Chairman Matt Hatchett, Senate President Pro Tempore Larry Walker Appointed by Governor Kemp to Nominating Committee Following Suspension of Dublin City Board of Education

ATLANTA - House Appropriations Chairman Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) and Senate President Pro Tempore Larry Walker (R-Perry) were recently appointed by Governor Brian Kemp to serve on the Dublin City Board of Education Nominating Committee, which will propose nominations for temporary replacements following Gov. Kemp's suspension of all seven board members through an executive order. The suspensions followed an August 12, 2026, State Board of Education hearing, after which the State Board unanimously voted to recommend the suspension of the entire board.

"We recognize the importance of this responsibility and want to ensure that we do what is right for the students, families and educators of Dublin City Schools. We look forward to working together to help identify the best individuals to serve the school system during this transition," said Chairman Hatchett.

"This is an important moment for Dublin City Schools, and our focus must remain squarely on improving outcomes for students, families, educators and ultimately taxpayers who fund the school system," said Pro Tempore Walker. "The work of this committee is crucial to restore confidence and stability to Dublin City Schools. I appreciate Governor Kemp entrusting us with this responsibility, and I look forward to working with the committee to recommend individuals who will put the interests of Dublin's students first."

Under the Governor's executive order, the committee is charged with making nominations to the Governor for temporary replacements to serve on the Dublin City Board of Education. The committee brings together state and local leaders and community representatives to help identify qualified individuals to guide the school system during this transition.

In addition to Chairman Hatchett and Pro Tem Walker, the committee will include State Board of Education member Matt Donaldson, who will serve as chairman and represents the congressional district in which the Dublin City Board of Education is located; Phil Best, former mayor of the City of Dublin; and Edwin May, a member of the Dublin-Laurens County Economic Development Authority.

The full text of Gov. Kemp's executive order may be found here.

Representative Matt Hatchett represents the citizens of District 155, which includes Johnson and Laurens counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and currently serves as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. He also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health, Rules, Rural Development committees and as an Ex-Officio member of the Ways & Means Committee. He also serves on the Special Committee on Resource Management.

Sen. Larry Walker III serves as President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Pulaski, Treutlen and Wilcox counties, as well as a portion of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at [email protected].

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