ATLANTA – State Representatives Timothy Barr (R-Lawrenceville), Chuck Efstration (R-Dacula), Tom Kirby (R-Loganville) and Bonnie Rich (R-Suwanee) today issued a statement of support for Senate Bills 5 EX and 6 EX, local legislation sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Buford) that would modify memberships the Gwinnett County Board of Education and Gwinnett County Commission:
“We commend our Senate colleagues for introducing legislation that seeks to protect the interests of Gwinnett’s children and provide better representation for Gwinnett residents as a whole.
“We wholeheartedly support legislation that would remove partisan politics from the Gwinnett County Board of Education. Senate Bill 5 EX would protect Gwinnett schools from turning into a political playground, and it would ensure that school members can carry out their duties without the distraction of partisan politics.
“Additionally, we are fully supportive of legislation to increase the number of Gwinnett County commissioners. Gwinnett County’s growth rate over the last 10 years has been incredible, and it shows no signs of stopping. Reducing each commissioner’s district to approximately 100,000 residents would allow our communities to receive better representation by our commissioners.
“This legislative package also aligns with previous legislative efforts initiated by Democratic members of the Georgia House, so we hope that all of our House colleagues will join us in supporting these measures that are in compliance with Voting Rights Act and cooperate with current U.S. Census data.”
SB 5EX would provide for nonpartisan board members of the Gwinnett County Board of Education and also update district lines to account for increases in population as determined by the 2020 U.S. Census. SB 6 EX would increase the composition of the Gwinnett County Commission to nine-member districts, in addition to the chair of the county commission.
Representative Timothy Barr represents the citizens of District 103, which includes portions of Hall and Gwinnett counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Code Revision Committee and as Secretary of the Small Business Development Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government and on the Health & Human Services, Motor Vehicles, Creative Arts & Entertainment, Game, Fish & Parks, and Natural Resources & Environment committees.
Representative Chuck Efstration represents the citizens of District 104, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2013 and currently serves as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System and the Rules, Code Revision, Ethics, Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment, Defense & Veterans Affairs, Insurance and Juvenile Justice committees. He also serves as an Ex-Officio member of the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.
Representative Tom Kirby represents the citizens of District 114, which includes portions of Barrow, Gwinnett, Rockdale and Walton counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources and the Human Relations & Aging, Industry and Labor and Retirement committees. He also serves on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Regulated Industries, Science and Technology, Small Business Development and Special Rules committees.
Representative Bonnie Rich represents the citizens of District 97, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves as the Chairman of the Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment Committee. She also serves on the Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System and the Special Committee on Election Integrity, as well as the Education, Judiciary, Retirement and Ways & Means committees.
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