ATLANTA— House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) today announced the appointment of state Representative Barbara Sims (R-Augusta) to the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) Economic Development, Transportation & Cultural Affairs Committee. As the presiding officer of the Georgia House of Representatives, Speaker Ralston is charged with selecting members to represent Georgia within SLC.
“As a current member of both the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee and the Transportation Committee, I am excited and honored to have been selected by Speaker Ralston to serve on this SLC Committee,” said Rep. Sims. “Economic development and transportation issues are extremely important in our state right now with the dredging of the Port of Savannah, our flourishing movie industry and ongoing transportation projects. I am eager to work with Committee members from other Southern states as we share ideas and policies regarding these issues.”
The Economic Development, Transportation & Cultural Affairs Committee is one of SLC’s Standing Committees. According to SLC, the topics explored by the Economic Development, Transportation & Cultural Affairs Committee include a number of critical issues related to the progress and advancement of the Southern region. As the Southern states continue to diversify their economies, the Committee has studied a number of issues to further its understanding of this process. In addition, the Committee has focused on exploring the role of the arts as it relates to economic growth and the idea that a successful cultural scenario is an important consideration in the relocation and expansion plans of corporations. The Committee also focuses on such issues as federal transportation plans and their implications for Southern states; competition among states to attract economic investment; attracting and retaining high-tech investment; promoting Southern state exports; high speed rail in the South; promoting biotechnology; federal surface transportation plans and the successor to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA).
Founded in 1947, the Southern Legislative Conference is the largest of four regional legislative groups operating under the Council of State Governments. The 15 SLC member states are Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. The mission of The Council of State Governments’ Southern Legislative Conference is to foster and encourage intergovernmental cooperation among these 15 states.
For more information about SLC and its Energy and Environment Committee, please click here.
Representative Barbara Sims represents the citizens of District 123, which includes portions of Columbia and Richmond counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2006, and currently serves as the Chairman of the State Properties Committee and Secretary of the Economic Development & Tourism Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations, Health & Human Services, Rules, and Transportation committees.
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