Governor Deal Signs Bill Enhancing Beautification, Outdoor Advertising Projects in Georgia

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Governor Nathan Deal yesterday (May 12) announced he has signed House Bill 179, legislation that finally creates a common sense approach balancing the need for our community businesses to effectively promote themselves, while establishing stronger stewardship provisions than are in current law. In addition to the bill signing, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia (OAAG) is also proud to announce that member companies are donating hundreds of vinyl signs to be used as tarps to cover storm-damaged homes as well as space on billboards to inform residents of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and American Red Cross contact information.

“I am proud that we are doing our part to help our neighbors who were severely impacted by these devastating storms.”

Under the new law, vegetation removal will now be allowed in a smaller area in front of billboards allowing motorists to fully view advertising messages and bring new business to Georgia companies. The bill requires outdoor advertising companies to pay the highest mitigation fees in the country and fund the replacement and replanting of all vegetation that is removed.

“The previous law was very ineffective, leaving signs close to the ground obstructed from view behind trees and either abandoned or raised to skyscraper levels for visibility,” said Ray Moyers, President of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia (OAAG). “This compromise bill will lead to lower signs, more beautification projects and, most importantly, economic growth as Georgia small businesses reach new customers through advertising.”

In addition, the bill requires signs to be lowered to at least 75 feet as a condition for receiving relief from obstructions. It also ensures the industry fully funds the Georgia Department of Transportation’s administrative costs, relieving the burden from our state’s taxpayers.

For the first time in state law, House Bill 179 creates new provisions for the removal of abandoned, cluttered, and dilapidated signs at no cost to the taxpayer. And, the legislation emphasizes local control allowing local governments to determine billboard regulations in their community.

“Georgia’s network of outdoor advertising can be an incredible resource to help us market our community businesses, grow new jobs, and maintain our existing workforce, but only if the messages were visible to the traveling public,” said Rep. Jon Burns, sponsor of HB 179. “We worked hard over the past few months and fashioned a reasonable bill that achieves many of the goals sought after by both sides of this debate. I want to publicly thank Governor Deal for recognizing the benefits of the bill and signing it into law.”

Since the bill passed during this year’s legislative session, the outdoor advertising industry has continued to contribute heavily to Georgia’s economy and civic concerns. When tornados struck Georgia in late April, billboard companies immediately mobilized and donated over 500 vinyl signs that can be used as tarps to cover storm-damaged homes until repairs can be made.

The industry has also donated space on 75 electronic message boards in Georgia, including the hardest-hit storm areas of Rome, Griffin and Clayton. The messages inform residents on how to contact FEMA for storm-related assistance. There will also be two traditional (non-electronic) billboards in Trenton and Ringgold with FEMA contact information. The Outdoor Advertising Association of Georgia is paying for the production of the vinyl signs and Fairway Outdoor Advertising of Chattanooga is donating the space for those two signs. Clear Channel is also featuring messages for the American Red Cross on more than 20 digital signs in the Metro Atlanta area.

“Our industry is made up of community-minded citizens that respond quickly when Georgians are in need,” Moyers added. “I am proud that we are doing our part to help our neighbors who were severely impacted by these devastating storms.”

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Deal signs Child Booster Seat bill, creates MLK Advisory Council

Gov. Nathan Deal today bolstered child safety efforts by signing a bill to strengthen the state’s booster seat law (SB 88), and he enacted legislation that creates an advisory council for state Capitol ceremonies for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday (SB 141).

“We must do everything in our power to protect young Georgians, and studies show consistently that booster seats provide children with a much greater level of safety than vehicle seats built for adults,” said Deal, who signed the bill at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Scottish Rite Hospital. “I have no doubt that this law will save countless lives and prevent serious injuries for many young children.”

This bill will bring Georgia in line with the age recommendations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by raising the mandatory booster seat age to 8. SB 88 contains exceptions for children taller than 4 feet 9 inches or a child’s parent or guardian obtaining a physician’s written permission.

At Ebenezer Baptist Church, surrounded by members of the King family, Deal signed SB 141, a bill that promotes the legacy and philosophy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. by creating the Martin Luther King, Jr. Advisory Council.

“It will be the duty of this council to promote the principles of nonviolence, peace, social justice and the awareness and appreciation of the civil rights movement and the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Deal said. “Our state is proud to be the home of Dr. King, and Ebenezer Baptist Church, surrounded by Dr. King’s family, was the perfect place to start this new council.”

The advisory council will also develop and coordinate ceremonies and activities relating to the observance of the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. on behalf of the state of Georgia.

Bills can be read in their entirety at http://www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx.

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Deal signs bill to designate funding for burn trauma centers

In Augusta and Columbia County today, Gov. Nathan Deal signed three bills into law. The governor signed HB 307, a bill that designates burn trauma centers treating the largest portion of significant burn cases -- at least 300 patients annually -- as designated facilities of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission.

“Despite Georgia’s fast-paced growth and a population of more than 9.8 million people in our state, we have only two major burn trauma centers, which bear the demand of treating patients with serious burn injuries. One center is at Doctors Hospital in Augusta; the other is at Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” said Deal. “This designation will permit Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission funding for the treatment of indigent burn victims at these burn centers.

“We must ensure our state is well-positioned to continue to provide critical care to victims of these life-threatening injuries.”

Deal signed the bill during a ceremony at the Enterprise Mill in Augusta. While there, Deal also enacted SB 240, a bill that creates a new class of motor vehicles and personal transportation vehicles (golf carts). Georgia is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of golf carts, and this legislation aims not only to promote the use of golf carts but also to support job growth in the state.

Earlier in the day during the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s post-legislative session breakfast at Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Martinez, he signed HB 280, which allows counties and municipalities with excess 911 funds to utilize that money for 911-related expenses. Currently that money was restricted to expenses as defined when the Georgia Emergency Telephone Act was passed in 1977, and HB 280 permits money to be spent on modern technologies. Deal was joined by Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle for the bill signing.

Bills can be read in their entirety at http://www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP

Deal signs bill to fight human trafficking: Governor modernizes Georgia legal code, including updated Rules of Evidence

Gov. Nathan Deal today signed three bills pertaining to legal issues at the State Bar of Georgia and signed two bills advocated by the Women’s Caucus at My Sister’s House, an Atlanta facility that offers overnight shelter and residential discipleship programs for homeless women and women with children.

Bill signing at State Bar:

HB 24 modernizes the Rules of Evidence
Current Rules of Evidence are nearly 150 years old
Brings OCGA in line with Federal Rules of Evidence pertaining to hearsay
Georgia becomes the 45th state to modernize

HB 238 revamps the Georgia Public Defenders Standards Council
Agency has been plagued with issues
Gives more autonomy to Director
Reconstitutes the Council

HB 415 provides for a statewide jury pool
Since the 1960s, Georgia has used forced balancing to ensure demographic groups within counties are proportionally represented in the jury pool.
Ends forced balancing and implements a series of procedures and rules to compile a statewide, inclusive juror source list. It calls for the Council of Superior Court Clerks to establish and maintain a statewide master jury list and requires the Department of Driver Services and the Secretary of State to provide certain information to the Council of Superior Court Clerks.
The council will screen driver license records, vital records and voter registration records to create a more inclusive source list of eligible jurors. The database will be cleaned of duplicates, bad addresses and the names of felons and deceased people. Then the Council of Superior Court Clerks will certify and distribute an inclusive list to each individual county’s Board of Jury Commissioners.

Bill Signing at My Sister’s House:

“Human trafficking is a repugnant crime that is growing like a cancer in our society,” Deal said. “Signing this bill into law, I join my fellow Georgians in declaring moral outrage and vowing to fight human trafficking here in our state. These criminals rob their victims of freedom and human dignity, and they destroy lives. With this bill now a law, we will find these criminals and we will punish them harshly.”

HB 200 addresses human trafficking
Strengthens the punishment against traffickers by increasing the minimum imprisonment for any person who commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude and subjects the convicted to a fine.
Increases the punishment for any person who commits the offense of trafficking a person for labor or sexual servitude against a person who is under the age of 18 years
Protects those that fall victim to predators whom act on their state of desperation by providing that a person shall NOT be guilty of a sexual crime if the conduct upon which the alleged criminal liability is based was committed under coercion or deception while the accused was being trafficked for sexual servitude

HB 503 provides for the Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund to cover the costs of medical exams of alleged victims of rape
Ensures that victims will have these exams paid for and that the responsibility will not fall on local law enforcement that have budget constraints

-----

Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG @FayetteFP