House of Representatives. He is the Chairman of the House Economic Development & Tourism

Committee. He is also a member of the Appropriations, Rules, and Ways and Means

Committees.

Representative Stephens is a graduate from Armstrong State & Mercer University with a degree

in Pharmacy. He and his wife, Janice, have two daughters, Karen and Ashlin, and one grandson

Walker Reese. The Stephens’ are members of the Richmond Hill Baptist Church. Representative

Stephens has spent thirty-five years as a pharmacist. Before being elected to the House, Rep.

Stephens earned a seat as a City Councilman in Garden City. Proven a consensus builder and a

member who can reach across party lines, Rep. Stephens was selected as the Vice-Chair of the

Appropriations Health subcommittee and as a member of the Economic Development

subcommittee, under a democratic majority and leadership.

Rep. Stephens was selected as the Chair of the Economic Development & Tourism Committee

because of his experience of over thirteen years in the General Assembly. Representative

Stephens is passionate about protecting and strengthening Georgia’ tourism business. He has

served on the Appropriations Committee for thirteen years. Representative Stephens is the coauthor

of the first floating homestead exemption in Georgia now applying in more than 50 taxing

districts in the state which effectively freezes property taxes for the homeowner. It is known as

the STEPHENS-DAY Bill HB 350. He also served and was pioneer on the original tourism study

committee that led to the formation of the current Economic Development and Tourism

Committee which earned him the Leadership Award for efforts to bring non-traditional tourism

industries over to the tourism side.

• 2012 The Charitable Care Network Chairman’s Award

• 2012 The Shooting Star Award, from Georgia Production Partnership

• 2008 Legislator of the Year by the Governor ’s Tourism Conference

• 2008 Star of Life Legislative Award Georgia Emergency Medical Services

• 2007 Legislator of the Year Award GHPA (Public Health Departments)

• 2006 Herb & Franklin Traub Visionary Award from the Savannah Area Tourism

Leadership Council

• 2006 Representative of the Year Award from the Georgia Retail Association

• 2005 Hospital Association Legislator of the Year

• 2004 Champion of Georgia Cities Award by Georgia Municipal Association

• 2004 Legislator of the Year Award Georgia Pharmacy Association

• 2003 State Tourism Champion of the Year Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia

• 2002 Champion of Georgia Cities Award by Georgia Municipal Association

• 2002 Legislator of the Year Award Association County Commissioners of Georgia

• 1999 Senior Citizen ’s Inc. Legislator of the Year Award

• Carl Henderson Award from Mercer University