By Robbie Schwartz
Committee assignments were doled out last week for the 2013 state legislative session.
In the House of Representatives, state Rep. Bruce Williamson, R-Monroe, sees a lot of opportunity to have an impact with assignments not only on the Banks and Banking as well as Governmental Affairs committees but more importantly the Insurance and Ways and Means committees.
“All of them give me an opportunity to help the families and businesses of Walton County, but I am particularly pleased to be able to serve on both the Insurance and Ways and Means committees,” Williamson said. “Serving directly on the Insurance Committee will allow Walton County citizens to have a louder voice in the healthcare debate, especially when it comes to helping stop the job-killing provisions of Obamacare. Additionally, all tax bills originate in the Ways and Means Committee. By having a seat on the influential committee, I can better advocate for a fairer, simpler tax structure in Georgia.
“The expanded responsibility of serving on these committees means a lot more hours of work this session, but this is work that I very much look forward to tackling.”
Williamson, who comes from a banking background, was also named vice chairman of the Banks and Banking Committee, which has jurisdiction over financial institutions, real property finance and corporate securities law. He will also serve on the Governmental Affairs Committee, which oversees legislation concerning the operations and management of state, county and municipal government with jurisdiction also over state election law.
State Rep. Tom Kirby, R-Loganville, will continue serving on the three committees he was assigned to for the final 10 legislative days of last year’s session after winning a special called meeting for the District 114 seat.
He has been named secretary of both the Human Relations and Aging Committee, which considers legislation concerning the care and needs of Georgia’s aging population, and the Industry and Labor Committee, which deals with issues surrounding labor and management relations. It also has jurisdiction on matters dealing with Worker’s Compensation and Georgia’s Worker’s Compensation Board.
The other carryover from the 2012 legislative session is serving on the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, which hears legislation that impacts Georgia’s largest economic industry, agriculture. Other areas under jurisdiction of the committee are human nutrition, consumer consumption of food and its safety aspects as well as plant industry.
Kirby said he is excited about his new assignment, serving on the Business and Development Committee, charged with drafting legislation that will enable the state’s small businesses to flourish and create more jobs.
“I think this new assignment is a great committee to be on,” Kirby said. “Here in Walton County, small businesses drive the economy and I am excited to help do whatever I can with the legislation that comes through here.
“I am also very honored to be named secretary of two committees, having served only a limited time in the House. It was unexpected and also humbling.”
Representing Walton County in the other chamber, freshman state Sen. Burt Jones, R-Jackson, was named to the Insurance and Labor, Institutions and Property and Regulated Industries and Utilities committees and will also serve as secretary on the Higher Education Committee. His latter assignment he will be serving under Walton County’s other representative, state Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, who was named chairman of the Higher Education Committee. Cowsert will also serve as secretary on the Natural Resources and Environment Committee and on the Appropriations Committee.
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