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House Majority Whip Matt Hatchett Announces Whip Team for the Remainder of the 2021-2022 Legislative Term

ATLANTA – Georgia House Majority Caucus Whip Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) today announced the appointment of his Majority Caucus Whip Team for the remainder of the 2021-2022 legislative term. 

 “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.”

Majority Whip Hatchett appointed State Representative Rob Leverett (R-Elberton) as the Chief Deputy Whip. 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 also 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.”

Members of the whip team are responsible for monitoring legislation as it moves through both chambers of the General Assembly and helping their fellow House members understand the details of bills and resolutions. 

Representative Matt Hatchett represents the citizens of District 150, which includes Treutlen County and portions of Johnson and Laurens counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and currently serves as House Majority Whip. He also serves on the Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care and the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, as well as the Economic Development & Tourism, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Ethics and Health & Human Services and Rules committees.

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Rep. Viola Davis Educates Homeowners on State Mortgage Assistance, Forbearance Programs

ATLANTA – State Representative Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain) seeks to educate homeowners in House District 87 about the state’s mortgage assistance and forbearance plan programs to help prevent foreclosures and evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Homeowners who have incurred unexpected financial hardships due to the pandemic should not have to choose between feeding their families and foreclosing on their homes,” said Rep. Davis. “Keeping my constituents, especially those with children, in their homes is one of my absolute top priorities. These programs were designed to help keep people from experiencing home foreclosures, evictions and homelessness, so all struggling homeowners should look into these programs, even those who are unsure if they would qualify.”

Administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) was established to help homeowners who incurred financial hardships associated with the coronavirus pandemic. These funds will be provided to mitigate mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, loss of utilities and displacements of homeowners experiencing financial hardship after January 21, 2020. According to the DCA, homeowners who need immediate assistance should work with their servicer or discuss options with a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved counselor. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allocates $353 million for this program. To learn more about the HAF program, please click here. To receive a notification from the DCA that the Georgia HAF program has opened, please sign-up here.

Likewise, DCA also oversees the State Home Mortgage forbearance program for homeowners who have struggled financially during the pandemic. The passage of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act stipulates that every borrower who attests that they have been directly or indirectly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of delinquency, is entitled to a forbearance plan. The State Home Mortgage forbearance plans provide a temporary suspension or reduction of mortgage payments for a specific period during a temporary hardship, such as unemployment. At the end of the suspension, the homeowner is able to choose between several options to address the outstanding payments. To learn more about this program and its forbearance plans, please click here.

Representative Viola Davis represents the citizens of District 87, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Natural Resources & Environment, Insurance, Interstate Cooperation and Science and Technology committees.

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House Senior Budget and Policy Analyst Receives 2021 Legislative Staff Achievement Award from National Professional Development Organization

ATLANTA – Georgia House of Representatives Senior Budget and Policy Analyst Tara Boockholdt recently received the 2021 Legislative Staff Achievement Award from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Mrs. Boockholdt also serves as the staff vice chair of the NCSL Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee.

Continue reading “House Senior Budget and Policy Analyst Receives 2021 Legislative Staff Achievement Award from National Professional Development Organization”

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House Working Group on the Rising Costs of Construction Materials to Hold First Meeting

ATLANTA – The House Working Group on the Rising Costs of Construction Materials, chaired by State Representative Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville), will hold a meeting on Thursday, July 8, 2021, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. in room 606 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta. To watch a live stream of this meeting, please click here.

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Rep. Petrea Announces Final Designs for Proposed Tybee Island Lighthouse License Plate

ATLANTA – State Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah), chair of the House Human Relations & Aging Committee, today announced the two final designs of a proposed license plate to support the Tybee Island Historical Society. During the 2021 legislative session, Chairman Petrea introduced House Bill 203 to create this special license plate, which would depict the Tybee Island lighthouse if it is passed and enacted into law.

“The Tybee Island Historical Society helps protect and maintain one of our most beloved coastal Georgia treasures, the Tybee Island lighthouse and museum,” said Chairman Petrea. “I encourage all Georgians to support the future of the historical society and help make this special license plate a reality by voting for a final design and preordering their own plate before September 1.”

The proposed license plate would help fund the Tybee Island Historical Society. This historical society will collect preorders of the tag and tally the votes for the preferred design. In order for the bill to be passed during the 2022 legislative session, 1,000 of these specialty tags must be pre-purchased.

Starting today, individuals may vote for their preferred design through September 1, 2021. To vote for one of the two final designs, please visit www.tybeelighthouse.org/license-plate-poll.

For more information on HB 203, please click here.

For more information on preordering the proposed license plate, please click here.

*Editor’s Note: Photos of the two final license plate designs are attached.

Representative Jesse Petrea represents the citizens of District 166, which includes portions of Bryan and Chatham counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 and currently serves as Chairman of the Human Relations & Aging Committee and Secretary of the Science and Technology Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and the Game, Fish & Parks, Health & Human Services and Public Safety & Homeland Security committees.

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