About Sandy Springs reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2019)
Community | 7 MAY 2019 ■ www.ReporterNewspapers.net majorities were much greater in previ ous sessions, he said. “If I wanted to be really cynical... I’d say this was nothing but political theater because it will be struck down,” he said. Rep. Mike Wilensky (D-Dunivoody) Win: Wilensky passed his first bill to revise the criteria tax assessors use to determine fair market value of real property, which he said will benefit Dun- woody business owners. Loss: The failure of the hate crimes bill. The mood in the General Assembly: Wilensky said the bitter state of politics in Washington, D.C., affected the cur rent tone of Georgia’s politics, especial ly with the passage of the anti-abortion bill. Rep. Matthew Wilson (D-Brookhaven) Win: Wilson is one of five openly LG- BTQ legislators at the General Assem bly and this year introduced a bill to ban conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual ori entation from gay or bisexual to het erosexual. The bill got a hearing in the Regulated Industries Committee and Wilson said his intention is to educate legislators on the issue this year with plans for a House vote next year. Loss: The state approved an overhaul of the DeKalb County ethics code, but Wilson voted against it. He said the bill does not go far enough to give the eth ics officer authority to hold county of ficials accountable. The mood in the General Assembly: Wilson said he senses a growing divide between the far-right and more moder ate Republicans, or, to put it simply, be tween rural and metro Atlanta Repub licans. “The far-right conservatives’ strategy on how to maintain their ma jority is to dig in and serve up legisla tion that takes away rights from Geor gians they don’t represent,” Wilson said. “Then you saw moderate Republi cans fighting to advance legislation on HIV treatment and prevention and on hate crimes. Ultimately voters will de cide who will be on the right side of his tory.” ► Full steam ahead for a train ride with Thomas and a day of family fun! Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum mW Chattanooga, TN Jw.wwTtvrail.com 423.894.8028 Visit dayoutwiththomas.com or call TicketWeb at 866-468-7630 m,XWg&*sraiiirt iS&Mflj TRIPADVISOR “CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE EIGHT CONSECUTIVE YEARS 800.342.02i2 KINGANDPRINCE.COM BEACH & GOLF RESORT Historic Hotels of America ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA 00@0§ #KINGANDPRINCERESORT Hotel Collection'
