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Making Progress on Vital Georgia Issues

By Bill Hamrick

CARROLLTON (February 11, 2011) – Daily business in the Senate is steaming full-speed ahead. The House of Representatives has passed the Amended Fiscal Year 2011 budget, the Senate passed their first bill and committee hearings are gearing up under the Gold Dome. Legislation that addresses the critical needs of Georgians is also being introduced on a daily basis.

The first bill passed out of the Senate was Senate Bill 30, legislation I sponsored to ensure municipal court judges are licensed attorneys and standing members of the State Bar of Georgia. Those judges already serving without this qualification on June 30, 2011 will be grandfathered in and will retain their positions. This measure passed with a vote of 51-4. 

Medicaid fraud is a very serious and rapidly growing issue. Legislation was introduced to address this problem by establishing the Georgia Medical Assistance Fraud Prevention Program.  The bill requires that Medicaid cards integrate a computer chip that includes a digital photograph and fingerprint of the card holder. When a Medicaid patient swipes their card, the doctor’s office can verify that patient’s identity using their digital photograph and fingerprint.  Patients will provide a fingerprint scan when they enter the office and before they leave, providing proof that the patient received services and will prevent doctors from billing for services that were never rendered.   The bill creates a pilot program that will be implemented before the technology is rolled out statewide.

A proper funding mechanism for trauma care has unfortunately eluded Georgians for years. We must find a way to fund statewide trauma care that will work for everyone. The resolution would draw $10 from each vehicle registration into a trauma trust fund.  If passed by the legislature, citizens would vote on an amendment to allow the state to fund trauma care from license tag fees.  A constitutional amendment passed last year by the legislature would have required everyone to pay an additional $10 per vehicle registration to fund trauma care, but citizens voted against it. You spoke and we listened. This amended version will be able to fund trauma care without any additional taxpayer dollars.

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss visited the Senate Chamber this week to encourage senators to pass a balanced state budget. He thanked everyone for their work on the budget and on other significant legislation, including immigration.  It was an encouraging visit as we continue to grapple with a large budget shortfall.

Wednesday was Georgia State University Day at the Capitol Wednesday. As an alumnus of the College of Law at this prestigious university, I was proud to host students, faculty and staff of this great school at the Capitol. Founded in 1913 with a class of 48 students, the school now provides educational opportunities to more than 31,000 students. Georgia State is recognized as having the largest business school in the South, a law school ranked number one in the country and an acclaimed science center in the Southeast.  In addition to 98 years of education, a Senate resolution commends the school’s new Panthers football team on a winning first season.

Please continue to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. Your voice is crucial to the success of our representative government, and I’m honored to serve on your behalf in the Senate.

Sen. Bill Hamrick serves as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He represents the 30th Senate District which includes portions of Carroll, Douglas, and Paulding counties.  He may be reached at 404.656.0036 or via e-mail at bill.hamrick@senate.ga.gov.

COLUMN
For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2011
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Director
Katie Wright, Communication Manager
katie.wright@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028

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Sen. Butterworth Hosts Toccoa-Stephens County’s Fireworks over Toccoa Day

ATLANTA (Feb. 11, 2011) – Yesterday, State Sen. Jim Butterworth (R-Clarkesville) hosted Tocooa-Stephens County’s Fireworks Over Toccoa Day at the State Capitol. The theme, Fireworks over Toccoa, was adopted from the title of a book set in the City of Toccoa during World War II by Jeffrey Stepakoff. The day was an opportunity for local residents and leaders to meet with legislative officials to discuss topics critical to the City of Toccoa, Stephens County and the state.

“It was an honor and a joy to host the many local residents and leaders that came to the Capitol today,” said Butterworth. “Their visit was a prime example of citizen involvement, which is crucial to our success as a representative government. I value their hard work and diligent effort to make Toccoa-Stephens County a vital economic arm to Georgia.”

The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 130, sponsored by Sen. Butterworth, recognizing Feb. 10 as Toccoa-Stephens County’s Fireworks over Toccoa Day at the State Capitol. The resolution mentioned several notable aspects of the area. The City of Toccoa and Stephens County were deemed a Signature Community City by the Department of Community Affairs and an Entrepreneur Friendly county by Governor Sonny Perdue.

Sen. Jim Butterworth serves as chairman of the State High Education Committee. He represents the 50th Senate District which includes Towns, Rabun, Habersham, Stephens, Banks, Franklin, and Hart counties along with a portion of White County. He can be reached by phone at 404.463.5257 or by email at jim.butterworth@senate.ga.gov.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2011
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Director
Katie Wright, Communication Manager
katie.wright@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028

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South Georgia at the State Capitol

 

By State Sen. Greg Goggans

JANUARY REVENUES CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE

January is one of the top revenue months of the year, usually second behind April, which is often the height of the income tax season. Sales tax collections from the Christmas holidays are reflected in the January revenue report as well. At an 8.1 percent increase, total January revenues followed another strong month in December. In fact, at $1.55 billion, the collections in January were about $400,000 over the December total. Continue reading “South Georgia at the State Capitol”

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Senator Tolleson Reports from the Capitol

By Sen. Ross Tolleson

PERRY (February 11, 2011) – Every year, I enjoy visiting with all the bright and talented students from the 20th Senate District who visit the State Capitol.  This week I met with the Youth Leadership of Warner Robbins, a program designed by the local Chamber of Commerce to expose young leaders to the dynamic community and encourage their input and creativity.  Also from Warner Robbins were several members of the Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) who visited the Capitol during National FCCLA Week to celebrate this student organization that helps young men and women become leaders.

During 4-H Day, the Senate passed a resolution honoring the program for all it does to teach students about citizenship and service.  4-H member Rachel Allen of Wrightsville served as my Senate Page for the day, and she did a wonderful job.  Each senator is assigned a page for a day in Chamber to give students a unique opportunity to see the legislative process firsthand while they help deliver messages to senators.  I was also pleased to meet Perry High School art students Robyn Smith and Donna and Christian Culpepper, as well as members of Young Farmers of America, an educational program that provides young farmers with hands-on instruction on how to increase farming efficiency and productivity.

Not only is farming crucial to Georgia’s economy, but our forests represent a leading industry in the state.  They create more than 180,000 jobs and contribute $28 billion in annual economic impact.  During our annual Forestry Day this week, an exciting research project was unveiled that for the first time places a monetary value on ecological functions and ecosystem services to the state.  Our forests provide $37 billion in ecological benefits.  With a better understanding of the true value of our forests, we can make better land use decisions.

In that light, prescribed fire use is an excellent way to ensure the health of our ecosystem.  I was honored to join the governor as he signed a proclamation designating the first week in February as the annual Prescribed Fire Awareness Week to promote the benefits of using prescribed burning as an environmentally-friendly tool for managing the state’s forests.  The Georgia Prescribed Fire Council works with the Georgia Forestry Commission to encourage the exchange of information, techniques and experience among practitioners of prescribed burning in Georgia.

Lawmakers are continuing to work on balancing the state budget to provide a conservative and effective spending plan for the state.  As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I am working diligently with my colleagues to ensure that during these difficult economic times, we cut spending where we can while maintaining core state services.  The House of Representatives has just passed an $18 billion budget for the remainder of the 2011 Fiscal Year, which ends July 1.  That budget will now move over to the Senate, where we’ll work on making any necessary adjustments.  Just like families who sit around their kitchen table to decide where to cut spending, we believe government must also live within its means.

Sen. Ross Tolleson serves as Chairman of the Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.  He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Pulaski, and Telfair counties and parts of Houston and Wilcox counties.  He may be reached at 404.656.0081 or by e-mail at ross.tolleson@senate.ga.gov.

COLUMN
For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2011
For Information Contact:
Natalie Strong, Director
Kallarin Richards, Deputy Director
kallarin.richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028

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Goggans Reintroduces Trauma Care Funding

Updated measure has no additional fees; funds go directly to trauma network

DOUGLAS, GA (May 4, 2010) – The critically-needed funding for Georgia’s trauma care network has new light in a Senate resolution authored by State Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas).  Senate Resolution 140, the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund of 2012, would create a dedicated revenue stream to aid Georgia’s vastly underfunded statewide trauma care network. 

“I made a commitment to the people who elected me that I would work to improve the quality of life for my district and the state of Georgia,” said Goggans.  “Well, it’s time to take action and save lives.  Many experts believe this funding mechanism could save over one-thousand lives a year.  I personally believe it can save more than that.  We must find a plan that will effectively upgrade our trauma infrastructure and enhance the statewide response readiness capabilities.  If we do not enact a dedicated funding system to make that happen, that plan is destined to fail.”

SR 140 proposes a statewide referendum for voters to adopt a Constitutional amendment which would subtract $10 from every vehicle registration fee in Georgia and appropriate it to a dedicated trust fund to improve and expand Georgia’s trauma care network.  The amendment raises no fees or taxes, and the Georgia General Assembly has no ability to use those funds for anything besides trauma care as it will not be included in the general revenue collections.

South Georgia in particular is often cited as being in the most urgent of need to establish more trauma care centers.  Goggans mentioned for example that many people refer to the Interstate 75 corridor between Macon and the Florida border as the “Corridor of Death” due to the lack of sufficient trauma care.

Goggans cited some very troubling statistics from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety that have made the trauma care issue one he has championed during this time in the state Senate:

  • Georgia has 150 acute care hospitals but only 15 designated trauma care centers
  • Over 1 million Georgians live 50 miles away from a Level 1 trauma center; that puts them and many Georgia commuters driving through much of the state way past the “golden hour” when emergency responders have the greatest chance to save a life
  • In metro Atlanta, one fatality occurs in every 339 accidents.  In rural Georgia that number is one fatality in every 74 accidents

 

Senate Resolution 277, the original trauma funding measure, asked voters to add $10 to each vehicle registration and be placed in the trust fund.  The measure overwhelmingly passed in the General Assembly and was placed on the 2010 ballot as a proposed Constitutional amendment.  The resolution ultimately fell short of being adopted 53 percent to 47 percent, a difference of approximately 130,000 votes.

“Based on the outcome it was evident many voters saw this as more of a tax increase and did not trust the government with more of their money which I can understand,” stated Goggans.  “But at the same time, many of those same voters recognize the urgent need of strengthening our trauma network and want an effective solution to address it.  I’ve often said trauma care is expensive, but not having trauma care is more expensive because it costs lives.  The $10 that will go solely to trauma funding equates to less than 3 cents a day for every person in the state.  You cannot put a price on the value of a life, but 3 cents a day is a great deal for potentially life-saving trauma care.”

If adopted by the General Assembly, Goggans expects SR 140 will be placed on the 2012 election ballot for consideration by Georgia voters.

 

Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.

 

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
February 10, 2011
For Information Contact:
Matt Colvin, Broadcast Director
matthew.colvin@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028