Savannah Standard

State Representative Jesse Petrea and State Senator Ben Watson have introduced legislation aimed at holding promoters of unpermitted events accountable for any costs resulting from those events. The proposed bills, Senate Bill 443 and House Bill 1079, would allow local governments to sue promoters or organizers of unpermitted events that create a public nuisance and impede the work of government employees.

According to Rep. Petrea, the legislation is a common-sense measure to ensure that promoters work with municipalities to obtain legal permits for hosting events. He states, "If we are successful in passing this legislation to give cities this tool, any promoters of unpermitted events need to understand that they are on the hook to pay for expenses incurred by that unpermitted event."

Sen. Watson explains that the need for these legislative tools became apparent after discussions with Tybee Island officials, local government representatives, and legal counsel. He emphasizes the importance of addressing situations where event promoters attempt to bypass permitting processes.

The proposed tools have received support from the citizens of Tybee Island, who have seen the high costs associated with responding to unpermitted events. Tybee Island Mayor Brian West expresses gratitude towards the legislators for their work, stating, "The citizens of Tybee Island support these proposed tools for Tybee to address the high costs of responding to promoter-generated events that don’t go through the permitting process, stress our public safety resources, and prove to be a financial burden on our taxpayers."

In addition to the legislation introduced, Sen. Watson and Rep. Petrea plan to sponsor another bill that would address the technological needs of the Tybee Island Court and Police Department. This legislation, which is set to be introduced soon, would authorize the city's municipal court to adopt a fee on citations to fund necessary hardware, software, and associated equipment for cameras.

The full text of House Bill 1079 and Senate Bill 443 can be found on the respective links.

This announcement by Rep. Jesse Petrea and Sen. Ben Watson demonstrates their commitment to providing legislative tools that will enable the City of Tybee Island and other local governments to hold promoters of unpermitted events accountable for the costs incurred. These proposed measures aim to ensure public safety, traffic control, and sanitation services while relieving the financial burden on taxpayers.