Latest news with #RonStephens
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Georgia lawmakers face a pivotal decision over a controversial mining ban: 'This moratorium horse has legs'
Georgia lawmakers have introduced two bills to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from nearby mining activities, reported the Current GA. State Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) introduced H.B. 562, which would create a five-year pause on new mining on Trail Ridge, and H.B. 561, the Okefenokee Protection Act, which would ban future mining in the area completely. Coastal legislators Ron Stephens and Steven Sainz are backing the bills as co-sponsors. This legislation comes as Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals seeks permits to mine titanium dioxide and zirconium near the swamp. The company's plan would bring mining operations within three miles of the largest wildlife refuge in the Eastern U.S. If passed, the bills could make a real difference for our natural world. They would help safeguard Okefenokee's unique ecosystem, protect water flows that prevent drought and fire risks, and preserve a beloved outdoor destination that attracts visitors worldwide. Recent positive developments have built momentum for protecting the swamp. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service expanded potential refuge boundaries by 22,000 acres, opening the door for future conservation. And in December, Okefenokee received an official nomination for prestigious UN World Heritage Site status. Swamps and wetlands are two ecosystems that are among the most threatened by our planet's changing climate. In Louisiana, sea rise is threatening wetlands and swamps across the state. "It's great to see the legislature speaking out once again for the swamp in such an overwhelmingly bipartisan way," said Josh Marks, an Atlanta-based attorney who heads up Georgians for Okefenokee. Rena Ann Peck, executive director of Georgia Rivers, sees the moratorium bill as a practical step forward. "While the Okefenokee Act will not get a run, this moratorium horse has legs," she said. With 77 cosponsors already supporting the moratorium, Peck added: "It's certainly a concession in that it's not a ban on mining Trail Ridge in perpetuity — only for 5 years." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Stephens-Day creator proposes new homestead exemption for Chatham County School District
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — It has been 25 years since Georgia Rep. Ron Stephens (R-164) created and co-authored the Stephens-Day homestead exemption, freezing property taxes for Chatham County homeowners. The model still stands, and it freezes taxes for every municipality or district except school district. Rep. Stephens' latest idea, now House Bill (HB) 782, would change that in the 2026 tax year if the people for it. 'It would make the county, school board, Port Wentworth, Garden City, Bloomingdale, Tybee Island, Vernonburg, all those of cities the same so they would know exactly what their property taxes are going be the next year, and it is essentially a freeze,' Stephens said. He said the bill, known as the Chatham County Schools' Tax Relief Act, gives homeowners more predictability in their taxes, freezing them to what they were the previous year. 'We've gotten to the point, with this rapid growth in our area, that people are looking for some sort of predictability on their property taxes,' he said. HB 782 must pass a vote in the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate before it makes the ballot this November. 'For the first time, if you vote for it, this November, for the first time in 2026, you're going to know exactly what your property taxes are going to be from the previous year,' said Stephens. HB 782 will face its first hurdle in the house Tuesday. Representatives Jesse Petrea (R-166), Carl Gilliard (D-162) and Bill Hitchens (R-161) are co-sponsoring the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Okefenokee mining protection bills do not advance House
ATLANTA (WSAV) — Two bills proposed to protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from mining did not advance through the House Thursday. The bills were aimed at Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals' plan to strip mine for titanium dioxide, staurolite and zircon around three miles from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge's Trail Ridge. The Trail Ridge is 'the ancient sand dune that serves as an earthen dam for the swamp,' GRN said, and is essential for hydrology in the Okefenokee and surrounding areas like the St. Mary River. House Bill 561 would have prohibited future mining along the Okefenokee's Trail Ridge, a GRN spokesperson said. If passed, it would've prohibited the director of the EPD 'from issuing, modifying, or renewing any permit or accepting any bond to conduct surface mining operations on Trail Ridge for future permit applications and amendments,' the bill said. The second bill, HB 562, would've place a five-year moratorium, or hold, on mining along the Okefenokee's Trail Ridge. GRN said that this hold would've provide state regulators and independent scientists time to evaluate how mining at the Twin Pines site could impact groundwater levels under and near the swamp. The five-year timeline would've aligned with the Twin Pines demo mine duration, which includes four years of active mining plus one year groundwater recovery monitoring. The Okefenokee mining bills were sponsored by several Republicans in Georgia's coastal areas, including Thomasville's Darlene Taylor, Savannah's Ron Stephens and St. Mary's Rep. Steven Sainz. Gerald Greene (R) of Cuthbert, Debbie Buckner (D) of Junction City and Carolyn Hugley (D) of Columbus also sponsored the bills. Proposals that didn't pass Thursday could still be brought up again later, but it can be more difficult to advance them. They could also be considered next year since this 2025 is the first year of a two-year session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Proposed bill might eliminate school speed zone cameras. Here's the Georgia law
A bill has been introduced in the state house that could eliminate school zone speed cameras in Georgia. House Bill 225, sponsored by Savannah State Representative Ron Stephens, aims to repeal the 2018 legislation that allowed for the installation of these cameras. For years, many Georgians have voiced concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the cameras, according to WSAV in Savannah. Drivers report receiving tickets for minor speeding infractions, even outside of school hours. The original 2018 law stipulated that fines should only be issued for drivers exceeding the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour and only during school hour or one hour before and after. The original law was also supposed to use speeding fines collected in school zones for improving school safety measures, but according to Stephens, that hasn't been the case. The outcome of House Bill 225 remains to be seen. Here is the bill process. According to the U.S. House of Representatives, here are the steps for how laws are made: A representative sponsors a bill. The bill is then assigned to a committee for study. If released by the committee, the bill is put on a calendar to be voted on, debated or amended. If the bill passes by simple majority (218 of 435), the bill moves to the Senate. In the Senate, the bill is assigned to another committee and, if released, debated and voted on. Again, a simple majority (51 of 100) passes the bill. Finally, a conference committee made of House and Senate members works out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The resulting bill returns to the House and Senate for final approval. The Government Publishing Office prints the revised bill in a process called enrolling. The President has 10 days to sign or veto the enrolled bill. Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@ This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Are school speed zone cameras getting banned in Georgia?
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bryan County state legislators introducing bill to lock in homestead exemption
BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – State House Representatives for Bryan County plan to introduce a local bill on Tuesday that would target the Bryan County School Board's decision to opt out of the homestead tax exemption. If passed and voted in, House Bill 362 would nullify the school board's plan to opt out, a decision many Bryan County residents have hit out against because it could potentially lead to higher taxes that go toward county schools. 'It is 581, but it's a local bill. So, if you opt out, the people will have another bite at the apple,' State Rep. Ron Stephens (GA-164). 'We've gotten a lot of calls from people who are looking for predictability on their property taxes, and this will give it to them.' H.B. 581 was the original legislation that allowed for the homestead exemption, which is essentially a cap on property taxes. Bryan County itself and several cities within the county have all decided to opt in. However, the school board has made it clear they intend to opt out, citing budget concerns for a growing school district. 'All the revenue comes back, plus a cost of living. So, there's no loss of revenue at all,' Stephens said. According to Rep. Stephens, 66% of taxes in Bryan County go towards the school system. Stephens, Rep. Jesse Petrea (GA-166), Rep. Lehman Franklin (GA-160) and Sen. Ben Watson (GA-01) are working to push the legislation through the state house and senate within the coming days. If the measure does pass, Bryan County residents will vote on it in November. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
