Ed Rynders To Chair Confirmation Hearing

As I reported three weeks ago today, SB 200, the Transportation Reorganization bill, gave the House Transportation Committee a very unusual power – the power to confirm one particular appointment of the Governor. Normally in the General Assembly, as in the US Congress, the Senate has the confirmation power and the House of Representatives doesn’t get a say in any Executive appointment whatsoever.

However, a provision slipped in by lawmakers trying to kill the bill went unnoticed, and now the House of Representatives gets to confirm the Governor’s appointment of his new Transportation Planner – a ‘Transportation Czar’, if you will.

And Albany’s own State Rep Ed Rynders (R-Leesburg) is going to chair that hearing.

Why is this important?

First, Rynders has long been known as a strong proponent of the needs of rural Georgia, and that often puts him at odds with Atlanta power brokers. Placing him in charge of these confirmation hearing sends a strong signal from House Leadership that this will truly be a State Transportation Planning Director and not just an Atlanta Transportation Planning Director who happens to glance at the rest of the state every once in a while.

Second, SB 200 never really spelled out the differences between the Transportation Planner – a Governor appointee, now with House confirmation – and the DOT Commissioner – chosen by a vote in the House of Representatives, and currently former State Rep Vance Smith.

It is speculated that these confirmation hearings may try to get the Governor’s proposed appointee, Todd Long, to commit to certain roles for the two positions.

Now, the Governor’s spokesman, Bert Brantley, has said “This is a new position that’s going to require a personal touch, personal relationships, talent and knowledge. Todd offers the best of all of those things. Regardless of who’s doing it (the examination) or how it’s done, we’re confident they are going to find the same thing the governor did.”

These hearings are currently scheduled to take place in August, and will certainly be interesting to watch.