ATLANTA – State Representatives Jay Powell (R-Camilla), Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) and Sam Watson (R-Moultrie), today announced that the Georgia House of Representatives passed an amended fiscal year 2019 budget during the special session of the Georgia General Assembly. The Georgia General Assembly began a special legislative session on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, which was ordered by Gov. Deal to provide emergency funding to state agencies and local governments following Hurricane Michael.
“House District 171 and the rest of our Southwest Georgia neighbors experienced tremendous loss and devastation as a result of Hurricane Michael,” said Rep. Powell. “As we all work to rebuild our communities and businesses in the aftermath, I am extremely grateful for the General Assembly’s funding and support.”
“I want to thank the Governor for calling a special legislative session to amend the state budget to assist in the recovery efforts in Southwest Georgia. It is comforting to know that our state leaders recognize the critical needs of our citizens,” said Rep. Taylor. “Our communities prepared for years for a storm like this, but we could never anticipate the destruction this hurricane would cause. Thanks to our General Assembly’s efforts, I am confident that our citizens will benefit greatly from this special session.”
“As a farmer from Southwest Georgia who puts his livelihood at stake in an environment that I cannot control, I know firsthand the affect, destruction and devastation caused by Hurricane Michael,” said Rep. Watson. “The timing could not have been worse on this storm, but the timing of the governor calling for this special session, and our Speaker and my House colleagues who took time to be here could not have been more perfect for the people of Southwest Georgia. We have given them hope, encouragement and motivation, and they have not seen that from anyone else, and I am grateful for that.”
The amended fiscal year 2019 budget appropriates $270 million to aide those areas affected by the storm throughout Southwest Georgia. Southwest Georgia experienced approximately $2.5 billion in losses to Georgia’s agriculture and timber industries as a result of Hurricane Michael.
The amended budget will now go to the Senate for consideration.
To read more about the projected losses from Hurricane Michael, please click here.
For more information about the amended fiscal year 2019 budget, please click here.
Representative Jay Powell represents the citizens of District 171, which includes portions of Colquitt, Decatur and Mitchell counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 and currently serves as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. He also serves on the Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, MARTOC and Rules committees.
Representative Darlene Taylor represents the citizens of District 173, which includes portions of Decatur, Grady and Thomas counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and currently serves as Chairman of the Information and Audits Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Governmental Affairs, Insurance, Public Safety & Homeland Security and Transportation committees.
Representative Sam Watson represents the citizens of District 172, which includes portions of Colquitt, Thomas and Tift counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Small Business Development Committee. He also serves as Chairman of the Rural Caucus and as Secretary of the Retirement Committee, as well as on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development and on the Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Natural Resources & Environment, Special Rules, Transportation and Ways and Means committees.
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