With the legislative session behind him, state Rep. Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners) stopped by 45 South Cafe in downtown Norcross to share what state leaders did under the Gold Dome this year.
Hilton represents District 48 constituents in Peachtree Corners and north Fulton County. However, he was first elected to the District 95 seat in 2016, which included about half of the city of Norcross before statewide redistricting in 2020.
Hilton endorsed a few Republican candidates for statewide office: Rick Jackson for governor, Derek Dooley for U.S. Senate, both Georgia Supreme Court incumbents, and anyone but State Superintendent Richard Woods.
“I’m endorsing change, anybody but the incumbent [Woods],” Hilton said. “He’s a nice gentleman. He’s been in office now for 12 years. Our literacy rate in third grade is 38%, and that’s unacceptable.”
In the May 19 primary, Horton and Democratic candidate Adam Cleveland are unchallenged.
Governor signs education bills
Hilton serves as the secretary of the State House’s Education Committee and chairman of the Information & Audits Committee. He and his wife, Meredith, have three teenagers.
“We passed several meaningful education-related bills this year,” Hilton said. “The first of which was the literacy bill … a major piece of legislation modeled after what Mississippi did.”
The “Mississippi Miracle” refers to the Southern state’s rapid improvement in reading scores since 2013, from last to 16th in the nation. Georgia’s new law, House Bill 1193, budgets for 1,300 new literacy coaches, one for each elementary school.
“It’s frustrating with how much money we spend on education and the results we get,” Hilton said. “I’d like to see, frankly, a lot more accountability in education, from an investor’s standpoint.”
Gov. Brian Kemp signed several education-related bills into law on May 5, supporting math education, expanding after-school programs, and evaluating state programs.
HB 1009, sponsored by Hilton, expands the prohibition of electronic devices in public schools to include high school students. The law builds on HB 340, signed by the governor last year, which banned personal devices in K-8 classrooms.
“It’s intentionally short because we want locals to decide what works best,” Hilton said. “About 30+ states have done this, red, blue. The outcomes have been really awesome, life-changing. Kids now are getting higher grades, higher test scores … there are fewer fights in the hallways.”
Republican’s post-session outlook
Norcross PDC attendees asked Hilton about Senate Bill 33, which caps the annual increase to a home’s taxable value. Previously, local governments could decide whether to opt out of implementing the assessment cap in HB 581.
“It can’t be any higher than the rate of inflation or 3%,” Hilton said. “So basically, we’re just asking the government to do what is expected of us, live within our means.”
Hilton said there are two reasons Gov. Brian Kemp may call a special session later this year: redrawing the congressional map for the 2028 election or replacing QR codes on ballots with another system.
“We do need to, as a result of that [Supreme Court ruling], redistrict at some point,” Hilton said. “The governor made the decision, I think rightfully so … we’re not going to stop voting in the midst of voting and redraw the maps.”
State law bans QR codes from being used to tally votes after July 1, and the Georgia General Assembly failed to pass any legislation reversing course or funding another tabulation method.
Despite the uncertainty around elections, Hilton said his time as a state legislator has given him an appreciation for how well the state of Georgia is managed.
“We have a triple-A bond rating, a balanced budget, and we’re also reducing your taxes at the same time,” Hilton said. “There are other states that don’t have that same luxury that we do … a lot are having to increase taxes and cut spending.”
