Deal signs bill to designate funding for burn trauma centers

In Augusta and Columbia County today, Gov. Nathan Deal signed three bills into law. The governor signed HB 307, a bill that designates burn trauma centers treating the largest portion of significant burn cases -- at least 300 patients annually -- as designated facilities of the Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission.

“Despite Georgia’s fast-paced growth and a population of more than 9.8 million people in our state, we have only two major burn trauma centers, which bear the demand of treating patients with serious burn injuries. One center is at Doctors Hospital in Augusta; the other is at Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” said Deal. “This designation will permit Georgia Trauma Care Network Commission funding for the treatment of indigent burn victims at these burn centers.

“We must ensure our state is well-positioned to continue to provide critical care to victims of these life-threatening injuries.”

Deal signed the bill during a ceremony at the Enterprise Mill in Augusta. While there, Deal also enacted SB 240, a bill that creates a new class of motor vehicles and personal transportation vehicles (golf carts). Georgia is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of golf carts, and this legislation aims not only to promote the use of golf carts but also to support job growth in the state.

Earlier in the day during the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce’s post-legislative session breakfast at Savannah Rapids Pavilion in Martinez, he signed HB 280, which allows counties and municipalities with excess 911 funds to utilize that money for 911-related expenses. Currently that money was restricted to expenses as defined when the Georgia Emergency Telephone Act was passed in 1977, and HB 280 permits money to be spent on modern technologies. Deal was joined by Columbia County Sheriff Clay Whittle for the bill signing.

Bills can be read in their entirety at http://www.legis.ga.gov/en-US/default.aspx

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Civil Rights Leaders Call for Halt to Water Fluoridation

/PRNewswire/ -- Because fluoride can disproportionately harm poor citizens and black families, Atlanta civil rights leaders, Andrew Young and Dr. Gerald Durley, have asked Georgia legislators to repeal the state's mandatory water fluoridation law, reports Fluoride Action Network (FAN).

Andrew Young, former U.N. Ambassador and former Atlanta Mayor, along with Reverend Dr. Gerald Durley, Pastor of Providence Baptist Church in Atlanta, both inductees in the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame, expressed concerns about the fairness, safety, and full disclosure regarding fluoridation in letters to the state's minority and majority legislative leaders. (4,5)

Fluoride chemicals, added to 96% of Georgia's public drinking water supplies are meant to prevent tooth decay, especially in the poor. Yet, 61% of low-income Georgia third-graders have tooth decay compared to 51% from higher income families - and 33% and 20%, respectively, have untreated cavities showing a dire need for dental care. (1)

"We also have a cavity epidemic today in our inner cities that have been fluoridated for decades," wrote Ambassador Young.

Studies show that despite fluoridation, tooth decay is higher in blacks (2) along with fluoride overexposure symptoms - dental fluorosis or discolored teeth.(3)

Dr. Durley wrote, "The National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences has designated kidney patients, diabetics, seniors, and babies as 'susceptible subpopulations' that are especially vulnerable to harm from ingested fluorides. Black citizens are disproportionately affected by kidney disease and diabetes, and are therefore more impacted by fluorides."(4)

Ambassador Young wrote, "I am most deeply concerned for poor families who have babies: if they cannot afford unfluoridated water for their babies' milk formula, do their babies not count? Of course they do. This is an issue of fairness, civil rights, and compassion. We must find better ways to prevent cavities, such as helping those most at risk for cavities obtain access to the services of a dentist."(5)

Dr. Durley's letter to the legislators also says, "I support the holding of Fluoridegate hearings at the state and national level so we can learn why we haven't been openly told that fluorides build up in the body over time (and) why our government agencies haven't told the black community openly that fluorides disproportionately harm black Americans…"

An American Association for Justice Newsletter for trial lawyers describes potential fluoride legal actions based on personal injury, consumer fraud, and civil rights harm.(6)

In a letter to their state's Health Commissioner, a bipartisan group of Tennessee legislators expressed their concern about fluoridation's undesirable impact on babies and other groups.(7)

A bipartisan group of New York City Council Members has also introduced legislation to stop fluoridation in NYC. (8)

Daniel G. Stockin of The Lillie Center Inc., a Georgia-based firm working to end the practice of fluoridation says, "You can look for even more leaders and persons harmed by fluoridation to speak out now."

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposes to lower water fluoride levels to alleviate the growing dental fluorosis epidemic. FAN submitted scientific evidence to HHS indicating that fluoridation must stop completely to preserve health, documenting that:

* HHS has failed to consider fluoride's impact on the brain. Fluoride has been linked to lowered IQ in 24 human studies, and over 100 animal studies have reported damage to the brain.
* Infants who are fed formula made with fluoridated tap water will receive up to 175 times more fluoride than breast-fed infants. Infants 0-6 months old, the smallest and most vulnerable in our population, were completely excluded from risk calculations in HHS's proposal.
* African-American children and low-income children suffer from the highest rates of dental fluorosis, including the most severe forms of the condition. The HHS has failed to take any steps to redress this inequity, thereby making fluoridation an Environmental Justice issue.


(Ref: FAN submission to HHS, Feb 4, 2011. http://fluoridealert.org/fan-comments.html)

Young stated, "My father was a dentist. I formerly was a strong believer in the benefits of water fluoridation for preventing cavities. But many things that we began to do 50 or more years ago we now no longer do, because we have learned further information that changes our practices and policies. So it is with fluoridation."

Paul Connett, PhD, Director of FAN says, "Fluoridation is unnecessary, unethical, the benefits wildly exaggerated and the risks minimized."

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House Passes Legislation to Protect Georgians Against Threats from Celebratory Gunfire

The Georgia House of Representatives today (March 28) passed House Resolution 341 by a vote of 139 to 23. Introduced by State Representative Michele Henson (D-Stone Mountain), this legislation serves to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with celebratory gunfire.

“The loss of an innocent human life is always tragic, but it seems even more so when it is caused by a thoughtless random act,” said Rep. Henson. “There are times we all want to celebrate special occasions, but it is never right to celebrate in a way that endangers human life – it is never right to celebrate with random gunfire.”

Celebratory gunfire is the illegal practice of randomly firing a weapon into the air. While the practice may be done with the best of intentions, many fail to realize the dangerous unintended consequences these actions create in the surrounding areas. This incredibly reckless form of celebration most often occurs during holidays like the 4th of July and New Years Eve. During 2009 and 2010, one metro Atlanta county reported over 5,000 calls concerning people discharging firearms on these two holidays.

HR 341 seeks to end the practice of celebratory gunfire by urging governmental and private entities to promote public awareness of the dangers associated with celebratory gunfire. The resolution further urges state and local governments as well as law enforcement agencies to better educate Georgians about the serious threats created by firing a weapon into the air during celebration. Additionally, HR 341 calls for the Georgia House of Representatives to study and adopt tougher criminal sanctions for individuals whose celebratory gunfire results in the injury or death of another person.

HR 341 also calls special attention to Marquel Peters, a DeKalb County four-year-old that died on New Year’s Eve 2010 as a result of celebratory gunfire. As he sat next to his mother, 4-year-old Marquel Peters was struck and killed in church by a bullet believed to have been fired by a New Year’s Eve reveler. The stray bullet came through the roof of the sanctuary and struck Marquel in the top of his head. Though tragic, the loss of this young boy to celebratory gunfire led to the creation of “Marquel’s Pledge.”

Marquel’s Pledge is a community campaign to reduce celebratory gunfire in DeKalb County and throughout Georgia. Individuals who sign the pledge promise to stop celebratory gunfire by encouraging members of their community to refrain from using gunfire to celebrate. Businesses that sign the pledge promise to refrain from or limit the sale of ammunition two days prior to the 4th of July and New Year’s holidays. Additionally, DeKalb County works with citizens, community organizations, churches, and businesses to educate others about the dangers of celebratory gunfire and to encourage citizens to refrain from the dangerous practice.


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Mullis Co-authors Anti-Illegal Immigration Legislation

Senate Transportation Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) will co-author legislation that will provide for greater enforcement of federal illegal immigration laws in Georgia.  Mullis will join fellow Georgia Senate GOP colleagues later this summer for the official announcement of the legislation.

“The United States is a land of opportunity for all who want to come here and contribute to our society in a lawful manner.  We welcome anyone who wants to become a legal resident of the United States to achieve the American dream.  The fact remains that those who are reside illegally are breaking the law and utilizing resources that should be for those who obtain legal residency,” said Mullis.  “Businesses, local governments and our university system must comply with federal and state illegal immigration laws to relieve wasteful spending and get legal residents and Georgians back to work.”

“Senator Mullis is one of Georgia’s leading voices on the issue of enforcing immigration law. We stand shoulder to shoulder in supporting enforcement not amnesty,” said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock).

Facts on Illegal Immigrants in Georgia:

• Georgia had an estimated illegal immigration population of 490,000 in 2008.
• The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) estimates that the annual fiscal burden on Georgia taxpayers from illegal immigration is more than $1.6 billion.
• Georgians spend about $1.37 billion annually on educating the children of illegal immigrants.
• Nearly one in ten K-12 public school students in Georgia is the child of an illegal alien, and this presence has been increasing as the illegal resident population increases.
• State-funded uncompensated outlays for health care provided to Georgia’s illegal alien population amount to an estimated $210 million a year.
• The cost of incarcerating deportable aliens in Georgia’s state and local prisons amounts to about $22.6 million a year.

Federal Statistics:

• The number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. roughly doubled, jumping from about 5 million in 1996 to about 11 million today.  (A 2009 report from the Department of Homeland Security reflects that the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. stands at around 10.8 million.)
• Federal estimates suggest that over 90 percent of the increase in the foreign-born population in Georgia since 2000 has resulted from illegal immigration.

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Senator Hill calls on Governor Perdue to Sign Senate Bills 1 & Senate Bill 148

Senator Judson Hill called on Governor Sonny Perdue June 7 to sign two important Bills that help reduce the size of government and cut wasteful spending.

Senator Hill urges all Georgians to immediately call Gov. Sonny Perdue's office at 404-656-1776 asking him to sign (and not Veto) Senate Bills 1 and 148.

Senator Hill co-sponsored Senate Bill 1 - The "Zero-Base Budgeting Act" and Senate Bill 148- The "Government Accountability Act/Sunset Bill."

These bills are vital to reform state government and keep state spending in line. SB 1 is an important check on spending. Once signed into law, SB 1 would restructure the state's budget process requiring every state agency and department to start at zero every 4th year when creating their budgets instead of only assessing the budget changes from year to year. Every taxpayer dollar spent should be justified and spent in a fiscally responsible way. This is the only real way to weed out wasteful spending in state government.

SB 148 is a major step in reducing the size of state government. It requires that all state agencies and departments to be reviewed regularly to justify their existence or otherwise be eliminated. All programs, services and state agencies should be routinely examined to determine whether they provide essential government services as stated by the people of Georgia in our State Constitution. If the agency doesn't meet this test or programs are not essential state functions, then they should be eliminated, consolidated with another agency or we should explore privatizing its services.

Our federal and every state government should have these laws in place to protect its citizens. These two Bills are common sense conservative measures critical to cutting spending, reducing taxes and limiting the size of government.

Senator Hill worked to pass these two important measures and advocated for these principles when he stood up against the opposition to vote against tax increases several times this Session.

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Georgia’s Kidney Community Praises House Insurance Committee for Advancing Medigap Bill; Strongly Urges Bill Passage Before Close of Legislative Session

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Georgia House Insurance Committee today passed patient-centered legislation (S.B. 316) that will allow more than 2,000 kidney failure patients and those deemed disabled in Georgia to obtain secondary insurance coverage for medical care. Members of the kidney care community, including dialysis patients, caregivers and advocates praised committee members for recognizing the valuable role Medigap reform will have in improving patient access to life-saving care, including dialysis or transplant medications. The bill, which was unanimously passed by the Senate earlier this year, will now advance to a full House vote.

“We encourage state lawmakers to pass Medigap reform before the close of this legislative session to ensure that all patients, regardless of age or financial standing, can obtain the healthcare coverage they need and deserve.”

Georgians of all ages diagnosed with end state renal disease (ESRD), or kidney failure, currently qualify for insurance coverage under the federal Medicare benefit; however, patients are still responsible to paying additional out of pocket costs such as deductibles and co-pays. Federal law allows patients over age 65 to purchase private secondary coverage – known as Medigap insurance – which enables them to access medical treatment without cost being a barrier to care.

In Georgia, kidney failure and disabled patients under age 65 have limited ability to purchase Medigap insurance; therefore restricting patient access to care and creating financial roadblocks for patients in need of medical attention. In fact, patients unable to afford the cost of care are often time forced to deplete their financial savings in order to qualify for state Medicaid coverage. This legislation would expand the ability of patients in Georgia under age 65 to purchase Medigap coverage; therefore protecting them from having to “spend down” their assets and improving access to health care.

“We applaud the members of the Georgia State Assembly for embracing this smart, patient-focused legislation, which will improve access to care and quality of life for thousands of Georgians,” stated Chad Lennox, Executive Director of Dialysis Patient Citizens, a national patient advocacy organization that represents more than 1,300 kidney community members across the state. “We encourage state lawmakers to pass Medigap reform before the close of this legislative session to ensure that all patients, regardless of age or financial standing, can obtain the healthcare coverage they need and deserve.”

This legislation is also estimated to result in $20 million of Medicaid savings over the next five years for Georgia by reducing the number of patients entering the program. This not only improves patient access, it also protects taxpayers from higher program costs. If passed, Georgia will join 29 other states across the country that have already passed similar reforms.

The bill is available at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/sum/sb316.htm.

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Legislature Shows Unprecedented Support for Fair and Equitable Sharing Of Georgia Water‏

While Georgia’s water wars wage on against Alabama and Florida, a new front has arisen within the state’s boundaries as legislators concerned about ensuring water for all Georgia communities introduced bills this week seeking to regulate interbasin transfers.

House Bill 1301, the River Basin Protection Act of 2010, sponsored by Representative Tom McCall, Representative Alan Powell and 64 other representatives, would establish a system for regulating interbasin water transfers of 100,000 gallons or more, without prohibiting them. The Senate’s version, SB 462, is sponsored by Senator Jim Butterworth and Senator Preston Smith and 22 other senators.

The growing support for regulation of interbasin transfers has been fueled by recent proposals to pipe water to Metro Atlanta from as far away as Lake Burton in Rabun County and wells in South Georgia.

“Roughly half the Senate signed on,” said Senator Smith who represents portions of North Georgia impacted by a water transfer from the Coosa River Basin into to Metro Atlanta out of the Coosa River Basin. “It’s increasingly important as Atlanta’s need grows....we want to help solve that problem, but we want to do it in a way that protects the Coosa and other basins.”

Support for the measures is also growing among citizens, local chambers of commerce and river protection groups. More than 2,000 people have signed an online petition urging Governor Perdue and the General Assembly to adopt the legislation. The petition was organized by the Georgia Water Coalition, a consortium of more than 170 groups working to protect the state’s rivers. The supporters come from more than 200 communities across the state. The petition can be viewed at www.nowatergrabs.com

Supporters of the bill call the state’s existing laws regulating interbasin transfers weak. Under current law, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), which issues water withdrawal permits from rivers, need only issue a press release seven days before approving a permit involving an interbasin transfer.

The River Basin Protection Act keeps the existing prohibition on water transfers into the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District and creates a list of criteria for EPD to consider in evaluating whether to issue a permit for an interbasin transfer. These criteria are similar to the criteria found in the statewide water plan for donor and receiving river basins. Both Tennessee and South Carolina have similar state laws regarding interbasin transfers.

The Act also would codify the concept of a safe yield, which is used by engineers to determine the amount of water available for withdrawal without impairing the biological, chemical or physical integrity of the water source. The bill also expands the public notice requirements, and exempts agricultural land, mining processes and distribution of products containing water from the need to obtain an interbasin transfer permit.

Supporters include locally elected officials and planners working to develop regional water plans.

“Interbasin transfers fundamentally and irreversibly alter the natural flows in our rivers and streams and can harm the long-term prosperity and quality of life of the basin of origin,” said Ron Cross, a Columbia County Commissioner and chair of the Savannah-Upper Ogeechee Regional Water Council.

Water planners in Northwest Georgia and Southwest Georgia have also expressed opposition to interbasin transfers.

“The state of Georgia should be encouraging growth and economic development in areas that have water resources to sustain such growth,” said Richard Royal, a former state representative from Camilla and chair of the Lower Flint-Ochlocknee Regional Water Council. “The state should share the development opportunities with these regions and not entertain proposals to transfer water from one region to another especially when other regions have not exercised good water stewardship.”

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Georgia Dialysis Patients, Legislators Rally Around Bill to Improve Patient Access to Dialysis and Transplants; Lauded as “Good for Patients, Good for

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dialysis Patient Citizens today praised the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee for unanimously passing legislation – S.B. 316 – which will increase patient access to life-saving dialysis care or transplant medications. Dialysis patients attending yesterday’s hearing encouraged lawmakers to support the bill which, if enacted, would greatly help approximately 2,000 Georgians suffering from kidney failure who are having difficulty accessing health insurance. Twenty-nine states across the country have enacted this popular legislation that is widely embraced by patients, family members and taxpayers.

“I would have better access to preventative care and it would increase my ability to seek treatment early.”

NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning, a kidney transplant patient who returned to the NBA to win the national championship after his transplant, is planning to visit Georgia legislators in March on behalf of dialysis and transplant patients to advocate for this important legislation as he did in Florida in 2009. Similar bipartisan legislation passed in the Florida legislature last year and was signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist. Approximately 500 Florida patients can now purchase MediGap insurance, helping those who can’t afford co-pays and deductibles for medications and dialysis care avoid financial hardship.

Currently, Georgians under age 65 with end state renal disease (ESRD), better known as kidney failure, do not have access to secondary coverage – known as Medigap insurance – to help pay for medical expenses that Medicare does not cover, such as co-insurance, deductibles and co-pays. Under current federal law, only Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 are able to purchase this insurance as secondary coverage. This coverage helps patients with kidney failure and those deemed disabled access essential medical treatments, including kidney transplants, without cost being a barrier to care.

“If I had access to secondary coverage, it would alleviate the anxiety I feel when making decisions regarding my health” said Eric Edwards, an Atlanta-area ESRD patient and Dialysis Patient Citizens (DPC) patient ambassador who attended yesterday’s hearing. “I would have better access to preventative care and it would increase my ability to seek treatment early.”

Additionally, Medigap coverage protects patients from having to “spend down” their income to become eligible for state Medicaid assistance. If enacted, fewer people will be forced to enter the state Medicaid program, resulting in an estimated $20 million of Medicaid savings over the next five years for Georgia and protecting taxpayers from higher program costs.

“It is critical for legislators to understand the vital importance of Medigap access for all kidney failure patients because for thousands of patients throughout the state, life depends on quality kidney care,” added Chad Lennox, Executive Director of DPC. “The patient community is dedicated to working with lawmakers across the state to ensure that this smart, patient-centric legislation is enacted without delay.”

The bill will now advance to the Senate Rules Committee before going to the Senate floor. The full bill is available at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/sum/sb316.htm.

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Pelosi: Tax Extenders Act Creates New Jobs, Growth, Innovation, and Opportunity for Every American

/PRNewswire/ -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after the House passed the Tax Extenders Act of 2009, which will help to create jobs and cut taxes for American middle-class families. The House passed the bill by a vote of 241 to 181.

"Today, Congress took another positive step forward in our drive to create more jobs, strengthen our economy, and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity. By passing the Tax Extenders Act, we are placing our working families at the center of our economic recovery.

"This legislation is good for businesses, good for homeowners, and good for our communities. The bill extends research and development tax credits for American companies, encouraging them to invest in innovation and clean energy, and create the high-tech jobs of the 21st century. It provides property tax relief to 30 million families, ensures our men and women called to serve overseas do not face a pay cut here at home, and offers some security for millions of parents, teachers, and consumers by extending deductions for college tuition, classroom expenses, and state and local sales taxes.

"Maintaining our commitment to fiscal discipline, this legislation will not add to the deficit. The costs of this proposal are fully paid for because we put an end to the preferential tax treatment for hedge fund managers and investment bankers and cracked down on offshore tax havens.

"This bill is a down payment on new jobs, growth, innovation, and opportunity for every American."

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Oxendine Supports S 604: Encourages Isakson and Chambliss to Co-Sponsor‏

As Comptroller General of Georgia, I am proud to offer my support to S.604, The Federal Reserve Sunshine Act of 2009.

S. 604 is the companion to H.R. 1207, legislation introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Ron Paul, which currently stands with 237 cosponsors, a majority of the House.

This important legislation directs the Comptroller General to complete, before the end of 2010, an audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and of the Federal Reserve banks, followed by a detailed report to Congress.

This legislation is supported by conservative leaders Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), Senator Michael Crapo (R- ID), and Senator David Vitter (R - LA). I encourage Georgia's two United States Senators, Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, to sign on as co-sponsors and provide their credibility to this legislation.

"America needs transparency and accountability at our nation's central bank and S. 604 provides the American taxpayers a realistic vehicle for this to happen," said John Oxendine, Candidate for Governor of Georgia 2010.

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Opinion: While Rome Burns. . .

On May 11 Governor Perdue vetoed SB178 - Education; advance funding, exceptional growth, low-wealth capital outlay grants; embed/extend a sunset date saying that he had serious concerns about the dual enrollment (students in high school taking postsecondary classes) and ‘BRIDGE’ portions of the bill.

The ‘BRIDGE’ portion (Building Resourceful Individuals to Develop Georgia’s Economy) was designed to develop programs to improve graduation rates and to improve the preparedness of students for postsecondary education and careers. Each ninth grade student would select a focus of study and have an individual graduation plan. Rigor in curriculum (high expectations yields high results) was maintained and industry/national certification could be pursued. A productive citizen doesn’t have to be a four-year college graduate. Senator Isakson told me the individual graduation plan is the best feature of this bill and it alone made the bill worthwhile.

The legislation contained model programs for students at risk of dropping out of high school. School counselors and graduation coaches would also be trained in career awareness programs as well as college prep.

Remember traditionally one out of three students do not graduate from high school. Only fifteen percent of students graduate from a four-year college in six years.

We spend over $10 billion in education for these results. The biggest impediment we have in statewide economic development is our reputation of having an uneducated workforce (not traffic congestion).

It is the Governor’s right to veto any piece of legislation. However, his press release stated he had substantive policy concerns about ‘BRIDGE’; the initial cost was $417 million per his staff; and the annual ongoing cost was $146 million.

Superintendent Cox, the Department of Education, and I (primary bill sponsor) know of no policy concerns that were not resolved. No one in the Governor’s office ever raised any of these ‘objections’ with us. We currently spend about $10 million in the areas of the legislation and the Superintendent and DOE felt they could implement the bill with little additional cost. Remember we spend over $10 billion for poor outcomes. Do you think a new approach that gives all students hope and a chance to excel might be a good idea?

After three years of work, this bill is an attempt to deal with a major problem on a macro level. We have individual school districts that currently employ many of the strategies in this legislation and this bill would take these best practices statewide.
This is not a gimmick or a token effort at a problem (superspeeder for trauma) or another reorganization of a department while the problem continues (traffic) and frustration mounts.

I know we live in difficult times and resources are scarce. Stimulus finds are available to help fill some of the holes. Hopefully the money will be spent on programs/facilities that will make a difference.

It is time to park egos and allow others’ good ideas to proceed. ‘BRIDGE’ is not my creation. Many smart people crafted this bill and I am just the messenger.

Education reform should not take over three years when my party is in control.
How many more dropouts will we create by our inaction? How many more companies will pass on Georgia due to our reputation in education? Where is the vision? GO FISH!

Fran Millar
Vice-Chairman, Education Committee
Georgia House of Representatives

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Governor Perdue Signs House Bill 217 for Access to Flu Vaccine

Governor Sonny Perdue yesterday signed House Bill 217, the “Access to Flu Vaccines Act,” which permits pharmacists and nurses to order and dispense flu shots pursuant to a protocol agreement with a physician. The bill also grants the Governor broader emergency powers if a pandemic influenza is declared by the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control.

“The flu affects thousands of people each year and our citizens should be able to access flu vaccines to protect themselves and their families,” said Governor Perdue. “This legislation makes it easier for Georgians to receive flu shots and allows the state to respond quickly and effectively to any flu outbreak.”

The bill was introduced in January by State Rep. Jimmy Pruett, one of the Governor’s floor leaders in the House. The bill was intended to clarify the ability of pharmacists and nurses to dispense flu shots without individual prescriptions. Last fall, the Composite Board of Medical Examiners, in consultation with the Attorney General’s office, determined the flu shot to be a “dangerous drug” and therefore each person seeking a vaccination would need an individual prescription.

The “Access to Flu Vaccines Act” returns the state to the past practices of more than a decade, allowing physicians to enter into protocol agreements with pharmacists and registered nurses to allow the ordering and dispensing of flu shots without a physician’s individual prescription. To ensure quality control, physicians may issue no more than 10 standing orders with pharmacists and nurses within the same county or adjacent county to the physician’s primary place of business. Corporations with more than one location are also included in this agreement. This includes grocery stores and drug stores.

HB 217 ensures hospitals have the explicit authority to offer its staff or patient any vaccination, test or prophylactic matter required or recommended by the CDC.

The bill also includes an emergency powers provision that allows the Governor to declare a “pandemic influenza” state of emergency if the WHO declares a Phase 5 Pandemic Alert for influenza in the United States and/or Georgia or the CDC declares at least a Category 2 Pandemic Severity index for influenza in the United States or Georgia.

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Governor, Legislature Support Sales Tax Exemptions For Clinical Trials and Free Samples of Drugs

(BUSINESS WIRE)--Georgia Bio applauds the General Assembly for adopting legislation that exempts from sales tax free samples of prescription drugs and biologics and of investigational products in clinical trials and applauds Governor Sonny Perdue for his support of the measure. The legislation, House Bill 59, makes permanent an executive order issued by Governor Perdue in September 2008.

The action by Governor Perdue and the legislature, which voted unanimously in the House and Senate to approve HB 59, will help ensure that Georgia patients and the state’s healthcare centers do not lose thousands of clinical trials. In promoting the legislation, Georgia Bio called attention to the fact that imposing a tax on investigational products used in research and in clinical trials placed an immediate disincentive on conducting research or clinical trials in Georgia. It not only threatened the loss of significant revenues to Georgia academic institutions and hospitals, but also discontinuation of clinical trials in Georgia could have denied patients access to the most advanced life saving medicines. The legislation exempts from sales tax investigational drugs, biologics, medical devices and animal health medicines dispensed without charge in clinical trials.

The sales tax exemption on free samples of prescription drugs and biologics is consistent with Georgia law exempting tax on sales of these medicines. In the case of free samples, these are often provided to patients by physicians as “starter packs” to determine if a new medicine is useful for and can be tolerated by a patient before a prescription for the new medicine is written. In other cases, free samples of medicines are provided to the elderly and uninsured who otherwise cannot afford them. In all cases, these medicines are never resold.

In his executive order, Governor Perdue stated:

“It is in the best interests of Georgians to exempt from sales and use taxes pharmaceutical medications that are distributed without cost for several reasons, including: (1) the ability to distribute needed medicines to persons that might not otherwise be able to afford them; (2) the attraction of clinical trials to Georgia for the betterment of the health of Georgians and to continue the State's place as a leader in cutting-edge health research; and (3) the elimination of an inconsistency in the law whereby pharmaceutical medicines that are sold at retail are not taxed, however those that are distributed for free are subject to taxation.”

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U.S. Department of Labor Announces Boost in Weekly Unemployment Benefit Amounts

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced a weekly increase in unemployment compensation, as provided for in the stimulus legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, enacted on Feb. 17.

The new temporary Federal Additional Compensation program will provide a $25 weekly increase in unemployment compensation for eligible workers. These extra benefits are 100 percent federally-funded.

The stimulus legislation also extended the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which was scheduled to expire on Aug. 27, 2009. "The program has been extended to Dec. 31, 2009, for new applications, with a 'phase-out' period ending May 31, 2010," said Secretary Solis. "Both the Emergency Unemployment Compensation and the Federal Additional Compensation programs provide temporary financial support to unemployed workers to help them pay for basic necessities such as food, clothing, medicine and gasoline while they look for new jobs."

To qualify for these benefits, unemployed workers must first be determined eligible for unemployment benefits by the appropriate state workforce agency. Workers must have earned sufficient wages from prior recent employment and have been separated from employment for non-disqualifying reasons (as determined under state law). Eligible workers must also be able to work and be available for work while receiving these unemployment benefits.

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have executed agreements with the U.S. Department of Labor to administer these programs. States will begin to make the extra payments as early as the week of March 1, 2009, for weeks of unemployment effective Feb. 22, 2009.

For information on unemployment compensation, visit http://www.dol.gov/.




FACT SHEET

EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION AND FEDERAL ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION UNDER AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009

Emergency Unemployment Compensation, 2008 (EUC08) - Program Extension
-- The EUC08 program, created on June 30, 2008, provides up to 20 weeks
of federally-funded benefits to eligible unemployed workers who have
collected all their regular state unemployment benefits. An
additional 13 weeks of EUC are available in states with high levels of
unemployment.
-- The EUC08 program was scheduled to expire on Aug. 27, 2009. The
stimulus legislation, Public Law Number 111-5, which was enacted on
Feb. 17, 2009, extends the expiration date of the EUC08 program to May
31, 2010.
-- The period during which an individual may establish eligibility for
EUC08 is extended from March 31, 2009, to the week of unemployment
ending on or before Dec. 31, 2009, and the "phase-out" or expiration
date of the program is extended from Aug. 27, 2009 to May 31, 2010.
-- The stimulus legislation does not provide additional weeks of benefits
for individuals who have or will exhaust their EUC08 benefits.
Federal Additional Compensation (FAC)
-- The stimulus legislation also created a new FAC program that provides
a $25 supplement that is payable to individuals receiving state
unemployment compensation (UC) or Federal UC. The $25 supplement does
not apply to state-financed Additional Compensation programs.
-- All 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands executed agreements with the
secretary of labor to administer this new program on behalf of the
federal government on or before Feb. 21, 2009; therefore, the program
is effective Feb. 22, 2009, in all states/jurisdictions.
-- States are modifying their automated benefit payment systems to
implement FAC. Many states will begin to make payments during the week
of March 1, 2009, for weeks of unemployment effective Feb. 22, 2009.
However, due to the complexity of changing automated systems, some
states have advised that they may implement later, making payments
retroactively.

States will calculate the individual's weekly benefit amount and make any adjustments in accordance with state law to account for any earnings, and any other deductions (for example, severance and retirement/pension payments).

-- The $25 supplement is taxable. Therefore, states will include the
total benefits received including the $25 increase(s) in issuing a
1099G to claimants.
-- The $25 supplement/payments will be paid from federal general
revenues. States will receive administrative costs associated with
implementing the $25 add-on.

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Gas Chambers Still an Option in Several Georgia Counties

Georgia Voters for Animal Welfare is trying to reintroduce to our state lawmakers last year's bill (House Bill 1060) to shut down the remaining carbon monoxide gas chambers used to kill homeless dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in Georgia shelters. The law, if passed, would make lethal injection the only approved method of killing homeless pets.

See, at bottom, a list of the Georgia counties and cities still using gas chambers.

We need to act quickly and effectively to garner support among our state legislators. A peaceful demonstration on the front lawn/stairs of the State Capitol is one way to draw attention to our bill and to the barely-known issue of gas chambers.

DETAILS OF THE DEMONSTRATION

Date: Thursday, February 26th (rain or shine!)
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: State Capitol (the gold dome) main entrance on Washington Street downtown Atlanta
Directions: Exit 248A off I-75/85. Take MLK toward the gold dome, cross over Washington Street and through the next light to parking garage on right
Bring: posters saying "Ban Gas Chambers" or whatever you'd like to say, so long as you do not use profanity or say anything that will get us thrown out. No sticks/stakes, just poster board or foam core, hand-held.

Our goal is 100 people. That should be easy! We have 100x that many animal advocates in Georgia! We need to show our state lawmakers that the humane treatment of homeless pets is a high priority for many Georgia voters. Please don't use work as an excuse to not attend. We all work, but we all take a day off now and then. What better use of a personal day, a vacation day or a sick day will you ever have than this? Make your plans today and ask your boss for the day off. What does it say to the animals and to our legislators if this issue isn't worth one day off work to many, if not all of, Georgia's animal advocates? One day off to possibly end the torture of gas chambers. How can you say no? Please don't. Please be part of this important movement!

The State of Tennessee banned gas chambers a few years ago because a shelter worker died of co2 poisoning. The State of Virginia passed a ban on its gas chambers last year. "Davie's Bill" is pending in North Carolina at this moment. But Grace's Bill hasn't even been introduced to Georgia's General Assembly yet. We need your help to make it happen!

To learn more about gas chambers, visit the website of Animal Law Coalition:

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/gas-chambers

Here's what Animal Control Officer, Linda Cordry, in Liberty County had to say about the gas chamber she used before her local elected officials made the humane decision to switch to lethal injection:

"The gas chamber is simply a torture device for both animal and human alike. I hate that thing with a passion. It is NOT a humane way to put animals to sleep. It is not humane for those of us that have to witness its use! To hear the piteous cries that come from within that monstrous machine is unnerving at best. At least with lethal injections, you get to hold and wish these animals a safe journey to the bridge. You get to apologize for all the horrors they've had to endure at human hands. After all it is OUR fault they were born, not theirs. I wish I could make everyone understand the pain and sorrow I live with for having done my job (being made to use the gas chamber for so long). I still have nightmares about all the innocents lost over the years."

Whether or not you can attend the demonstration, PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TO YOUR STATE SENATOR AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVE TO EXPRESS YOUR SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSED BAN ON GAS CHAMBERS! Here's how to find out who are your Senator and Representative and how to contact them:

http://www.congress.org/congressorg /dbq/officials/?lvl=L

Input your zip code. Then click on 'State' elected officials. Then input your full address. Then you'll see, under Sonny Perdue's name, the names of your Senator and House Representative. Then go to this website to get their contact information, bios, etc.:

http://www.legis.state.ga.us/

List of Counties and Cities still using gas chambers (to the best of our knowledge... there may be others):

Ashburn, GA
Barnesville, GA
Bulloch County
Butts County
Cordele, GA
Cuthbert, GA
Vienna, GA
Haralson County
Lanier County
Lowndes County
Macon, GA (City Council voted June 2008 to stop using its chamber July 1, 2009)
Mitchell County
Pulaski County
Spalding County
Sumter County
Warner Robins, GA

Thank you for reading and for joining the cause to spare our homeless pets prolonged and painful death by suffocation.



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Oxendine: Where are the Tax Cuts in this Economy?

Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine today questioned whether government will continue to worsen the pain of the citizens of our nation as politicians fail to embrace the principles that would jump-start this economy such as significant tax cuts.

"All I see elected officials doing is more of the same. Inflicting more grief on our hard-working citizens," Oxendine said. "If they truly understood sound economic principles as did Ronald Reagan and even Democrat John Kennedy, they would stumble over each other to significantly cut taxes. That's how you turn around an economy."

Oxendine pointed to the $790 billion so-called stimulus plan in Congress, a pork-laden spending measure he said will add to our nation's debt and potentially spark inflation in the near future.

"We also don't need to indebt future generations to pay the price for our government's mistakes and its lack of discipline when it comes to taking a knife to spending," Oxendine said.

"This so-called stimulus package is an invitation to expand social spending in our state government, irresponsible temporary solutions to serious issues, and larger state budgets," he said. "Instead of the current "Porkulus Bill," I urge the President and Congress to take steps that support small businesses across America and Georgia. Allow for the tax deduction for a new small business startup cost to double, to $10,000 from its current $5,000. Many people being laid off will be starting small businesses and this action is real stimulus right now," said Oxendine.

Here in Georgia, Oxendine said he is concerned Georgia's 1.7 million homeowners, farmers, and small business owners will see a tax increase later this year. That amount could be even greater if Governor Perdue vetoes legislation passed dealing with property tax relief since the bill made sure homeowners did not have to cover a shortfall in state revenues for this year's budget. If the governor does veto the bill, homeowners would not only have higher property tax bills later this year, but could also receive an additional tax bill of $300 to cover a shortfall for their last year's property tax bills.

"The party of less taxes and less government should get this one basic concept," Oxendine said. "In this tough, tough economy, when layoffs are happening every day, you absolutely do not ask taxpayers to pony up more money to fund government. You cut spending, period. You only fund services that are required by the Constitution. And we all know we have many services that aren't what the founders of this nation or this state envisioned taxpayers to be paying for."

"It is unfair for state officials to posture themselves as being a friend to counties, cities, and school boards when they are passing along unfunded mandates from Washington and the state Capitol," Oxendine said. "Our county commissioners, mayors and city council members are good people who deserve a state government that is a partner not an obstacle to local control."

John Oxendine
Oxendine for Governor 2010

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Budget Foremost Issue for ’09 Legislative Session

The opening gavel of the 2009 legislative session fell Monday, Jan. 12, with lawmakers pledging to reach across the aisle and close the state’s nearly $2 billion deficit. Clearly, the budget will dominate this year’s session. Gov. Sonny Perdue joked at the annual Eggs and Issues breakfast that the event could have been re-named to just "Eggs and Issue."

Georgia State University President Mark Becker has been making the rounds at the Gold Dome. Becker held one-on-one meetings with House Speaker Glenn Richardson and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and is planning more such meetings with House and Senate leadership.

Tuesday, Jan. 13 was dubbed “Georgia State Day” at the capitol. Becker, university administrators, lawmakers and members of the Board of Regents gathered at an event at the Georgia Railroad Depot to talk about Georgia State. Earlier in the week, Georgia State teamed with the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech to throw a barbeque Jan. 8 for legislative interns.

The session will present challenges for higher education. The governor’s budget recommendations, released last week after his State of the State address, show an overall 9 percent reduction for 2009 for the university system, and 10 percent reduction for 2010. University system budget officials will be providing more detailed analysis over the next week.
Sen. Seth Harp (R-Midland) heads the Senate Higher Education Committee. Sen. Bill Hembree (R-Winston) leads the House committee.

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Governor Proposes Investments in Georgia's Future, Encourages Long-Term Perspective

Governor Sonny Perdue today delivered his annual State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly detailing how the state continues to fulfill its core mission through challenging economic times. The Governor’s Amended FY 2009 and FY 2010 budgets and policy initiatives continue his commitment to education, economic development and government transformation to deliver better value for the taxpayer’s dollar.

“We must not allow ourselves to be trapped in a short-term mindset where rash decisions result in dire long-term consequences,” said Governor Perdue. “Our perspective must be one of optimism even in the face of difficult economic cycles.”

Governor Perdue used his State of the State address to formally submit his Amended FY 2009 and FY 2010 budget recommendations to the General Assembly. Governor Perdue’s recommended Amended 2009 budget totals $19.2 billion and the 2010 budget stands at $20.2 billion.

The Governor thanked the legislature for working with his administration to help replenish the Rainy Day Fund, which now stands at $1.2 billion. In these budgets, Governor Perdue recommended using the maximum amount available for appropriation from the reserves, appropriating $187 million for the education midyear adjustment, $50 million in 2009 and $408 million in 2010. In 2009, a number of one-time strategies unavailable in 2010 will be implemented to balance the budget. Therefore, Governor Perdue recommended the largest portion of available reserve funds be committed to the 2010 budget.

The Governor’s 2010 budget includes a $1.2 billion bond package that will create an estimated 20,000 jobs and features projects in which both design and construction are funded in the same year.

“These projects touch every corner of the state and include new construction at our universities, technical schools, local school systems and libraries; harbor deepening at the Savannah port and needed improvements at state facilities.,” said Governor Perdue.

Governor Perdue also outlined a proposal to restructure the Department of Human Resources. Currently, $3.8 billion is spent within DHR every year. The plan calls for the creation of a new Department of Behavioral Health which will include all mental health and addictive disease programs. The bill also establishes a Department of Health, a combination of the public health and oversight programs in DHR and the current functions of DHR. Remaining social services, such as Developmental Disabilities, Aging, DFCS and Child Support, will come together under a reconstituted Department of Human Services.

Governor Perdue will also introduce legislation to ask those who receive Medicaid payments to help fund the system. This proposal takes advantage of the fact that every dollar used toward Medicaid purposes draws down almost two additional dollars from the federal government. The budget will reflect, and an accompanying bill will propose, a 1.6 percent fee on hospitals and health insurance plans to, not only fill the hole in Medicaid, but also to do what the healthcare community has asked of Governor Perdue’s administration. This proposal will significantly raise Medicaid rates, particularly for hospitals; and in conjunction with the SuperSpeeder legislation, provide $60 million for trauma to sustain and expand the state’s trauma hospitals, EMS and trauma physician infrastructure.

The Governor asked the General Assembly to carefully consider the consequences of cutting healthcare coverage.

“I implore you, do not rush into a short-sighted cut that would have long-term consequences for Georgia’s most needy,” the Governor said.

Governor Perdue highlighted the efforts by Gwinnett County schools to increase student achievement. Last week, the State Board of Education approved an IE2 contract and committed to be held accountable for increased student achievement above and beyond state and federal requirements.

For the 2009 session, Governor Perdue is proposing merit pay legislation that will award teachers who show evidence that their classroom instruction leads to increased student achievement. Governor Perdue is also proposing differentiated pay for math and science teachers. Additional legislation will ensure every student in Georgia has the benefit of responsible leadership at the school system level. This legislation will clearly define what citizens expect from Georgia’s school board members, and it will give the state the ability to replace board members who aren’t serving in the best interests of their students.

“Education means opportunity,” said Governor Perdue. “We spend more than half of our state budget on education because we know that opportunity is discovered in Georgia’s classrooms.”

Governor Perdue’s encouraged legislators and all Georgians to remember the resiliency of our great state, and while we confront the short-term challenges of today we will continue to prepare to take advantage of future opportunities.

“As I think about the American promise of freedom and economic opportunity, I know that rich promise will mean great things for Georgians in the years to come. The soil has proven too rich to dare believe anything else,” the Governor said. “As I look within, I find something within the human constitution that bounces back, something within this collective American spirit that rebuilds. This is the time to continue building our state, to prepare for the future, to plant the seeds that will enrich our children’s inheritance. Together, we will do just that.”



The text of the Governor’s State of the State speech is below…

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, President Pro Tem Williams, Speaker Pro Tem Burkhalter … Members of the General Assembly. Constitutional officers and members of the judiciary. The Consular Corps and other distinguished guests. And, most of all, my fellow Georgians.

I want to begin this morning with the story of a young Georgian who embodies the resiliency of our state.

Just three years ago, Jeremy Lee was a 14-year old student from Clayton County on his way to the Ireland Youth Development Campus in Milledgeville because he and some friends made a bad decision.

He could have seen this as an indictment not only of his crime, but of his potential. He could have settled for a life marked by disappointment.

But Jeremy made a life altering decision, one that will benefit the lives of others for years to come. He chose to focus on what he could be, not wallowing in the self-pity of tough times, and invested his time and energy in preparing himself to emerge from that campus a better person.

Last summer, Jeremy walked out of those gates with a high school diploma and is now enrolled at Morehouse College.

Jeremy is now pursuing his goal to be a doctor, and that pursuit is a testament to his inner-resilience. I am pleased that he could join us this morning. Jeremy, please rise so we can recognize your efforts.

It’s Jeremy’s resilience and the resilience of thousands like him across our state that gives me confidence that we will emerge from these challenging times stronger.

This is a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. It is a moment in which we are asked to see beyond what George Will calls the “tyranny of the short-term,” beyond the circumstances of the moment, to the big picture – a picture that is informed by our history, bolstered by our character and steeled by our will to succeed.

Despite the stresses of a moment like this, we must not allow ourselves to be trapped in a short-term mindset where rash decisions result in dire long-term consequences. We must remain focused on the big picture … Our perspective must be one of optimism even in the face of difficult economic cycles.

… I look forward to attending President-elect Obama’s inauguration next week and I am confident that he and the new administration will do everything in their power to meet the challenges that face this nation.

However, we cannot plan by relying on the unknown, and the budgets I present to you today are balanced and do not assume money from Washington. Our latest revenue estimate for this fiscal year shows a decline of $2.2 billion, resulting in a $19.2 billion amended budget.

Political mantras aside, cutting more than 10 percent from a budget cannot be achieved by simply cutting waste. While we have worked for six years to do more with less, at some point, in business or in government, it becomes less with less.

The job of budgeting is hard right now, but it’s not because the directions are complicated. Like families sitting around their kitchen tables all over Georgia, we are doing what is necessary to balance our checkbook.

… I want to thank the legislature for working with us to replenish the Rainy Day Fund, which now stands at $1.2 billion. As you all know, at my request, you wisely passed legislation requiring us to retain at least four percent of previous year’s revenue in the reserve fund for balancing the budget at the end of the year if needed.

So I have recommended using the maximum amount available for appropriation from the reserves, appropriating $50 million this year and $408 million next year, as well as $187 million for the midyear education adjustment. We are using some one-time strategies to help balance this year’s budget that won’t be available next year. Therefore, I have recommended that the largest portion of available reserve funds be committed to next year’s budget, which stands at $20.2 billion.

I want to applaud our department leaders -- men and women who are on the ground, who know their mission, their people and their customers. This past spring, agencies willingly responded to my call for restrained spending and returned over $200 million to our state’s Rainy Day Fund at the end of last year.

And then this summer, when I asked them to identify potential budget reductions, their response was thorough and strategic. They were able to find the cuts and maintain the ability to execute their core missions.

That is a testament to those leaders and to the culture change we’ve made in state government!

In six years, we have transformed government making it more efficient and more accountable by instilling a customer-focused culture of public service.

Sometimes this difference isn’t seen in a budget document. But even then, it often impacts thousands of Georgians, who spend less time waiting on government and more time doing what they want to do.

Over the last three years, Joe Doyle and his team at the Office of Customer Service have led this culture change. For example, in Child Support Services, the time between a parent’s initial contact with the agency and meeting with a case worker, has gone from a 30 day wait to same-day service.

A year ago, when a prospective teacher seeking certification called the Professional Standards Commission, they waited nine minutes, on average, to speak with a person … 37 percent just hung up out of frustration. Now, those folks wait eight seconds.

The wait for a new driver’s license has gone from two hours to six minutes and the Medicaid approval process has gone from nine weeks to twelve days, with half of all applicants getting same day approval. And those changes didn’t cost a penny!

This year, we experienced a historic early voter turnout and this same group partnered with the Secretary of State’s to assist 13,000 voters: telling them where and how to voter early. They will continue their work with projects ranging from improving financial aid response times to speeding up DCH’s approval process for children with special needs.

Ladies and gentlemen, I want you to help me recognize Mr. faster, friendlier and easier … Joe Doyle.

We are working in every area of government to ensure that we are getting the best possible value for our investment and that we are providing the best possible service to every Georgian.

To that end, in February, I signed an executive order forming a task force to look at a possible restructuring of the Department of Human Resources. Folks, we spend $3.8 billion within DHR every year – an agency that hasn’t undergone major change since it was formed over three decades ago.

After a thorough review by the Health and Human Services Task Force, we have determined a course of action that will re-orient our approach to healthcare by shifting the focus from inputs to results.

First, we are proposing the creation of a new Department of Behavioral Health which will include all mental health and addictive disease programs. This will improve our responsiveness to mental health needs and will make funding more transparent.

We will continue to improve care by moving towards a community-based delivery system. I know some folks will be concerned with how this might affect jobs in their area, but when it comes to mental health, I believe we have an obligation to provide services to Georgians as close as possible to where they live.

Second, the bill would establish a Department of Health – a combination of the public health and oversight programs in DHR and the current functions of DCH. This agency, which will be led by Dr. Rhonda Medows, will deliver workable solutions on the key healthcare issues we face …

Issues affecting Georgians like how to best facilitate and finance healthcare coverage and how to provide needed access.

Preventative medicine will play a bigger role, inefficiencies and redundancies will be eliminated and every stakeholder in Georgia’s healthcare system – from county boards of public health to Medicaid providers – will work as part of a more coordinated effort.

The remaining social services – Developmental Disabilities, Aging, DFCS and Child Support – will come together under a reconstituted Department of Human Services led by Commissioner B.J. Walker.

We have made progress in the delivery of these safety-net services to our critical populations: we have improved from 50th to 5th in the nation for moving people from state hospitals to community facilities; DFACS has reduced out-of-home placements by 21 percent, and recurring child abuse rates have dropped from 9 percent to 3 percent in the last two years, 2 percent below the national average. I believe a more targeted focus on these programs will lead to even further improvement.

We know that improved lines of communication and enhanced coordination are critical, and I fully expect that these agency heads will meet regularly to coordinate policy and cross-agency service delivery.

I have charged the affected agencies to make this transition within their current budgeted amounts and, in the long term, we believe this reorganization will bring greater efficiency and greater value for the taxpayer dollar.

I want to thank all those who have helped make this happen, particularly the legislative members of the task force: Senators Jack Hill and Renee Unterman, and Representatives Ben Harbin and Mark Butler.

I look forward to working with the legislature and health and human service leaders and providers throughout this state to improve healthcare delivery for every Georgian.

When I came into office, Medicaid was growing annually at rates as high as 17 percent. Over the last four years, growth averaged just 3.4 percent, saving the state a staggering $4.7 billion. Those are numbers that any business would envy.

Even though we have controlled the growth of our Medicaid budget, we faced some very difficult choices this year. The federal government has told states that we can no longer fund Medicaid as we have since 2006. That decision could not have come at a worse time. Washington, in its infinite wisdom, has decided that if we assess a fee against our Care Management Organizations as we currently do, we must impose it on all commercial health plans.

We had to choose: everyone or no one. If we said “no one,” it would have cost Georgia $96 million in state Medicaid funds.

While I’m recommending cuts to many agencies and programs above ten percent, even a five percent cut to the state Medicaid budget would mean an additional $112 million reduction.

That one-two punch of federal mandates and declining revenues means we faced a $208 million hole in the state’s Medicaid budget. To be clear, this $208 million represents the funds paid to providers on behalf of Georgia’s most needy.

To ensure these needed services continue, I had to choose between some tough options. The first option was to eliminate discretionary Medicaid programs – the ones that the federal government does not require us to fund.

This would mean eliminating the medically needy category for eligibility, which serves 7,100 Georgians; eliminating the Katie Beckett Program for 3,100 Georgians; eliminating dental benefits for the 60,000 pregnant women that were covered last year; and eliminating Medicaid coverage for foster children over the age of 18.

In PeachCare, we would have had to eliminate dental benefits, freeze enrollment and reduce the enrollment cap, as well as increase premiums and – for the first time – impose premiums on children between the ages of two and five. All of those cuts combined would still have left a gap exceeding $150 million.

A second option, I could have cut reimbursements to our providers by $208 million. Providers have consistently told us – rightly or wrongly – they believe even our present reimbursement rates are already too low.

A third option would have been to impose the same 4.5 percent fee on commercial and Medicaid managed care and preferred provider plans, that we currently impose only on CMOs. While that remains an option, I prefer a broader based approach that spreads the burden.

I chose to ask those who receive Medicaid payments to help fund the system. This proposal takes advantage of the fact that every dollar we send to Washington for Medicaid draws down almost two additional dollars.

So my budget will reflect, and an accompanying bill will propose, a 1.6 percent fee on hospitals and health insurance plans to fill the hole in Medicaid, and to do what the healthcare community has asked of us for so long: one, to significantly raise reimbursement rates for providers, particularly for hospitals; and two, in conjunction with SuperSpeeder legislation, provide $60 million to sustain and expand the state’s trauma network.

Like most things we address here at the Capitol, this plan will not be universally acclaimed, but I have arrived at this solution after thoughtful, careful deliberation. I implore you … Do not rush into a short-sighted cut that would have long-term consequences for Georgia’s most needy.

Finally, for those that would wait for Washington … we have waited before. And while I am hopeful that we may receive additional federal funds, when I put the budget together, I did not have the option to budget for money that may never materialize.

… We all say, whether it’s in a campaign or a State of the State speech like this, that education is our number one priority. But what does that mean? To me, it means providing opportunity. We spend more than half of our state budget on education because we know that opportunity is discovered in Georgia’s classrooms.

In these budget times, there are certain things we can do to help our local school systems. We have already informed schools of our intention to relax expenditure controls, giving them additional flexibility. This move will allow those closest to the students to manage funds in the most efficient way.

… Last year, I proudly signed IE2 legislation. Let me boil it down for you … this is true local control with real accountability! In exchange for this flexibility, systems entering into a contract with the State Board of Education are held accountable for increased student achievement above and beyond state and federal requirements. And they will face serious consequences if they fail to meet those goals.

It’s exactly the kind of clear, straightforward and results-driven program local school districts have asked for since I came into office. And, just last week, the State Board of Education approved the first IE2 contract with Gwinnett County.

This means that ten percent of the students in Georgia will be under a performance contract to increase student achievement. I commend Alvin Wilbanks and the Gwinnett County School Board for continuing to lead by example.

In the weeks and months to come, I believe you’re going to see progressive school systems from all around the state sign on, and if you’re in a parent in Georgia, that’s something to be excited about!

As I outlined yesterday, I am proposing legislation that will ensure that every student in Georgia has the benefit of responsible leadership at the school system level.

Most local school board members in this state are in that position for all the right reasons and they do a great job for our students, but unfortunately, that isn’t universal. And we must take action, because when a school board is failing, every student that depends on them is cheated.

This legislation will clearly define what citizens expect from school board members and it will give the state the ability to replace board members with responsible, local citizens when accreditation is threatened. Never again, do I intend for the state to be handcuffed by our current law and powerless to help students who are being failed by the adults in their community.

Also, I will propose legislation to establish a high school principal incentive pay program for those principals who increase student achievement – raising graduation rates and improving SAT and End of Course Test scores.

I am proposing merit pay legislation that will award teachers who show evidence that their classroom instruction leads to increased student achievement. Currently, extraordinary teachers are locked into a compensation model that fails to reward excellence. This is the next step in moving education from a culture of compliance to one based on performance.

We are also proposing differentiated pay for math and science teachers. It astonishes me that this state produced just three physics teachers last year. We must introduce a market dynamic into the salary schedule to address these critical needs areas. Some may be surprised to hear these ambitious plans in these times, but, this more than any other period, is a time to continue improving education and the basic institutions of government.

We are fortunate to live in a state where people want to be. Last year, Georgia was the fourth fastest growing state in the nation. And in the last eight years, we have added 1.5 million people.

Not only do people move here, they stay here. Georgia ranks third in the nation for keeping our native-born population, with over 69 percent of people who were born in Georgia still living here. I don’t say all this just to share statistics, there is a story there, and it’s a story about Georgia’s competitive advantages and a great quality of life.

This enormous growth brings its own challenges … I call those the “problems of prosperity.”

We continue to work to protect our most precious natural resource … water. Last year, I signed into law Georgia’s first Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan to help our state balance water use and growth.

I want to, again, thank all of you for participating in what I consider to be the most inclusive piece of legislation we’ve worked on since I’ve been Governor.

The Lieutenant Governor, Speaker and I will soon announce our appointments to the Regional Water Councils. We are working to ensure that those selected will represent a good cross-section of Georgia talent – both in their personal experiences and geographically. These councils are going to put our Statewide Water Plan in action.

I am confident the rains will come, and I am encouraged by the fact that our new management plan will make us better stewards, both now and over the long term.

Our experience in working together on the water plan will be needed again as we address our transportation needs. A growing Georgia will depend upon a transportation network that supports mobility and commerce. Like most government programs, the money available is short of what our needs are, so we must guard every dollar that is spent to make sure we maximize its value. Reforming DOT has been one of the toughest challenges my administration has faced, and we are not through yet.

Last summer, I commissioned Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Today, or IT3, so that we as policymakers could understand the value of additional investment, while we continue to bring our transportation planning, funding and building policies up to date.

Transportation improvements providing access to markets, reliable and stress-free commutes and speedy freight movements can be the catalyst that propels our economy forward, just as we have seen over our state’s history.

The Lieutenant Governor, Speaker and I share a mutual commitment to address our transportation needs, and we will continue reforming DOT with a goal of standing up a system that can take that funding and provide the value Georgians deserve. Once I feel certain that we can deliver transportation value to Georgia citizens, I will support responsible measures to raise additional revenues.

… As Georgia grows, so do our energy needs and Georgia is meeting this challenge by creating a fertile environment for alternative energy production. Those efforts have been rewarded with $2.4 billion of investment over the last two years. That investment means new jobs for Georgians.

In November, Norcross-based Suniva, birthed right here in one of our research universities, began fabricating the most advanced solar technology in the world.

This summer, we will host more than 15,000 energy innovators for the biggest bio-lifescience conference in the world – BIO 2009. This is an outstanding opportunity to showcase Georgia’s progress in life sciences, and our potential to help heal, fuel and feed the world.

As we continue to attract new investment in biotechnology, we can secure our position as a leader in this industry by enacting laws that respect the role of the federal Food and Drug Administration as the regulator of the safety of drugs and medical devices.

But the best incentive we can offer an employer is a talented workforce that is ready to meet their needs, and our Work Ready program does just that.

We began Work Ready two years ago and Georgia workers have responded. There are now 111 counties – 70 percent of the state – working toward Certified Work Ready Community status.

As Georgia workers compete with peers as far away as China or as close as South Carolina, Work Ready puts them a step ahead. That is certainly the case with Joy Anthony.

Joy’s Work Ready Certificate distinguished her and gave her the edge she needed in her job search. Her employer was impressed by the skills Work Ready identified and they have designated her as a “Rising Star” in their company.

Joy is one over 35,000 Georgians to take control of their future, making themselves more marketable to employers looking for a talented workforce.

Ladies and gentleman, Georgia is ready to take advantage of our workforce and our strong balance sheet. We remain one of seven states with a triple-A bond rating and we will invest in projects that will be of long-term value to Georgians.

This year’s bond package, totaling over $1.2 billion in new investment, will put Georgians to work and build critical infrastructure. In the past, we have often funded the design phase of a project one year and construction at some later date. This year’s package will feature many projects in which both design and construction are funded in the same year, ensuring their timely completion.

In a time that we have trimmed our budget in other areas, we are aggressively increasing our bond package by a full twenty percent over last year. This will take advantage of low construction costs and create an estimated 20,000 new jobs in an industry that is ready to go to work.

These projects touch every corner of the state and include new construction at our universities, technical schools, local school systems and libraries; harbor deepening at the Savannah port and needed improvements at state facilities.

As I said at the outset today, we’re going to maintain a long-term perspective – we are not going to panic and make knee-jerk decisions that will have negative long-term consequences.

We stand at a crossroads, and as a father and a grandfather ten times over, I can say, we all recognize how important it is to the next generation that we get it right … right now.

Don’t hear me dismissing the scope or severity of this downturn. But, more importantly, don’t leave failing to hear the message that we need to look beyond this downturn.

Think about it, you don’t get anywhere in life without a long-term perspective and a long-term plan. You have to weather the turbulence - that’s true in a career, that’s true in the history of every successful marriage. Isn’t that right, Mary?

When the economy takes a downturn, you don’t give up on the economic promise of America that has proven true over the centuries. You don’t discard the promise … you build for the future with that promise in mind.

There is much to do in Georgia in this coming year but it can be summarized in that overarching mission to continue executing on the fundamentals of good government; to improve our competitive advantages, to make Georgia a better place to live and a better place to do business.

As I look back and think about our history, I am certain that this is not the tallest mountain we’ve been asked to climb.

As I think about the American promise of freedom and economic opportunity, I know that rich promise will mean great things for Georgians in the years to come. The soil has proven too rich to dare believe anything else.

As I look within, I find something within the human constitution that bounces back, something within this collective American spirit that rebuilds.

I’ll never claim to be a Nehemiah; but the prophet’s call, “Let us rebuild the walls,” rings true today. This is the time to continue building our state, to prepare for the future, to plant the seeds that will enrich our children’s inheritance. Together, we will do just that!

Thank you! God bless you. God bless America … and may God bless the great state of Georgia!

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Governor Announces Legislation Filed to Establish Identity Theft Task Force

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the filing of legislation to establish an identity theft task force within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). This legislation is being carried by Senator Joseph Carter (R – Tifton).

“Today I have a message for identity thieves in Georgia: Your number is up,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “With this legislation, we are ensuring that Georgia’s identity theft laws are backed by the full force of the GBI and that identity thieves will be brought to justice.”

Governor Perdue’s legislation would establish a dedicated identity theft task force within the Investigative Division of the GBI. Governor Perdue included $1 million in his budget proposal to fund this initiative. This task force will combat identity theft on several fronts including investigating alleged identity theft, educating the public, supporting victims and training local law enforcement in combating identity theft.

"The General Assembly looks forward to supporting the GBI as they work to protect Georgia's citizens and businesses from the scourge of identity theft," said Senator Carter. "I have full confidence that the GBI will take this new duty on and produce the kind of results the people of this state deserve."

Identity theft cost Georgia’s citizens and businesses more than $25 million in 2006. From 2002 to 2006, there were more than 34,000 reports of identity theft in Georgia filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Georgia is ranked 7th in the nation in incidents of identity theft per capita.

The GBI has a proven track record of combating crimes that plague Georgia’s citizens. In recent past, the Governor has charged GBI with aggressively combating methamphetamines and predators who prey on Georgia’s children via the internet. Since the launch of the methamphetamine task force, total drug seizures have increased from $7.6 million in 2005 to over $32 million year to date in 2008. Governor Perdue’s child safety initiative (CSI Georgia) was launched to provide more GBI agents to investigate crimes against children committed by internet predators. The GBI’s High Technology Investigations Unit caseload increased 57 percent in 2007 compared to 2006.

Currently, the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs is charged with investigating identity theft. This legislation would transfer that statutory authority to the GBI.