Legislative briefs

House pays tribute to two members who died

The House on Tuesday honored two members who died last year, Reps. Calvin Hill and Quincy Murphy.

Lawmakers rose from their seats to applaud them. Surviving relatives were invited to join House Speaker David Ralston on the dais as photos of Hill and Murphy were displayed on video screens flanking them.

Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, introduced resolutions honoring Hill and Murphy. “This House was made better because of their service,” the speaker said.

A Republican from Canton, Hill, 66, died from leukemia in October. He was first elected in 2002 and served on the Appropriations Committee and Banks & Banking Committee. And he was chairman of the Code Revision Committee.

Murphy, a Democrat from Augusta, died in August after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 60. Like Hill, Murphy was first elected in 2002. Murphy served on the Appropriations and Higher Education committees.

— Jeremy Redmon

New tool to battle cockfighting introduced in House

Anyone who is caught watching an illegal cockfight would be guilty of a misdemeanor under legislation introduced Tuesday in the state House.

House Bill 724, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Sims, R-Ambrose, would give law enforcement another tool in its efforts to shut down the illegal industry. Cockfighting is already illegal in Georgia, but, Sims said, police cannot charge spectators at the fights unless they are caught in the act of gambling.

Sims said his sheriff asked for the bill.

“The sheriff can’t make a case against someone just standing around,” Sims said. “They may be gambling, but (police) can’t prove they’re gambling.”