members of the Whip Team, these legislators will play a critical role in ensuring that important legislation makes it across the finish line and will build on the great work that we have done to make Georgia the best state to live, work and raise a family.”
Representative Rob Leverett represents the citizens of District 33, which includes Elbert and Lincoln counties and portions of Madison, Columbia and Wilkes counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Governmental Affairs and Judiciary committees.
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House and Senate Natural Resources & Environment Committees Participate in Environmental Policy Academy in West Georgia
ATLANTA – State Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan) and State Senator Tyler Harper (R-Ocilla), chairs of the House and Senate Natural Resources and Environment committees, recently participated in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government’s Legislative Environmental Policy Academy. Chairmen Smith and Harper were joined by members of the respective committees to strengthen their understanding of key environmental issues facing West Georgia.
Rep. Viola Davis Initiates Equity Assessment of DeKalb County in Response to Proposed Atlanta Regional Commission Map
ATLANTA – State Representative Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain) today announced that she has initiated the “T.H.E. Equity Assessment” in response to a proposed map for the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) districts for citizen board members at-large to examine the impact that transportation, health and education have on DeKalb County residents. Rep. Davis seeks to perform an analysis of the map and its effect on representation, service and funding in DeKalb County.
A Carbon Cost to Curb the Cost of Carbon: an Open Letter to Georgia’s Congressional Delegation
By State Representative Jasmine Clark (D-Lilburn)
(542 words)
Climate change remains an existential threat to our planet, and failure to address it will have devastating consequences. As a legislator for our great state, I recognize that Georgia has a part to play in navigating our country through the climate crisis and that all states need Congress to move us forward together. A robust national strategy with smart and clear climate policy from Washington, D.C. will energize Georgia’s own efforts.
Right now, the 16 members of Georgia’s congressional delegation are helping build the national budget. For the first time in 10 years, we have an opportunity to enact meaningful climate solutions. I urge our national delegation to be bold and take it. It is time to unleash U.S. innovation and send a strong message that we are serious about solving climate change. While we work on climate solutions here in Georgia, I ask our federal leaders to take bold steps to support a transition to clean energy through national policy.
Being good to the environment is good for the economy and people. Economists and scientists agree that an economy-wide carbon fee is a crucial component of any serious plan to transition to clean energy. Right now, profits from pollution only benefit a few key players, while everyone pays their high costs. We all pay when we experience stronger hurricanes, mega-droughts, massive floods, crop failures and record-shattering temperatures and fires. A carbon price that starts low and rises steadily can incentivize clean energy and start bending the curve down without shocking the economy. Concerns about the cost being passed down to the consumer can be addressed by using the money collected to provide a “rebate” to households, offsetting the transition costs and protecting lower-income families. Including a carbon border adjustment, which would create fees on imports and exports based on their carbon emissions, would also protect U.S. businesses from competitors that use dated and/or dirty practices. By implementing these effective policies as soon as possible we can have a livable planet and strong economy.
Georgia can do well by doing good. We are well-positioned to tackle climate change with our natural and human resources. Solar energy does not have to come from outside Georgia like coal or gas; it’s right here. Some of our sharpest academic minds from the Drawdown Georgia Project already have a roadmap for specific solutions that would put us ahead of many states. Clean energy industries are growing too. Hanwha Q Cells in Dalton is the largest solar factory in the Western Hemisphere. Blue Bird in Fort Valley makes electric school buses. Soon, we will have the SK Innovation factory making batteries for electric cars in Commerce. These are just a few examples of good things happening here in Georgia. And, while these things are great contributors to our fight against climate change, a carbon price would turbocharge this type of economic growth and innovation.
As a state representative, it is my job, along with my colleagues’, to do good things for the people of Georgia. I am eager to collaborate to solve climate change by supporting innovation from our universities and technology, as well as ideas from our business sector. In addition, I urge all members of our state’s congressional delegation to support an economy-wide carbon price.
Representative Jasmine Clark represents the citizens of District 108, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Higher Education, Banks & Banking and Interstate Cooperation committees.
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