Lt. Governor Geoff Duncan appointed members to three new Senate study committees Thursday, including one for “Revising Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons.” The other two are a Senate Study Committee on Creating a Georgia Agricultural Marketing Authority, and one that will Evaluate E-Scooters and other Innovative Mobility Options for Georgians.
The Study Committee on Revising Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons was created by SR 153 during the 2019 legislative session. The resolution states that “Georgia has been committed to criminal justice reform, and part of this reform effort should be to integrate citizens into the community;”
It also states that “preventing nonviolent felons from voting does not meet the state’s compelling interest in properly integrating persons into society.”
The role of the committee as defined by the Resolution is to define which nonviolent felonies “should be classified as crimes of moral turpitude with the understanding that a blanket prohibition on nonviolent felons having the right to vote does not serve the state’s compelling state interest in ensuring that persons are fully integrated into society.”
The committee, which will be chaired by Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Columbus) will abolish on December 1, 2019.
The Senate members appointed to serve on this committee are:
- Sen. Mike Dugan (R-Carrollton)
- Sen. Burt Jones (R-Jackson)
- Sen. Harold Jones II (D-Augusta)
- Sen. Michael Rhett (D-Marietta)
Senators Jones and Rhett were among the co-sponsor for the resolution.
“Georgians expect their elected leaders to make deliberate, informed decisions to better our state,” said Duncan. “The study committee process allows our Senators to dedicate extreme focus to larger issues and generate in-depth proposals for the next legislative session. I look forward to the hard work of our chairmen and appointed members as they focus on issues which will be critical to Georgia’s continued success.”
The Senate Study Committee on Creating a Georgia Agricultural Marketing Authority will be chaired by Sen. Larry Walker III (R–Perry). This committee will study the possibility of
“creating a state-wide authority to provide facilities and activities for the agricultural community to market and promote its products to agribusiness persons and the public so as to further boost the state’s robust economy.”
The Senate members appointed to serve on this committee are:
- Sen. Ellis Black (R-Valdosta)
- Sen. Tyler Harper (R-Ocilla)
- Sen. Freddie Powell Sims (D-Albany)
- Sen. John Wilkinson (R-Toccoa)
Senators Walker, Black and Harper were among the legislation sponsors.
The Senate Evaluating E-Scooters and other Innovative Mobility Options for Georgians Study Committee will be chaired by Sen. Steve Gooch (R–Dahlonega), the lone sponsor of SR 479 which created the study committee.
The resolution states that “reducing traffic congestion, dependence on personal automobiles for short distance transportation, and encouraging private sector mobility innovation is a public policy goal for this state; and E-scooters are a private sector mobility innovation offering unsubsidized first mile and last mile connectivity while also encouraging community economic development and tourism in this state,”
It goes on to state that “E-scooters have provided Georgians over one million rides in less than 12 months of operation in this state; and E-scooters offer affordable, clean energy alternatives that reduce traffic congestion and number of car trips; review and study is needed to determine how local governments, state agencies, and universities can work with companies providing these and other innovative mobility technology.”
The Senate members appointed to serve on this committee are:
- Sen. John Albers (R–Roswell)
- Sen. Brandon Beach (R–Alpharetta)
- Sen. Frank Ginn (R–Danielsville)
- Sen. Butch Miller (R–Gainesville)
