Photo Courtesy: NASA - NASA images show the polution impact Florence had on coast.

1. Coal Ash Pond Dewatering; require public notice prior to dewatering; 2018’s bill – HB879 voted out of House 169-3; passed out of Senate NR&E committee; Senate never brought bill for vote.
2. Coal Ash Solid Waste Landfill storage - minimum siting standards and prior public notice for new MSW coal ash storage; 2018’s bill – HB880; never granted a House NR&E sub or full committee vote
3. Stop issuing GA “Drivers Licenses” to individuals without “lawful status” to be in US or GA; per DDS, 50,000 such licenses have been issued in GA; replace with “Driver Courtesy Card”; 2018’s bill – HB484; never granted a House hearing.
4. Out of State Cash Wire Transfer Fees - collect a fee for out-of-state cash wire transfers targeting drug dealers, gamblers, human traffickers and others who hide cash; $100 million projected net revenue, with no cost to Georgia taxpayers; propose dedicating revenue to supplement local law enforcement pay; 2018’s bill – HB66; never granted a House committee hearing.
5. Georgia’s Open Meeting Act - strengthen to clearly define that the “final” meeting agenda must be posted one full week prior to the meeting; establish clear provisions on adding “emergency items” to the agenda; 2018’s bill – HB1040.
6. State Owned Property in McIntosh & Long Counties; significant loss of tax revenue; counties not being properly remunerated; working to increase DNR budget to replace lost revenue to counties or find other avenues to replace lost local property tax revenue.
7. Teacher Out-of-Pocket School Supplies Tax Credit– change current tax deduction of $250 to a tax credit of $250; estimated impact of $25 million to Georgia budget; 2017’s bill – HB13
8. GA Oyster Aquaculture Production - Promote growth of commercial oyster production; currently, commercially sold oysters must be wild grown & harvested; change code/regulations to allow farm grown oyster aquaculture and to allow out-of-state importation of Oyster Spat; DNR Commissioner Williams & Department of Ag Commissioner Gary Black are fully behind the initiative; legislation is currently being drafted.

Revised September 19, 2018 - Download PDF Copy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Monday, September 17, 2018

Contact: Betsy Theroux
(404) 656-3996
betsy.theroux@house.ga.gov

Rep. Jeff Jones to Reintroduce Legislation to Protect State’s Water Supply, Issues Statement on Collapse of Coal Ash Landfill

ATLANTA – State Representative Jeff Jones (R-Brunswick) today announced that he will reintroduce legislation in the 2019 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly that will focus on protecting the state’s water supplies from heavy metal toxicity that exists in coal ash. 

Pictured: Representative Jeff Jones and "Hairy Dawg" of the Georgia Bulldogs.

On Thursday, February 15, we completed the 22^nd day of the 40-day 2018 session. “Crossover Day”, which this year is on February 28^th, is also the 28^th of the 2018 session. This date, which can vary from session to session, is the cut-off date for legislation that has any chance of being signed into law by Governor Deal.  For bills to move ahead in the legislative process, they must have passed out of each respective legislative body – the House of Representatives, in my case, or the Senate - by the end of the session day on “Crossover Day.”

For several challenging bills I am sponsoring (HB-66-Cash Wire Transfers; HB-484-Changing Driver’s License for Certain Persons; HB-879-Coal Ash Dewatering Public Notice; HB-880-Coal Ash Landfill Storage Public Notice) it means I have seven legislative days left to: 1) get the bills voted out of sub-committee, then 2) voted out of full committee. Next, 3) I have to work on the surviving bills to get them added to what we call the “Rules Calendar” by the Rules Committee; the Rules Calendar is the calendar of bills that have a chance of being voted on by the full House of Representatives. Whew! Makes me tired thinking of all the work still to be done. But I do not give up easily on legislative matters that I, and many others in our state, believe are important.

For Immediate Release:
February 8, 2018
For More Information: Jennette Gayer
o-404-370-1764, c-703-475-3228
jennette@environmentgeorgia.org

Bills to Protect Communities from Coal Waste Introduced

Georgia Water Coalition applauds legislators for taking steps to protect communities and waterways

Atlanta, GA—The Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) applauds state Representative Jeff Jones (R-Brunswick) and a bipartisan list of cosponsors for their work to protect communities around Georgia from the toxic contaminants found in coal ash. After working to address concerns from Georgia Power and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division regarding legislation filed last year, Representative Jones introduced two bills that will help keep coal ash out of the water in which we swim and from which we drink, and people informed about coal ash present in their communities.

Welcome constituents, friends and supporters to our first newsletter of the 2018 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly - House of Representatives, which convened on January 8^th. Thanks for taking a few minutes to let me catch you up on Georgia law-making activities. The first two weeks (6 session days) were primarily ceremonial, “session opening” activities, including Governor Deal’s State of the State address. Georgia’s economy continues to grow, and our state was once again named the number-one state in which to do business. Governor’s Deal education initiatives continue to reap great rewards. We are a state on the move.

On Monday, January 22, 2018, we convened week three and as of January 29, we completed over one-fourth of the way through our 40-day session.  This session week was considerably busier and productive, and the pace has noticeably picked up as House committees met more frequently to consider and vet proposed legislation.  Remember, the majority of debate and discussion about legislation occurs in committee hearings well before bills reach the House floor for a vote.

By Dusty Nix | dnix@ledger-enquirer.com

November 06, 2017 5:39 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Betsy Lynch
Thursday, May 18, 2017
(404) 656-3996
betsy.lynch@house.ga.gov

Rep. Jeff Jones Presents Shawn Williams with House Resolution

ATLANTA – State Representative Jeff Jones (R-Brunswick) recently presented Shawn Williams, executive director of the Coastal Outreach Soccer (COS) program, with House Resolution 322 during a ceremony at the Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce. This resolution commends and congratulates Williams for being named the Georgia State Soccer Association’s 2016 Administrator of the Year.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Contact: Betsy Lynch
(404) 656-3996
betsy.lynch@house.ga.gov


Rep. Jeff Jones Applauds Republic Services’ Decision to Withdraw Coal Ash Disposal Permit Applications
 

ATLANTA – State Representative Jeff Jones (R-Brunswick) today commended Republic Services Corporation’s recent decision to withdraw three pending coal ash disposal permit applications. These permit applications would have allowed Republic Services, a waste management company, to dispose coal ash at its Broadhurst Environmental Landfill in Wayne County, near Jesup, Georgia.

On Monday, March 6, 2017 we reconvened both the Georgia House and Senate at the State Capitol in Atlanta to begin the 9th Week (legislative days 29 - 31) of the 2017 session.  The last time you heard from me in my “weekly” newsletters was at the conclusion of week 6, for week ending February 17; so I am behind by three weeks in updating you on Legislative activities.  But not-to-worry, I am not going to cover every nitty-gritty detail for the past three weeks.  It would likely put you to sleep.

In these past three weeks, leading up to Day 28 or “Crossover Day” on March 3, 2017, I and many other House and Senate members worked long hours to perfect sponsored legislation, to get the bills voted favorably out of sub-committee and full committee by testifying on our sponsored legislation, then work to get them on the Rules Calendar to be voted on and passed out of the full House, in my case.  The legislative goal is to get all of this done by Crossover Day.

CONSTITUENT SERVICES

Highway 17 widening project, Glynn County:
a meeting was held in Glynn County on March 9 hosted by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) as GDOT finalizes plans to widen Highway 17 from Yacht Road to intersection of Highway 99.
Many citizens object to the GDOT’s plan which entails installing a raised median the full length of the project with very limited turn access as the roadway is widened to four lanes.  In some cases, this means residents will need to turn right out of their neighbors, and drive two miles to the first turn opening to make a U-Turn to be able to go in the direction they originally intended.  In many other cases, shoppers who wish to visit one of the many businesses that have operated for years along the roadway, will not be able to turn into the business without driving well beyond the business, then making a U-Turn to get back to the business.

For the past couple of years, I have been working with area residents and GDOT engineers in support of an alternative plan which entails adding a CENTER TURN lane the majority length of the project, perhaps selectively building a RAISED MEDIAN in stretches of the roadway where it will not adversely affect residents or businesses.

At this point, GDOT is not in favor of the alternate center turn lane plan. Interested citizens can voice their concerns and ideas to GDOT by the DEADLINE of March 23, 2017:

1)    http://www.dot.ga.gov/PS/Public/PublicOutreach;
       At the bottom, select “Glynn County” and hit GO;
       At the bottom, select “SR 25/US 17 WIDENING AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT"
       Finally, select “Comment”.

2)    Mail your comment to:
       Mr. Eric Duff,  GDOT
       600 W Peachtree St. NW, 16th Fl
       Atlanta, GA 30308