Senate moves ahead on bill to honor Miller

If OK’D, a committee will oversee a statue of former governor.

A statue of former Gov. Zell Miller could join the collection of monuments on the Georgia Capitol grounds.

Miller, a former two-term governor and U.S. senator who created Georgia’s HOPE scholarship, died in 2018.

The Georgia Senate on Monday unanimously approved legislation that would establish a committee to approve the design and placement of a monument to Miller somewhere on the Capitol grounds or inside the building.

“He passed the (Georgia) Lottery years ago that has sent thousands and thousands of people to get higher education that may never have had a chance,

ever,” said Senate Rules Chairman Jeff Mullis, a Chickamauga Republican and the bill’s sponsor. “This is a bill that I think we can all be proud of — of the man that gave us the HOPE scholarship.”

Senate Bill 140 would create a monument committee of three members each from the Georgia House and Senate who would be tasked with approving the design, acquisition and placement of the monument. No public money would be spent on the monument, which Mullis said would be paid for by private donations.

SB 140 now heads to the House for consideration.

Former Gov. Zell Miller is lauded for creating the HOPE scholarship.