ATL Standard

The Hub Chamber Council, an integrated policy group of the eleven leading metro Hub Chambers outside of the Atlanta area, is excited to announce the passage of two supported bills, House Bill 514 and Senate Bill 195, this past Crossover Day at the State Capitol.

House Bill 514 carried by House Representative Dale Washburn (House District 144- Macon), addresses Georgia growing housing crisis. This legislation provides transparency pertaining to zoning moratoriums and addresses the revolving door of instated moratoriums that may prevent housing development where it is currently feasible. Exceptions are included in the bill, being mindful of community planning efforts and infrastructure limitations.

Many Georgia communities are experiencing housing inventory roughly half of 2019 supply, creating a statewide shortage of affordable workforce housing. The Hub Chamber Council supports policies that decrease regulations and reduce costs on housing development, increasing the availability of housing stock in communities across our state. Greater transparency in local regulatory processes would create predictability in construction, increasing the availability of housing stock, and assist Georgia industries in retaining their current workforce and attracting new needed workers.

Senate Bill 195 carried by Senator Larry Walker III (Senate District 20- Perry), seeks to meet the Department of Defense’s occupational licensing timelines requirements so as to qualify as a military friendly state and to improve workforce pipelines for military families seeking work in the state. The proposed legislation creates an expedited occupational licensure process of 30 days for military members and their spouses  in order to better support military families as they transition and support job acquisition in our state.

Of the eleven military installations in the state, Hub communities host nine which includes nearly 70,000 active-duty personnel, contributes an average of 30% of the local gross domestic product in each community, and provides substantial support  to their local economies. Prioritizing military friendly policies and legislation is vital to long term economic prosperity in our Hub communities, and for the state as a whole. The Hub Chamber Council positions our military and defense communities as a key element of business and overall community development.

“Through the collective effort of our local chamber presidents in each of our hub communities, the Hub Chamber Council is able to strategically engage on issues that have the greatest impact,” said Chris Clark, President and CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “I am grateful for their thoughtful leadership to address our workforce shortages and drive job creation and investment in our regional economies across the state.”

Original source can be found here.