Sine Die and My Farewell

These last two weeks have been very busy. We performed our annual maneuvering as we heard over 100 bills in these final two weeks. I believe we were able to make Georgia a better state through this legislative session. It is my hope that Georgia will continue to improve. Improvement is never perfect; we can always continue to do our best in all aspects of our life.

Rest in Peace Zell Miller

Recently the state of Georgia lost a dear friend and supporter. Former Senator, Lieutenant Governor, and Governor Zell Miller died 2 weeks ago.

Although the news was tragic, he left an incredible legacy. He is best known for his work in education and economic development for Georgia and primarily rural areas. Zell Miller created the HOPE Scholarship that benefits so many Georgians as they pursue their higher education. He also created the Pre-K Program that jumpstarts education for so many young students. Governor Miller was honored to lay in state at the Capitol. It is a distinction that only nine Georgians in the state's history share. After his death Governor Miller was buried in his hometown of Young Harris, Georgia. He will be forever missed.

Sine Die

Last Thursday, March 29th, was the final day of the 2018 Legislative Session! That could be good and bad news, but I think we were able to have a productive session this year. The Latin phrase literally means "without day," but it signifies the conclusion of the legislative session for the year. We began at 10am, and we did not adjourn until almost 12:30am! I was the lead sponsor on two bills that were passed on this final day. HB 695 was a bill for the Georgia Forestry Foundation to have a specialty license plate, and SB 445 was to improve standards and bidding practices for contracts with the Department of Transportation. Here are pictures showing the excitement of the legislators as we wrapped up our session.

Recognizing the Amazing Capitol Staff!

I would like to say a special thank you to all of the individuals who have worked diligently without any recognition. Our doorkeepers, police officers, and the staff of the Speaker's and Clerk's Offices do not hear "thank you" nearly enough. I will always remember how hard these groups have worked on my behalf and on the behalf of the entire General Assembly. Thank you all again!

Saying Goodbye to Phil Tucker

My departure coincides with Postal Director and Head of the doorkeeper staff, Phil Tucker. He has served the state legislature for almost 20 years! He is pictured below with his wise Eloise Tucker, my wife, Kathryn, and myself. I hope he enjoys his retirement.

A Man of Courage and Strength

Kathryn and I have many memories and new friends as a result of our tenure in the legislature. One of most special friends is Representative Wayne Howard and his wife Cassandria. Wayne Howard never backed away from his duties as a state representative even during his fight and recovery of losing two limbs. We salute his courageous journey in putting others before himself.

Forever Remembering the Mercer Family! The Mercer family has had several moments recently. In the first photo, I am pictured with Governor Deal, my intern, Creed Dunn, as well as with Chairman Matt Hatchett. This Mercer family was happy that Creed had a fantastic experience interning with us at the Capitol, and we wish him the best of luck for his upcoming summer interning in Washington, D.C. The second photo is a blast to the past as my wife, Kathryn, and I were able to spend our last day at the Capitol with previous Mercer interns! Brianna Green and Darcy Calloway who came back to visit us on Sine Die. We are glad they came, and we loved getting up to date on what they are doing. Brianna just returned to the U.S. after a year of teaching English in China. Darcy finished an 11-country trip over the course of a year. She taught various subjects across a number of different countries. Our third photo is with all members of the Mercer family with Governor Deal. Every year all legislators with ties to Mercer get together for a photo with the governor, who is also a Mercer Bear!

Say Hello to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and Former Governor Sonny Perdue

One of Georgia's own is the Secretary of Agriculture in Donald Trump's Cabinet. Former Governor Perdue spoke about the state of agriculture in the U.S. As a state with a significant focus on improving rural Georgia, we were happy to hear about the upcoming initiatives he will be implementing to continually improve agriculture in Georgia and in the country. Topics ranged from crops to broadband to infrastructure. He was funny and perceptive, and I look forward to seeing a better Georgia.

I Will Miss a Great Group of Legislators

I cannot thank everyone who should be thanked, but I would like to recognize several people who have helped me for years in this assembly. I have made a number of great friends whom I will keep for the rest of my life. The first picture is a light moment with freshman Representative Casey Carpenter. He joined myself, Representative Tanner, and Representative Hill in anchoring the back row of the House Chamber. The final picture is also a farewell to Representative Chad Nimmer. Rep. Nimmer was in my opinion a rising star in the House Chamber, but realized family and responsibilities such as providing a sound home life for his children were his first priority. Consequently, we are losing not only a great man but a dedicated legislator.

My Farewell

It is with a sad heart that I must inform you all that I will be retiring at the end of the year. There will be a new legislator representing House District 144 come January. However, this is only a goodbye as I stand before you all as a representative. I will continue to be involved in the communities that I have come to love as much as my own. I will still be available for anything you all may need. I will always have the members of House District 144 in my heart. Although I will be stepping down in December, this is just a temporary goodbye. Reach out if any of you need me.

Where to Find Out

What Happened? If you would like to see all the bills in our legislative process, you can follow the link below. This link will take you to a webpage that lists the bills as they came up in the House Chamber! They are organized by date, so you can look back at anything from this past session or beyond! You can click this link to see which bills were discussed.

It is an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of House District 144. If you need to contact me through email, phone, or Facebook, follow the links below.

Rep. Bubber Epps | (478)550-8305 | E-mail | Website | Facebook