ATLANTA (April 20, 2016) | Sen. Dean Burke (R – Bainbridge) has been recognized as the 2015-16 Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA). Burke was recognized in front of 450 GPHA members recently at the association’s annual meeting in Atlanta.
“As a medical professional and as a legislator, I am committed to creating and supporting sound legislation that works to ensure Georgians throughout our state have adequate access to healthcare,” said Sen. Burke. “I am humbled to have been named Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Public Health Association and will continue working to improve public health across Georgia.”
“The Legislator of the Year Award recognizes those in elected office who have been strong advocates for public health,” said Johanna Hinman, GPHA president. “Sen. Burke has championed initiatives to improve the health of our citizens and is an outstanding public servant. We are delighted to recognize Sen. Burke as the GPHA Legislator of the Year.”
Among his contributions, Sen. Burke introduced legislation creating the Maternal Mortality Committee, authored a bill the enabled the Department of Public Health to pursue an advanced information technology solution to better serve HIV patients, and helped pass a measure to modernize Georgia’s medical school loan repayment programs.
Additionally, Sen. Burke serves on the Appropriations Human Development and Public Health Subcommittee, where he is a leading supporter of adequate funding levels for Department of Public Health programs. He also chairs the Appropriations Community Health Subcommittee and is an influential member of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
GPHA is the largest organization of public health professionals in the Southeast, with a vision of “healthy Georgians, living in healthy communities.”
# # # #
For Immediate Release:
April 20, 2016
For Information Contact:
Jennifer Yarber, Director
Brittany Wagner, Communications Specialist
Brittany.wagner@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028