Update to an earlier report: This article includes new information about a story we previously covered. Read our earlier report.
State Rep. Jesse Petrea is seeking re-election in House District 166, which covers Chatham and Bryan counties.
He has held the seat for more than a decade and is emphasizing public safety, economic opportunity, growth and infrastructure ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Petrea authored House Bill 1105, which requires sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
He said the measure leads to deportations when people who are in the country illegally later break Georgia law.
Petrea also pointed to a bill he supported to create job incentives for the timber industry.
He cited mill closures around Georgia and described the state as the nation’s leader in timber. He argued that restoring jobs in the industry is important both for workers and for preserving Georgia’s forested land, which he said covers about two-thirds of the state.
For local businesses, Petrea cited a measure he sponsored that requires restaurants to identify the country of origin of shrimp they serve.
He said his work has aided local shrimpers. He also said his efforts have expanded Medicaid to able-bodied workers and helped keep green spaces, including Green Island, from development.
Petrea described violent crime as a community concern, attributing it to a small number of repeat violent offenders.
He cited legislation that provides crime victims with notice of parole and allows district attorneys to receive inmates’ behavioral records before parole. Petrea said his work is intended to keep violent offenders off the streets.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
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