[1]photo, Georgia General Assembly
Despite a Resolution to end the 2018 General Assembly at midnight yesterday, Republican Speaker David Ralston kept the evening going well past that hour. He told the House members that the senate was still going ( it wasn’t, they were waiting for him) and that the House would not adjourn for the year until two bills were transmitted over from the other chamber. One of those bills was HB 978 [2] – legislation that deals with cameras and “automated traffic enforcement.” [3]
The bills eventually arrived from the senate and the now restless and paper ball-tossing members were called back to order to vote to agree on both bills (we think the other bill was HB951).
What would be so important about these measures that the Speaker would hold the House in session past the deadline?
This is out of our area of expertise, but several sources inside the legislature assure us that HB978 would help put money directly into the pockets of Ralston’s son, Matt Ralston [4] who apparently works for or helps with contracting for state use of the school zone roadway cameras that automatically dispense citations to violators.
Maybe the reporters who get paid to sniff out corruption in Georgia government will take a look at this one…
BONUS: A little insight into the business dealings and influence of Speaker David Ralston outside the state Capitol here. [5]