CONVERSATION with Lake Area State Representative Rick Williams about 2021 General Assembly
Summary
We caught up with Lake Area State Representative Rick Williams during the final day of the 2021 Georgia General Assembly, which ended early Thursday morning. We talked about the passing of Gracie’s Law, which bans organ transplant discrimination against those […]
We caught up with Lake Area State Representative Rick Williams during the final day of the 2021 Georgia General Assembly, which ended early Thursday morning.
We talked about the passing of Gracie’s Law, which bans organ transplant discrimination against those with a developmental or physical disability. Williams was the lead sponsor of House Bill 128. Language was added from House Bill 212, also known as “Simon’s Law”, which requires doctors get parent’s permission to place a “do not resuscitate” order on a child.
Lake Area State Representative Mack Jackson was a co-sponsor of the bill. Jackson represents Gracie Nobles and her family in the State House. The bill is named after the little girl.
House Bill 128 still needs to be signed by Governor Brian Kemp.
Representative Williams also authored House Bill 354, which was in response to the scandal involving Jones County Corner Jerry Bridges. He is now in prison after pleading guilty to defrauding his funeral home and cemetery customers.
HB 354 requires State Board of Funeral Service and the State Board of Cemeterians report possible crimes to local and state law enforcement. Representative Williams says the State Board of Cemeterians let Bridges operate without a license for 15 years.
House Bill 354 still needs to be signed by the Governor.
Finally, Representative Williams sponsored House Resolution 144.
It names the Highway 49 – Blandy Road intersection after Kathryn Poff. The late Creekside Elementary teacher was killed in a car crash at that intersection in 2016. Creekside is now Lakeview Primary.
Also in Milledgeville, the West Montgomery Street bridge over the railroad tracks will be named for Dennette Odum Jackson. In 1992, she was elected as Milledgeville’s first Black city councilwoman.
In our interview, Representative Williams confirmed his plans to run for re-election next year. His State House district will likely look different next year after the Georgia Legislature redraws Congressional and General Assembly lines based on new Census data. The 145th House District currents has all of Baldwin County and southern Putnam County in it.