{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kevin Tanner | image = KevinTanner.jpg | caption = House photo of Tanner in 2014 | term_start = December 16, 2022 | predecessor = Judy Fitzgerald | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|02|10}} | birth_place = | spouse = Stacie | children = 4 | party = Republican | governor = Brian Kemp | office = Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities | office2 = Member of the Georgia House of Representatives for the 9th District | term_end2 = January 11, 2021 | term_start2 = January 14, 2013 | successor2 = Will Wade | predecessor2 = Amos Amerson }}
'''Kevin Tanner''' (born February 10, 1972) is an American contractor and politician in Georgia. Tanner serves as the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Kevin Tanner {{!}} Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities |url=https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/kevin-tanner |access-date=2024-01-17 |website=dbhdd.georgia.gov |language=en}}</ref> He previously served as the District 9 member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 2013 to 2021.<ref name=Bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.ga.gov/representatives/en-US/Member.aspx?Member=836&Session=27|title=Representative Kevin Tanner |publisher=Georgia House of Representatives|accessdate=April 14, 2020}}</ref>
== Career == Tanner previously served as a chief deputy sheriff and the Dawson County manager.<ref>Jeff Amy, [https://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia/2020/03/08/parties-to-compete-in-all-14-georgia-congressional-districts/ Parties to compete in all 14 Georgia congressional districts], Associated Press (March 8, 2020).</ref> In 2011 he was recognized as the "Appointed Official of the Year" by the Georgia Association of County Commissioners and appeared in ''Georgia Trend Magazine''<nowiki/>'s 2007 "40 Under 40" list.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilder |first=Shannon |date=2007-10-01 |title=40 Under 40: The Best & Brightest |url=https://www.georgiatrend.com/2007/10/01/40-under-40-the-best-brightest/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=Georgia Trend Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
===State House tenure=== Tanner was sworn into the Georgia House on January 14, 2013.<ref name=Bio/>
In 2013, Tanner introduced legislation that would classify the identity of companies that supply execution drugs to Georgia as a "confidential state secret" so as to prevent any threats or harassment against the companies or their employees. The bill was enacted.<ref>Elly Yu, [https://www.wabe.org/why-secrecy-surrounds-lethal-injection-drugs-georgia/ Why Secrecy Surrounds Lethal Injection Drugs In Georgia], WABE (March 4, 2015).</ref>
Tanner is anti-abortion, and voted in favor of the "fetal heartbeat bill" in the Georgia House.<ref name=JohnsonFYNTV>Bill Johnson, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200414170500/https://white.fetchyournews.com/2019/04/09/gooch-tanner-discuss-bills-passed-in-general-assembly/ Gooch, Tanner discuss bills passed in General Assembly], FYNTV (April 9, 2019).</ref> He voted for the purchase of new electronic voting machines for Georgia, in a measure that passed along a party-line vote, and claimed in 2019 that "the best way to rig or cheat in an election is paper ballots."<ref name=JohnsonFYNTV/>
In 2015, Tanner was the sponsor of legislation that would restrict police from using "no-knock warrants" at nighttime (between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) in most circumstances.<ref>Aaron Gould Sheinin, [https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/bill-puts-limits-knock-warrants/gIIMI724SM910KnaFFDsiI/ Bill puts limits on no-knock warrants], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (January 14, 2015).</ref>
In 2016, Tanner sponsored legislation to regulate the use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones) in Georgia.<ref>Shelby Lin Erdman, [https://www.gpb.org/news/2016/02/25/drone-legislation-takes-flight-georgia-general-assembly Drone Legislation Takes Flight In Georgia General Assembly] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013203242/http://www.gpb.org/news/2016/02/25/drone-legislation-takes-flight-georgia-general-assembly |date=2016-10-13 }}, Georgia Public Broadcasting (February 25, 2016).</ref>
In 2016, Tanner was the lead sponsor of legislation to allow businesses to refuse services to same-sex couples on the basis of religious beliefs.<ref>Kristina Torres, [https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/bill-lets-businesses-refuse-services-gay-couples-georgia/Xm99O5RIbYeWIJOsTutoqI/ Bill lets businesses refuse services to gay couples in Georgia], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (January 13, 2016).</ref>
In the House, Tanner served as chairman of the Transportation Committee,<ref name=Schramm>Rebekka Schramm, [https://www.cbs46.com/news/georgia-house-attempts-to-dismantle-senate-s-airport-takeover-plan/article_44353e02-5209-11e9-8018-a7446ab1ba0d.html Georgia House attempts to dismantle Senate's airport takeover plan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904193710/https://www.cbs46.com/news/georgia-house-attempts-to-dismantle-senate-s-airport-takeover-plan/article_44353e02-5209-11e9-8018-a7446ab1ba0d.html |date=2019-09-04 }}, WGCL-TV (March 29, 2019).</ref> at a time when transportation issues became high-profile in Georgia.<ref>Jim Galloway, [https://www.ajc.com/blog/politics/the-year-that-transit-became-potent-election-year-issue-metro-atlanta/32aXv56piaNPlTp0kxA6HI/ The year that transit became a potent election-year issue in metro Atlanta], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (February 17, 2018).</ref>
In 2018 and 2019, Tanner proposed a rural transportation bill. The legislation passed the House overwhelmingly, but died in the Senate amid opposition from the Georgia Department of Transportation, which objected to the portions of the bill that would have consolidated state transit operations.<ref>David Wickert, [https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/sponsor-says-talks-came-too-late-save-rural-georgia-transit-bill/lqKGtBxKRw9EnQQ2Eq2uAP/ Sponsor says talks came too late to save rural Georgia transit bill], ''Atlantic Journal-Constitution'' (April 3, 2019).</ref>
In March 2019, Tanner and House members passed a measure to establishing a legislative oversight committee to monitor the operations of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Georgia's other commercial airports.<ref name=OptsFor>[https://www.theatlantavoice.com/articles/georgia-house-opts-for-airport-oversight-not-takeover/ Georgia House opts for airport oversight, not takeover], Associated Press (April 1, 2019).</ref> The legislation was a milder version of a more controversial state Senate bill, which would have implemented a state takeover of Hartsfield–Jackson Airport.<ref name=OptsFor/><ref name=Schramm/><ref name=AJCAirports>Kelly Yamanouchi & James Salzer, [https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/georgia-house-backs-airport-oversight-instead-takeover/cVRFVOcI8XVhpcp13oOLxI/ Georgia House backs airport oversight instead of takeover], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (March 28, 2019).</ref> The House legislation, which passed 104–70, also included a jet fuel tax break for airlines and a rural transportation package.<ref name=AJCAirports/>
===2020 congressional campaign=== {{main|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Georgia#District 9}} In 2020, Tanner officially announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for Congress in Georgia's 9th congressional district, for the seat vacated by Republican U.S. Representative Doug Collins, who ran for U.S. Senate.<ref name=Popp>Alexander Popp, [https://www.forsythnews.com/news/politics/kevin-tanner-announces-bid-replace-doug-collins-congress/ Kevin Tanner announces bid to replace Doug Collins in Congress], ''Forsyth County News'' (February 1, 2020).</ref>
The congressional district is a Republican safe seat. Tanner ran against former Representative Paul Broun, State Senator John Wilkinson, State Representative Matt Gurtler, and business owner Andrew Clyde in the Republican primary.<ref name=Kilgore>Ed Kilgore, [https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/04/ga-candidate-raffles-ar-15-for-looting-hordes-from-atlanta.html Georgia Republican Raffles Assault Rifle to Defend Against 'Looting Hordes From Atlanta'], ''New York'' (April 7, 2020).</ref> Tanner, like the other candidates for the Republican nomination,<ref name=Kilgore/> ran on a conservative, pro-Donald Trump message.<ref name=Popp/><ref name=Kilgore/> He vowed to combat what he asserted to be "attempts to overthrow an election through this impeachment nonsense, socialists running for president, a resistance to support President Trump in building the wall, and Nancy Pelosi and the Socialist Squad trying to destroy our values."<ref name=Kilgore/> Tanner's candidacy was backed by influential Georgia Republicans, including former Governor Nathan Deal and allies of Governor Brian Kemp.<ref>Jim Galloway, Greg Bluestein & Tia Mitchell, [https://www.ajc.com/blog/politics/the-jolt-donald-trump-wanted-gop-voters-vote-for-bernie-sanders-they-didn/B8Xeso3mcltxIgTD3mj7KJ/ The Jolt/Political Insider], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution'' (March 2, 2020).</ref>
===Term as commissioner=== Following Andrew Clyde's Republican nomination and eventual election to the U.S. House, Tanner left the Georgia House of Representatives. On December 22, 2021, Tanner was selected by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners to serve as the county manager. Tanner began this role on January 11, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=News {{!}} Tanner Named Forsyth County Manager |url=https://www.forsythco.com/News/tanner-named-forsyth-county-manager1 |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=www.forsythco.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
Following Governor Kemp's election to a second term, Tanner was selected to serve as the commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disorders. The DBHDD currently serves as the primary government agency for all mental health services in the state. Tanner began this role in December 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-17 |title=Kemp names Kevin Tanner to run Georgia mental health agency |url=https://www.wabe.org/kemp-names-kevin-tanner-to-run-georgia-mental-health-agency/ |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=WABE |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Personal life== Tanner's wife is Stacie Tanner. They have four children. Tanner and his family live in Dawsonville, Georgia.<ref name=Bio/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://ballotpedia.org/Kevin_Tanner Kevin Tanner at ballotpedia.org]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tanner, Kevin}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives Category:Candidates in the 2020 United States House of Representatives elections Category:1972 births Category:21st-century members of the Georgia General Assembly