DELIVERING RESULTS FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY
Brad's platform
My entire life, I have had a passion for troubleshooting and solving problems. I enlisted in the Navy because I love this country, and I worked in the engineering department because I have always had a knack for fixing what’s broken. I sought a degree in engineering because I wanted to learn advanced techniques to solve the most complicated of problems. Now, I look at how my friends and neighbors in Cherokee are affected by the unique problems in our area and I feel called to action. I am running to be your representative in State House District 21 because I think the State of Georgia needs more people who want to solve problems and fewer who want to exacerbate them.
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As a part of our community, I understand the concerns of the residents of Cherokee County and will stay committed to real solutions and not short-term band-aids. I am a professional problem solver who wants to continue to make the most sensible and efficient decisions possible. I want to keep Georgia the best place to operate a business and Cherokee County the best place to start, raise a family, and retire. I want nothing more than to see the success of our community's neighbors, working families, seniors, veterans and ensure our children continue to have access to the American Dream!
As a FATHER, I am aware of the responsibilities we have to our children in ensuring they are ready for the challenges ahead. I will work with local school officials to ensure our children's educations are innovative and set them up for the future.
As a SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, I know the challenges faced by government regulation and taxation. I will focus on keeping our Government Small and Taxes Low for our Families and Businesses!
As a PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, I am a problem solver. I will use my skillset and work with our local county government to get some much needed relief for HWY 140 and funding to our area.
As a VETERAN, I know what it means to serve and fight for my country and fellow citizens. I want to see our neighbors spending more time doing what the love with those they love!
Responsible Growth
During the 2023 legislative session, I introduced House Bill 374. This legislation provides a process for property owners to de-annex from a city without the city having unilateral veto authority over the de-annexation. This legislation also includes safeguards for cities, including the ability for a city to object to a de-annexation if it harms the public’s health, safety, and welfare. This is a significant step towards addressing the challenges of managing the growth of Cherokee and slowing down the excessive use of annexations. Due to my efforts to balance the rights of property owners and local governing bodies, The Association County Commissioners of Georgia awarded me the 2023 Legislative Service Award. The excessive use of de-annexations is a promise that I initially campaigned for, and I am proud to have provided a solution.
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During the 2022 legislative session, I worked to stop the “Build to Rent" bills (HB 1093 and SB 494). These bills would have mandated local governments to allow large investment firms to construct entire subdivisions as rental units, which would have decreased the supply of housing and driven up house prices. I believe that sometimes preventing certain bills from passing can be just as important as introducing new ones.
protecting our children
I worked to ban Critical Race Theory and Related Curriculums in public schools during the 2022 legislative session and introduced House Bill 888. I partnered with policy specialists from Heritage Action for America and conservative public education experts like the Manhattan Institute to develop this legislation. Our country is founded on the principle that hard work and innovation lead to success for all citizens, regardless of skin color or other distinguishing features. This bill was incorporated into House Bill 1084, "The Protect Students First Act," and was adopted as a model policy for the rest of the country.
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Ensuring the safety of our children is my top priority, which is why, in this session, I proposed House Bill 1361. This bill aims to prevent the distribution of lewd and indecent material featuring children created using artificial intelligence technology. It is just one of the measures being taken to combat the rise of a new form of crime involving the use of AI-generated material.
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REducing Our Tax Burden
I have been receiving valuable feedback from our community regarding the recent increase in property taxes. Understandably, many residents are feeling the burden of having to pay additional taxes to the school system, especially after being exempt from them in the past. As the chair of our state legislative delegation, I am pleased to announce that the delegation has developed a comprehensive plan to address this issue. Senate Bill 388 is a critical piece of legislation that was just signed by the governor. Now, it's up to the voters to pass this referendum on May 21st, Election Day. If passed, the plan will grant exemption from ad valorem school taxes to each Cherokee County School District resident who has lived in the county for five years and is 62 years of age or older, for the full value of their home. This will provide tax relief for our seniors.
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This year, House Republicans continued to lead with tax reform bills House Bills 1021, 1019 and 1015 to help provide relief from the costs of inflation. We passed three major bills. One that increases the child tax deduction by $1,000, another that doubles the homestead exemption from $2,000 to $4,000. Last but not least, we cut the state income tax from 5.75% to 5.39%, returning $1.1 billion to Georgia taxpayers.
FIGHTING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
The Georgia House has passed several important bills to strengthen our communities. One such bill is HB 1105, the Georgia Criminal Alien Track and Report Act, which aims to combat illegal immigration by prohibiting sanctuary cities and requiring law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of detainees. The bill also mandates that any immigration detainer requests from the Department of Homeland Security be honored.
Another significant bill that passed is SB 63 Bail Reform, which expands the list of offenses that require bail and ensures that illegal immigrants who commit crimes are not granted bail. Additionally, HB 19 provides pay raises for law enforcement officers and security grants to improve school safety. The bill also allocates more resources to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
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Ensuring the safety and security of the citizens of Georgia is a matter that should not be influenced by political affiliations. The House is committed to protecting our communities by taking necessary measures. Recently, a new mechanism was introduced to hold district attorneys accountable for their actions. Senate Bill 332 empowers the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission to carry out its responsibilities effectively. The commission has appointed members, funding, and guidelines in place to accomplish its mission.
ENSURING ELEcTion integrity
AI-powered technology was already used in election interference in the New Hampshire primary this past January. To prevent this, I wrote HB 986, also known as the Stopping Deep Fakes bill. This legislation aims to prohibit campaigns and anonymous money groups from creating false but convincing depictions of individuals to influence an election unfairly. However, it's important to note that this law only applies to fake representations of another person, not to content that is obviously satirical or clearly fake. It is illegal for anyone to fraudulently use your biometric data, and this bill specifically targets politicians and their teams who may engage in such activities. The bill has already passed the House and Senate Committee and is ready for the next session.
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During the recent session, several bills were introduced to address various aspects of election integrity issues. On the final day of the session, known as Sine Die, some election bills were still being discussed and passed at midnight. Three significant bills, namely HB 1207, 974, and SB 189 successfully made it to the governor's desk. These bills require election workers to be citizens, allow candidates to verify ballot accuracy, set standards for poll watchers, protect election workers, require posting of scanned paper ballots, expand risk-limiting audits, remove the Secretary of State from the state elections board, and establish residency requirements for elections.
Supporting our Veterans
As a veteran, I am passionate about advocating for and raising awareness about the needs of my fellow veterans. I am committed to finding solutions that can improve their lives and dedicated to funding mental health services for Cherokee veterans.
Recently, the House passed a clean-up bill concerning veteran homestead exemptions. House Bill 871 clarifies the provisions of the homestead tax exemption for the spouses and minor children of qualified disabled veterans. This bill ensures that even if they move to another county, the spouse and minor children can still receive the homestead exemption.
Additionally, House Bill 880 allows military spouses to use an existing license in good standing from another state to obtain employment. These measures are steps towards bettering the lives of our veterans and their families.
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I also sponsored two bills to establish retirement/pensions and other provisions for the United States Space Force, HB 299 & 385.
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