Gaines & Wiedower Undecided On Bill Limiting Housing Regulation

Houston Gaines and Marcus Wiedower, who represent Oconee County in the Georgia House of Representatives, say they were asked to join as sponsors of House Bill 302, which would greatly restrict local regulation of one and two-family housing, but they declined.

The two said in a joint statement that “before supporting this bill, we want to fully understand the impact it may have” and that they will follow the bill “as it moves through the committee process.” Both are Republicans.

Spencer Frye, who represents Clarke County and is one of the bill’s six sponsors, said that the proposed legislation “is a consumer protection bill” that helps guarantee the rights of consumers “to low cost housing.”

Frye, who is one of two Democratic sponsors of the bill, said “At the end of the day, this is a Republican bill” and “Being on the bill gives me an opportunity to help be part of the discussions if we need to change it.”

The bill, which is opposed by the Georgia Municipal Association and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, is before the 24-member Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee, chaired by Tom McCall of Elberton, one of the bill’s Republican sponsors.

House Majority Leader Jon Burns from Newington, north of Savannah, is another of the bill’s sponsors and also is a member of the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee.

For more on the story, please go to Oconee County Observations.

Pictured: Gaines, Wiedower