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The ADVANCE, Morch 17, 2021/Page 12A
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STUDENTS OF THE MONTH — J.D. Dickerson Primary School has announced the February Students of the Month. (L
to R): Front row: Briseis Pech, Iriyanna Nichols, Ellie Grace Wall, Hudson Bell, Second row: Joseph Atkins, Jensen Gal-
breath, Harmoni Ransom, Ava Register, Elizabeth Mims, Third row: Ki Simpson, Mattox Holley, Adella Lumley, Justin
Mosley, Top row: Hayden Brantley, Bailey Holloway, Logan Stephens, Zylen Lee, and Kingston Quest. Not Pictured:
James Anthony and Stacie Wilkes.
ODDS
Oends
Homecoming—
Lyons Holiness
Church, 336 Skyline
Blvd., Lyons, will clel-
brate Homecoming
on Sunday, March
21, at 10:30 a.m. The
speaker will be Pastor
Albert White of Block
ers Chapel Church.
There will be singing
in the afternoon and
no Sunday night ser
vice.
A Revival will be
held Monday through
Wednesday, March
22-24, at 7:30 p.m.
Everyone is invited
to attend.
Homecoming-
East Gordon
Street Baptist Church
in Lyons will celebrate
Homecoming on
Sunday, March 28, at
10:00 am. Special
music will be pro
vided by the Gospel
Truth from South Car
olina. Lunch will be
served afterwards.
Everyone is invited
to Homecoming
2021.
Hi
s M
TCMS BEAUTY PAGEANT — Toombs County Middle School recently held their beauty
pageant. Five beautiful young ladies competed for the Miss TCMS crown in the areas
of outfit of choice, evening gown and on stage question, Miss TCMS 2021 is 7th grader
Ella Kate Adams. L to R: Kinsley Monroe, 3rd Runner-up; Kensley Davis 1st Runner-up;
Ella Kate Adams, Miss TCMS and People's Choice; Anzley Bryant, 2nd Runner-up and
Photogenic; and Jacklyn Milling.
VHA LITERARY TEAM COMPETES — The Vidalia Heritage Academy Literary Team com
peted in the Georgia Association of Private and Parochial Schools (GAPPS) Region
3-A event held at Brewton-Parker College on February 26 and placed second overall
as a team, with every member of the team placing in the event. Those finishing in first
place for the region were Julia Beacham for Piano, Isabella Ponce for Rhetorical Essay,
Casen Jones for International Extemporaneous Speaking, and Sarah Grace McBride,
Josey Harrell, and Kate Jarriel for Girls Trio. With a second place finish were Josey Har
rell for Female Solo, Emily Jarriel for Humorous Interpretation, Rylee Toole for Dramatic
Interpretation, and the combination of Jarriel and Toole for Duo Interpretation, In third
place were Luke Moxley for Spelling, Lydia Sammons for Argumentative Essay, Reese
Neal for Personal Essay, and Caleb Proenza for US Extemporaneous Speaking. (L to
R): Front row: Lydia Sammons, Julia Beacham, Rylee Toole, Reese Neal, Luke Moxley,
Back row: Emily Jarriel, Josey Harrell, Sarah Grace McBride, Casen Jones, and Isabella
Ponce,
Summary for 9th Week of 2021 Session
By Rep. Robert Pruitt
(District 149)
Crossover Day
was Monday March 8,
and marked the begin
ning of the ninth week
of session. This crucial
deadline makes the
House and Senate un
able to pass bills out of
the legislative chamber
in which they originat
ed. As a result, Crossover Day was one of
the longest days in session with more than
70 pieces of legislation.
House members unanimously passed
House Bill 479, which would repeal Geor
gia’s antiquated citizen’s arrest law. This
bill would also clarify certain instances in
which law enforcement officers may make
arrests outside of their jurisdiction, as well
as establish instances when certain private
citizens may detain individuals.
House Bill 255, or the “Sexual As
sault Reform Act of 2021,” also passed
unanimously on Crossover Day, and this
measure would lay out several changes to
improve the state’s handling of sexual as
sault cases. The bill would implement a
statewide sexual assault kit tracking sys
tem to give survivors the ability to track
and receive updates on the status of evi
dence from their case.
House Bill 109, the “Child Victim
Protection Act of 2021,” was also passed
and would extend the amount of time
that survivors of childhood sexual abuse
could file civil action from two years to
four years if the abuse occurred after July
1, 2015, and has proven to have caused
physical or psychological harm.
We also passed two measures this
week that would extend protections to
survivors of domestic violence in Georgia.
First, we passed House Bill 231 to create a
new temporary protective order (TPO)
specifically for dating violence which is
not currently covered by a TPO for family
violence. These TPOs would cover felo
nies, simple battery, aggravated battery,
aggravated assault and stalking between
two people who have had a pregnancy
together or who are in a romantic dating
relationship. We also passed House Bill
236 to increase police monitoring after a
TPO for family violence is issued. These
safety checks would last 60 days, and the
frequency of the safety checks would be al
the discretion of the local police agency.
The House also passed House Bill
290, the “Patient and Resident Represen
tation and Visitation Act,” in an effort tc
protect visitation rights for authorized le
gal representatives of patients or residents
in hospitals and long-term care facilities
Hospitals and long-term care facilities
would be prohibited from implementing
policies that deny in-person physical con
tact with a designated legal representative
for at least one hour per day during an)
hospitalization, treatment or residence
that lasts longer than 12 hours.
My colleagues and I supported legis
lation this week to ensure that newborn
babies receive the best care after they are
born. House Bill 567 would authorize the
Georgia Department of Public Health
(DPH) to create a newborn screening sys
tem to help prevent serious illness, severe
physical or developmental disabilities, as
well as death caused by inherited meta
bolic and genetic disorders in newborns.
After Crossover Day, House commit
tees began considering legislation that
was passed by the Senate. As we continue
meeting in our respective committees and
on the House floor to consider Senate
bills, I encourage you to contact me re
garding bills that may be up for consider
ation during these final weeks of the ses
sion. You can reach me at my capitol office
at 404-656-0116, or via email at robert
pruitt(a)house.ga.gov. As always, than!
you for allowing me to serve as your repre
sentative and I look forward to seeing you
soon.
As the State Representative for Distric’
149, Robert Pruitt serves Dodge County, Telfaii
County, Wheeler County, Cadwell, anc
Hazlehurst. During the second week of the
2021 Legislative Session, Rep Pruitt wa:
appointed to serve on the Industry and Trade,
Economic Development, and Small Busines:
committees for the next two years. Robert anc
his wife Kelly have been long time residents o’
Eastman.
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