White shrimp Ga.’s official crustacean
Gov. Brian Kemp brought his billsigning tour to Brunswick Thursday, signing a package of measures related to coastal issues.
House Bill 1341 declares the white shrimp Georgia’s official crustacean. White shrimp account for 70% of the state’s annual shrimp harvest, Kemp told coastal Georgia political and business leaders during a ceremony at the state Department of Natural Resources Coastal Regional Headquarters.
House Speaker Jon Burns said having an official state crustacean will help promote Georgia white shrimp to consumers at restaurants and grocery stores.
“It’s a family business. It’s gone on in our state for generations,” said Burns, R-Newington. “We want to ensure the opportunity continues to exist in the future.”
Kemp also signed House Bill 1041, which will increase the bonding capacity for the Savannah Convention Center to $400 million; House Bill 244 updating state hunting and fishing regulations; and House Bill
206, which will create a statewide program letting local development authorities help property owners finance improvements.
The governor has been traveling the state during the last two weeks signing bills the General Assembly passed during the recent legislative session. Last week, he signed a series of tax cuts in Augusta and a package of health-care bills in Athens.
This week, Kemp stayed home in Atlanta to sign education-related bills and legislation aimed at human trafficking at the state Capitol before heading to Brunswick for Thursday’s signing ceremony.
Kemp has until May 7 to sign or veto this year’s crop of bills. Anything he doesn’t sign or veto by that deadline would become law automatically.