1990 Election Campaign
Senator Hill began his political career in 1989, running for the state seat of District 4, held previously by Joe Kennedy for 24 years. Three Democrats ran for the seat: Lamar Deloach, Jack Hill, and Jim Martin. The primary election was on July 17th, 1990. Hill won 50% of the vote but failed to win the majority vote, and Martin received 31%. The morning after the election, one hundred and thirty votes were found in two separate voting locations that would have given Hill enough votes to win. However, a runoff election took place on August 7th between Hill and Martin. Hill won handily, with 61% of the vote and a 5,093 vote lead in the district.
Political Campaign Images [Sample]
1990 Political Positions
The issues Senator Hill stood for during the election campaign were:
- Drugs: He believed in required mandatory prison sentences with no plea and drug education beginning in elementary school.
- Healthcare: He believed in focusing on Rural Health Care as it is essential in maintaining the area's economic viability. Must preserve and assist and maintain rural hospitals to survive and thrive for the healthcare of his constituents.
- Agriculture and Economic Development: He believed in including agriculture communities in developing processing facilities and a world market for farms, forestry, and livestock products. He also thought economic development efforts should also include agricultural interests.
- Education: He believed in balancing statewide funding for urban and rural communities to ensure equal education for all.
Images from 1990-2002 [Sample]
1990 Campaign Ads [Sample]
"Thank You for Your Confidence in Re-electing Me to the Senate for Two More Years!" Senator Hill newspaper survey
As a Democratic Senator
Senator-elect Hill served on four key Senate standing committees for the 1991- 1992 session of the Georgia General Assembly. Lieutenant Governor-elect Pierre Howard appointed Hill membership of the Appropriations Committee, which was odd for a first-term senator, assigned to the Transportation Committee as Secretary, Member of the Senate Corrections Committee, and Member of the Natural Resources Committee.
Early in his career, Senator Hill proved to be a hard worker. In 1991, Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard described Senator Hill as
1990-2002 Committees Senator Hill Was a Part of and Legislation He Supported
Senator Hill, to ensure the policies he campaigned for were fulfilled, served on numerous committees and dedicated his time in office to passing innovative legislation from 1990 to 2002 such as:
- Former Chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee
- Former Vice Chairman of Corrections, Correctional Institutions, and Properties Committee
- Former Chairman of the Education Committee
- Former Vice Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee
- Founding Chairman of the Ethics Panel
- Member of the Education Committee, Finance Committee, and Public Utilities Committees
- Member of the Senate Study Committee on Post-Secondary Technical and Adult Education Finance
- Member of the Senate Study Committee on Local Education Finance Review
- Served on the Transportation Committee, Appropriations Committee, and Ethics Committee
- Chaired a Senate Study Committee on Job Creation and Retention
- Chair Senate Rural Hospital and Healthcare Study Committee to try to improve access to healthcare in rural Georgia
- Chaired the Senate Recycling Markets Study Committee
- 1992 and 1993 General Assemblies, headed Senate Rule policy legislation adopted, including expanding the state's job tax credit to spur new and expanded industry in economically depressed areas of the state.
- 1993 General Assembly, sponsored legislation that requires the state governor to take a leadership role in encouraging recycling and set goals for the purchase of recycled materials
- 1994 General Assembly, cosponsored anti-DUI legislation which targets underage drinkers and closes loopholes in the state’s drunk driving laws
- 1995 General Assembly, sponsored legislation that adds a 5% surcharge to fines posted in criminal cases to fund victims' assistance programs
- 1998, Sponsored legislation that cut unemployment taxes and extended tax accounts for the “Drug-Free Workplace Program.”
- 1997 he headed a Senate study committee on young drivers which resulted in the passage of the Teen Driver Responsibility Act.
- 1999, authored legislation ensuring the use of other lists in drawing a jury pool. It is now required for the Clerks of the Court to use additional sources, including driver's license information.
- Authored legislation to encourage cooperation between city and county officials in the development of regional facilities to spur economic growth
- Authored legislation bringing automated defibrillators under the state's “Good Samaritan” law used for people in cardiac arrest.
- Authored Early Voting Legislation, introduced with the support of Secretary of State Cathy Cox. This legislation would allow voting 15 days before primaries, some weekdays, nights, and two Saturdays before primaries or general elections.
- Co-sponsored a bill that requires one minute of quiet reflection at the beginning of each day in Georgia's public school classrooms.
- Fought for the “BEST Tax Incentive Program,” extending tax incentives for all Georgia companies and increasing shipping tonnage through Georgia’s ports.
- 1999, helped create the Vidalia Onion Research Center, which works with University of Georgia researchers on solving plant issues for Vidalia onion growers and conducting research on other vegetables grown in the area.