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Hitting the brakes on slow poke bill
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Rep. Bill Hitchens
Updated: Mar 8, 2013, 1:25 AM
Published: Mar 8, 2013, 1:28 AM

The General Assembly has only 10 days of the 2013 legislative session remaining to finish the business of the people and then we will return home to our families, our constituents, and our districts. The highlighted legislation passed by the House last week includes ethics reform legislation, as well as two bills in response to the recommendations by our Governor’s Criminal Justice Reform Council, one relating to juvenile justice and the other to drug trafficking cases. I have also discussed the status of my pending legislation.


During the 2012 primary in Georgia, one of the ballot questions that passed overwhelmingly asked voters if they would support ending the current practice of unlimited gifts from lobbyists to state legislators by imposing a $100 cap on such gifts. In response to this choice by the citizens of Georgia, the General Assembly is moving forward with ethics reform legislation, House Bill 142 (passed 164-4), which the House passed this week with bipartisan support.


Currently, the law in Georgia states that any amount spent by lobbyists must be reported and is public record; however, there is not a limit. This legislation goes above and beyond just imposing a limit, and would: ban all individual meals; allow group meals if provided for the entire delegation, committee, or caucus; restore the power back to what was formerly known as the Ethics Commission; and clarify that any person who comes to the Capitol more than five session days on behalf of an organization or corporation with the intention of impacting legislation or influencing a legislator, will be required to pay the $25 fee and register as a lobbyist.


This legislation is not intended to have any impact on a citizen’s First Amendment right to free speech or personal opinion. The ethics reform legislation is very thorough and the goal is to ensure that our citizens continue to build their trust in their state-elected officials by being open and honest. Transparency in government is something you can never have too much of. I encourage you to contact your state senator as this legislation travels to the other chamber for possible passage.


The bills I have sponsored this session continue to move through the legislative process. I am hopeful these bills got to the full House for a vote before Thursday, which is crossover day. This is a day (legislative day 30) that legislation must have passed out of its respective chamber and crossed over to the other chamber in order to have enough time to complete the legislative process and potentially become law this year.


Last week, I introduced legislation (HB 488) that relates to vicious dogs and it is in response to a request from local government authorities as a result of an incident that occurred in Effingham County. This bill would allow the local governing authority or dog control officer to euthanize a dog without further legal action after the owner has voluntarily relinquished custody of their dog, which has seriously injured a person and presents a danger to people.


Many other pieces of legislation sponsored continue to work through the House committee process. HB 365 (safety belts for 15-passenger vehicles) was heard and received a vote by the full House on Monday. HB 366 (discipline/testing/training for peace officers) has both passed through the Public Safety Committee and will be taken before the Rules Committee. It was passed by the House on Tuesday.


The “slow poke” bill (HB 459) I sponsored and discussed last week was passed out of subcommittee and went to the full House Motor Vehicles Committee last Friday.


Unfortunately, I discovered a technical issue with the bill, and even though I believe it would have passed out of committee, I asked that it be tabled over the weekend so that legislative counsel and I could ponder an appropriate solution. Since the introduction of this bill, I have received positive feedback from people across our state and even as far away as Washington, D.C., and California in support of this legislation. My hope is that I can get all four bills onto the House calendar since time is of the essence for all pending legislation.


Reforming our juvenile justice system is imperative to ensuring our children are held accountable for violations of the law, but are provided treatment and rehabilitation through community-based programs. The goal is that these young “troubled” children can move beyond their youthful shortcomings and can grow up to become responsible and productive members of our society. House Bill 242 passed unanimously and substantially revises and modernizes the juvenile justice code in Georgia as recommended by the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform.


The House also passed changes this week concerning the penalties for drug-related cases. House Bill 349 passed unanimously last Friday and relates to the schedules, offenses, and penalties for controlled substances. It would change Georgia’s mandatory minimum sentencing laws by allowing reduced sentences for convictions during which the prosecutor and defense attorney can agree, or under certain circumstances and approved by the judge.


The General Assembly will return to the Gold Dome on March 11. I will keep you apprised of important legislation that affects your families, your freedoms, and your pocketbooks. Working with and alongside the other members of both the House and Senate, your best interests will always remain my first priority.


Please let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you or your family. Please feel welcome to write to me at:  501 Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg., Atlanta, GA 30334, email me at bill.hitchens@house.ga.gov, or call my office at (404) 656-0178.
In Effingham County, Progress Starts With a Plan
Guest Editorial by Susan Kraut, President/CEO of Effingham County Chamber of Commerce
Susan Kraut column
A sold-out crowd of more than 150 business and community leaders gathered at Effingham’s New Ebenezer Retreat Center Sept. 24 for the Chamber of Commerce’s annual State of the County Luncheon, hearing updates on economic growth, education, and infrastructure across Effingham County. (Submitted photo)
Susan Kraut
Updated: Oct 1, 2025, 2:41 PM
Published: Oct 1, 2025, 2:36 PM

At last Wednesday’s sold-out State of the County luncheon, more than 150 business and community leaders heard a message that resonated throughout the program: We have a plan, and we’re sticking to it.

Effingham County City Manager Tim Callanan opened his remarks with that thought. It was simple, but powerful. In an era when news feeds churn with controversy and change, it served as a reminder that behind the scenes, steady planning is happening – and those plans are beginning to bear fruit.

Businesses and residents often express frustration about roads, zoning, parks, schools or economic development, feeling that growth is outpacing action. The truth, as Callanan underscored, is that many of those actions are already underway, rooted in master plans that cover everything from transportation and stormwater to parks, communications and public safety.

The challenge is that plans only matter if people know they exist. Too often, businesses and citizens forget these plans are in place, don’t know where to find them or don’t realize how to weigh in at the right moments. When that happens, the community loses the chance to shape its own future and to express the value of those plans – why they matter and why they’re worth supporting.

Planning delivers progress

Last week’s luncheon highlighted how “plans” translate into progress. Mayor Kevin Exley shared Rincon’s ranking as one of Georgia’s safest cities and the city’s launch of the Citizen Central app – a small but meaningful step toward accessible local government. Springfield’s new city manager, Lauren Eargle, outlined a capital improvement plan that includes sidewalks, drainage and playgrounds, along with the less glamorous but vital work of a $35 million wastewater plant upgrade. Guyton’s city manager, Bill Lindsey, discussed contracting with planning consultants, winning grants for sidewalks, and reinvesting in Bazemore Park and downtown revitalization. These aren’t random acts; they’re evidence of intentional planning.

The school district provided another example when Superintendent Yancy Ford noted that Effingham now serves nearly 14,500 students speaking 33 languages. That diversity is an asset – but it also requires careful, proactive investment to maintain the high standards families expect. His most powerful point concerned ESPLOST, the 1-cent Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Thanks to community support over the years, ESPLOST has built classrooms, purchased buses, enhanced safety measures, provided Chromebooks to all students, added security cameras and access-control systems, created inclusive playgrounds and athletic facilities open to the community, supported hands-on learning spaces like Honey Ridge, and established the College & Career Academy – a facility credited by Ford as helping lift the district’s graduation rate above 90% and expanding career pathways for a rapidly diversifying student body. And it has done so without incurring long-term debt.

Why ESPLOST matters

Among these examples of planning, none is clearer than ESPLOST — a long-term, voter-approved blueprint for funding education, renewed every five years to stay ahead of growth. The November ballot will again include the ESPLOST renewal, giving voters the opportunity to continue this proven approach to funding school facilities, technology, safety, transportation, inclusive playgrounds and community-accessible athletic fields. Renewing ESPLOST does not create a new tax; it simply extends the existing 1-cent sales tax, allowing residents, visitors and businesses to contribute to improvements that benefit every student. Without it, many of the projects parents and community members count on – such as new buses, safer schools, modern classrooms, career pathways and accessible playgrounds – would stall or require long-term debt.

Renewing ESPLOST is about more than bricks and mortar. It is not a reactionary measure but part of an intentional, ongoing plan to manage growth and maintain education – reinforcing the theme that plans become progress. As the district’s population becomes increasingly diverse and enrollment continues to rise, sustained ESPLOST funding is crucial to scaling programs, expanding facilities and maintaining the high graduation rates and opportunities that families expect. It is about protecting Effingham County’s tradition of educational excellence, maintaining property values and ensuring the workforce being prepared in our schools is ready to meet the needs of local employers. It is an investment in students, families and the future of our communities.

A call to the community

Effingham County is growing. Growth brings challenges, but it also brings opportunities. As the luncheon demonstrated, leaders at every level are working to guide that growth thoughtfully. The next step belongs to business owners, parents and neighbors – to lean in, stay informed and participate.

When hearing about a master plan, a referendum or a public meeting, don’t assume it is someone else’s job. Look up the plan, attend the forum, ask questions and cast a vote. That is how plans become progress – and how a yes vote on ESPLOST reaffirms and continues the community’s long-term plan for educational excellence, reinvesting in Effingham County’s future.