House Bill 346 - The Tenant Retaliation Bill

I had a conversation with State Representative Sharon Cooper R-43rd-East Cobb, and what a conversation it was! I was so impressed with her caring, free spirit demeanor. Me being a free-spirited passionate person myself, one can only appreciate seeing the passion in others. Sharon Cooper has a lot of passion.

I wanted to know what prompted her to push HB 346 through the House and the Senate without knowing one single person from a community that was in dire need of help. She informed me she was watching TV and happened to see the story on the news. She jumped to action immediately the very next day, pulling together legislators to help her draft the Bill. Not only did she push it through the House and the Senate, she got it on Governor Kemp's desk for his signature, and he signed it on May 8, 2019 to take affect July 1, 2019. What an accomplishment!

These four (4) legislators are my sheros/heros. To take on an issue that occurred having nothing to do with their immediate district and follow it all the way to Governor Kemp's desk is simply amazing. These four (4) are the epitome of what a public servant should be. If you happen to come in contact with each of them please, by all means shake their hands and thank them for their service to our community.

If you notice the list of legislators, there is not one there from our representation in South Cobb. Where was Erica Thomas, where was Horacena Tate, where was David Wilkerson, where was Doc Rhett (He did however, vote for the bill out of his Senate Committee), and where was Lisa Cupid (Our District 4 Commissioner who lives around the corner from where all of this was going on).... A community in dire need of help and not one of our elected representative reached out to do anything to help the living conditions of these constituents, but now they are volleying for their votes. I know a couple of the representatives I mentioned doesn't serve the district, but they serve as public servants, just like Sharon Cooper, Houston Gaines, Jan Jones and Deborah Silcox. These 4 (four) took on the battle and fought it and won.

We have to STOP making excuses for our representatives and stop giving them our vote, if we get nothing from them. Our community is dying day by day and not one of our representatives have stepped in to lend a hand as Sharon Cooper, Houston Gaines, Jan Jones and Deborah Silcox did.

HB346 was created and passed with good intentions, as the passion in Sharon Cooper's voice confirmed. But, we are already seeing the bill abused by some. It doesn't mean you can stop paying your rent for 6 (six) or 7 (seven) months, face eviction, then sue the landlord. It is so sad when something that was created to be for the greater good is turned into something that it was never intended to be in the first place. It puts the entire community in a dark place, almost like the boy who cried wolf. I support HB 346 to the fullest, but what I don't support is someone using it for selfish intentions, making it hard for people who actually need the protection.

As we enter this election cycle we have to think about our future, the seniors, our children, our grandchildren in making this community a better place for all of them. We have to VOTE representation that works for us, not against us, and stop electing those that doesn't work for our community at all.

CAST YOUR VOTE CAREFULLY as your community is depending on YOU!

Link to bill: www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20192020/187010.pdf

"Where there is no vision, the people perish"