Governor Perdue Announces Excellence in Customer Service Commendations

Governor Sonny Perdue today (July 15, 2008) announced 14 individual and team recipients of the Governor’s Commendation for Excellence in Customer Service. The quarterly event recognizes state employees who go above and beyond their basic responsibilities to provide extraordinary service to Georgia’s citizens.

INDIVIDUAL COMMENDATION RECIPIENTS:
Darrell Beam, Department of Administrative Services, Atlanta

Lee Chambers, Sr., Investigator, Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, Atlanta (in memoriam)

Maria Greene, Division of Aging Services, Department of Human Resources, Atlanta

Harold Lambert, State Board of Pardons and Paroles, Atlanta

Margie Landers, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Atlanta

Gordon Lowe, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Atlanta

Leslie Sessly, Division of Aging Services, Department of Human Resources, Atlanta

Linda Stephens, Department of Administrative Services, Atlanta

Wayne Petty, Georgia Technology Authority, Atlanta


TEAM COMMENDATION RECIPIENTS

Fort Benning Temporary Tag Office Team, Georgia Department of Revenue, Muscogee County Tax Commissioner’s Office and the Georgia Technology Authority, Columbus

GDEcD Regional Small Business and Innovation Team, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Boston

Outreach Team, Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, Atlanta

Troop F Task Force, Georgia State Patrol, Swainsboro

Web Search Team, Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, Atlanta

Governor Perdue Announces Executive Appointments

Governor Sonny Perdue announced today the following executive appointments:

Board of Early Care and Learning
Carolyn W. Ormsby, Ed.D., 65, Conyers, Fourth Congressional District Representative —
Ormsby is the principal of Honey Creek Elementary School in Rockdale County. She serves on the Board of Child Development Center of First Baptist Church of Conyers, and is a member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders, and the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. Ormsby earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, master’s and specialist’s degrees from Georgia State University, and a doctoral degree from Nova Southeastern University. She and her husband, Ted, have three grown children and nine grandchildren.

Board of Governors of the George L. Smith II Georgia World Congress Center Authority
John H. Downs, Jr., 51, Marietta –- Downs is senior vice president of public affairs and communications for Coca-Cola Enterprises. He serves on numerous boards including The Coca-Cola Foundation, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Cobb County Chamber of Commerce, Morehouse School of Medicine, Voices for Georgia’s Children, and the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. He was appointed to the Georgia Department of Education’s Parent, Community and Business Advisory Board and the Commission for a New Georgia’s Administrative Services task force by Governor Sonny Perdue. Downs earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington College. He and his wife, Molly, have four children.

Board of Trustees of the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund
John L. Quinn, 59, Avondale Estates, Labor Representative –- Quinn serves as district counsel for Communications Workers of America, where he represents nine Southeastern states. He is currently chair-elect of the Georgia Bar’s Labor and Employment Law Section, along with being a longstanding member of the American Bar Association’s EEO Committee. He is an active member of the AFL-CIO Lawyers Coordinating Committee and has chaired its advisory board. Quinn earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He and his wife, Kerry, have five children and four grandchildren.

Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners
Kathleen T. Bowen, 29, Decatur, Consumer Representative –- Bowen is special projects coordinator for the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) and serves as program director for the Georgia Civic Awareness Program for Students. She is a member of the Georgia Society of Association Executives, the Southern Center for International Studies Young Professionals, the Atlanta Ole Miss Alumni Club and a volunteer with Hands on Atlanta. Bowen earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi. She is married to Will Bowen.

Georgia Music Hall of Fame Authority
R. Charles “Charlie” Loudermilk, Sr., 80, Atlanta – Loudermilk serves as chairman of Aaron Rents, Inc. He is the founder and past chairman of the Buckhead Coalition and founder and chairman of the Buckhead Community Bank. He served on the board of the Atlanta Rotary Club, Piedmont Hospital Foundation Board, Atlanta Community Food Bank, and served as chairman of the Omni Group and the MARTA Board of Directors. Loudermilk earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina. He is married to Courtney Loudermilk and has three children, two stepchildren, and five grandchildren.

State Board of Cosmetology
James S. “Slatz” Gaines, 74, Flowery Branch, Cosmetologist – Gaines has been a professional hairdresser for over forty-seven years and has owned multiple salons around the Atlanta area. He is a member of Blackshear Place Baptist Church and the National Hairdressers Association and a former member of Intercoiffure America-Canada.

State Workforce Investment Board
Edward P. “Phil” Best, Sr., 52, Dublin, Municipal Elected Official – Best is the mayor of the City of Dublin and the chief executive officer of Premier Construction Group, LLC. He serves on the Laurens County Board of Health, Community Mental Health Board and the Solid Waste Management Authority. He is a graduate of Leadership Georgia and served as director of the Dublin-Laurens County Chamber of Commerce. Best attended Floyd Jr. College and DeKalb College. He and his wife, Cile, have two children.

Statement from Governor Sonny Perdue Concerning Election of Pastor Johnny Hunt as SBC President

The following is a statement from Governor Perdue regarding the election of Dr. Johnny Hunt, Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Woodstock, as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention:

“I have the utmost confidence that my pastor, Dr. Johnny Hunt, will not only be a great leader for Southern Baptists worldwide, he will demonstrate his love for all people just as our Lord has commanded us to do. While he has nurtured and shepherded a large flock, his leadership style is based on a concern and compassion for each individual. He has not only pastored a large, dynamic church, he has also tirelessly ministered to other churches and their pastor families. That is why I was not surprised that the love he shows so easily was returned through the votes of Southern Baptists. He is a leader of our faith that I am proud to follow.”

Sen. Chance’s Identity Theft Bill Signed Into Law

Governor Sonny Perdue has recently signed two measures that will further protect the identity of Georgia’s consumers. In order to curb the rise of identity theft, Gov. Perdue introduced legislation during the 2008 session to establish an identity theft task force within the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). Sponsored by Sen. Ronnie Chance (R-Tyrone), Senate Bill 388 creates a new GBI task force that will investigate alleged identity theft, educate the public on how to protect themselves, support victims and train local law enforcement to combat identity theft.

“The state is taking an active role in preventing identity theft through this legislation, which I am confident will be an important step in curbing such illegal activity,” said Sen. Chance. “With $1 million in new funding in the state budget, SB 388 will enable the GBI to add eight investigative positions to the ID Theft Task Force to combat identity theft statewide.”

The Governor also signed House Bill 130 to allow consumers to place or remove an immediate security freeze on their credit report for a $3 fee. Under this legislation, each major consumer credit reporting agency, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, must offer this service to allow consumers to prohibit the release of their credit report or credit score to third parties.

As of August 1, consumers will be able to request a freeze electronically through Internet systems that each credit reporting agency is required to develop. Once submitted electronically, requests will be fulfilled within 15 minutes. A toll-free telephone number will also be provided, so that requests may be made over the phone. In order to make this service easily accessible to everyone, consumers who are 65 years of age or older, and those who are documented victims of identity fraud, will not be charged the $3 fee for placing or removing a freeze.

“Identity theft is a rampant problem across the country, and I am pleased that we can offer our citizens added protection to keep them and their family safe,” added Sen. Chance. “These new laws give consumers the tools they need to protect their hard-earned savings, and give those who have fallen victim to this crime the immediate help they need to minimize the damage.”

Representative Jimmy Pruett Named House Floor Leader

Governor Sonny Perdue today appointed Representative Jimmy Pruett of Eastman (District 144) to serve as Assistant Administration Floor Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives.

Pruett joins Representative Rich Golick (District 34) who serves as Administration Floor Leader and Representative Jim Cole (District 125) who serves as Assistant Administration Floor Leader. Pruett is filling the vacancy created by Representative Vance Smith. Smith, who also serves as House Transportation Chairman, stepped down as Floor Leader to focus his efforts on the growing time requirements his chairmanship demands.

“Jimmy is an excellent addition to our team of floor leaders,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “As a freshman legislator, he has already impressed his colleagues with his integrity and his work ethic. I look forward to working with him as he advances this administration’s initiatives.”

Pruett represents District 144 which includes Dodge, Bleckley and Wilcox counties and portions of Ben Hill and Pulaski counties. Rep. Pruett owns a successful commercial and residential air conditioning services business, and he is actively involved in industry recruitment resulting in bringing companies to his hometown communities. Pruett serves as the Secretary of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee, and as a member of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, Natural Resources and Environment Committee and the Industrial Relations Committee.

“I am excited about the opportunity to serve Georgia as one of Governor Perdue’s floor leaders,” said Representative Jimmy Pruett. “I look forward to advocating for our state with Governor Perdue’s common sense agenda along with Representative Golick and Representative Cole.”

Governor Announces Healthcare Reform to Insure More Georgians

1/30/08 Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue announced in a press conference today his support of health insurance reform legislation that will be filed by Senator Judson Hill and Representative Mickey Channell . The legislation will insure more Georgia citizens by expanding the availability and affordability of High Deductible Health Plans and Health Care Savings Accounts in Georgia.

“Insuring more Georgia citizens is our goal with this reform legislation,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “More insured citizens means lower costs for all taxpayers, and preventative care means a healthier population. This legislation will incentivize small business owners to provide low cost health insurance to employees and their families.”

“This is a market-based solution focused on empowering individuals and rewarding them for making healthy choices. This plan will make affordable health insurance more accessible for the uninsured and working families,” said Senator Hill. “I have been working on this issue for years with various health care leaders, so I greatly appreciate the Governor's leadership that will make policy ideas a policy reality for our families.”

“This legislation makes a real difference for Georgia’s families and would make quality, affordable healthcare coverage affordable for nearly half a million Georgians,” said Representative Mickey Channell. “By harnessing the power of the free market, we’ll see more Georgians able to purchase and maintain their own healthcare coverage.”

A High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is a health insurance plan that offers consumers lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan. A Health Savings Account (HSA) allows consumers to set aside funds for future qualified medical health expenses on a tax-free basis.

The health insurance reform legislation announced today has several provisions to make HDHPs paired with HSAs more affordable and available in the Georgia insurance market. The legislation will incentivize small businesses to provide HDHPs with HSAs. According to the Center for Health Transformation, approximately 500,000 Georgians could become insured if the reform legislation is passed through the 2008 Georgia General Assembly.

Provisions of the health insurance reform legislation include:

Insurance Regulation Changes:

Rebates for Behavior Modifications: Allows for rebates for consumers who have HDHPs with HSAs when they make behavior modifications, such as smoking cessation, weight loss or controlling diabetes and blood pressure. The rebate could be deposited into the consumer’s HSA or be demonstrated through a lower deductible.

Reduced Restrictions on Reimbursements to Non-Preferred Providers: Gives flexibility to insurance companies to reimburse at lower rates when a patient chooses an out-of-network provider. This flexibility allows the insurance company to offer lower premiums to the consumer.

Remove Restrictions on Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA): HRAs are arrangements that allow an employer to reimburse an employee for certain medical expenses. This legislation would allow companies that provide HRAs to reimburse employees using pre-tax dollars.

Premium Tax Exemption:

Currently HDHPs are subject to state and local premium taxes. This legislation would remove state and local premium taxes in Georgia, saving consumers $11.4 million in 2009 in state tax savings alone.

Income Tax Deduction:

Allows consumers to deduct HDHP premiums from state income taxes, if they are not already deducting premiums from federal income taxes. This would apply to consumers who purchase an HDHP insurance plan as an individual, or through an employer.

Small Business Tax Credit:

Allows employers with 50 employees or less to take a tax credit of $250 per employee that enrolls in a HDHP through a Section 125 plan.

In August 2007 Governor Perdue unveiled the Health Insurance Partnership (HIP), a program that incentivizes small businesses to provide health insurance to employees under 300 percent of the poverty level by sharing the costs between the employee, employer and the state and federal government. The regulatory and tax proposals announced today compliment the HIP program by stretching state and federal dollars further, resulting in more insured Georgia citizens.

Governor Perdue also recognized the efforts of Senator Hill and Representative Channell to bring together the Georgia Hospital Association, Medical Association of Georgia, Georgia Health Underwriters Association and the Center for Health Transformation to put together the ideas that he endorsed today.

Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Cagle and Speaker Richardson

Governor Sonny Perdue, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and House Majority Leader Jerry Keen today began a tour of Georgia to discuss their shared priorities for the 2008 legislative session. Representative Keen traveled on behalf of Speaker Glenn Richardson, who was unable to attend on Wednesday, due to obligations trying a case in court.

The three state leaders announced today that they share a vision for continuing Georgia’s success in improving education, ensuring the sustainability of our water resources, strengthening the state’s transportation infrastructure and protecting the health of Georgia’s citizens. The three started in Albany this morning and will travel to nine cities over the next day and a half.

“We are traveling the state today to show that we are unified on the issues of education, water, transportation and healthcare,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “This year, we plan to give Georgians what they expect: sensible and effective legislation that will continue our progress in improving education, establish plans to protect our water resources, improve Georgia’s transportation system and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges.”

"We have come together to highlight critical issues that unify us as we look to bring essential and positive changes to Georgia’s transportation infrastructure, educational system, water needs and healthcare,” said Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle. “As elected officials, our main priority should be to provide the kind of leadership that brings positive results to our state and that is our goal this session."

"Now more than ever our state is faced with many challenges and issues that we must address,” said Speaker Glenn Richardson. “Whether it be protecting our water resources, educating Georgia’s children, or providing affordable health care, we must band together and work towards a common goal with common ideas. During this legislative session the Governor, the Lt. Governor and I are committed to improving the way of life for all Georgians, and because we share this common thread, I know we will succeed.”

Among the priorities discussed today was continuing Georgia’s success in improving education. Georgia’s high school graduation rate is currently higher than it’s ever been before. Today the Governor, Lt. Governor and House leadership committed to work to increase the graduation rate to at least 80 percent by 2010. They agreed on the importance of tougher curriculum standards as well as more parental involvement and control over a child’s education. They indicated that innovative approaches to education such as charter schools and special needs scholarships are all components in moving Georgia’s educational system forward.

State leadership also committed today to address funding for a statewide trauma care network during the 2008 legislative session. They agreed that innovative and creative approaches should be examined to ensure that effective and affordable healthcare coverage is available to Georgians.

The sustainability of Georgia’s water resources has been a critical topic leading up to the 2008 legislative session. The three leaders agreed today that the passage of the Statewide Water Plan is imperative to ensure that our water resources are managed effectively. They also agreed that in 2008, local governments must examine adding storage capacity through reservoir construction and enhancements, with the state’s support.

Transportation is another area that state leadership agrees must be addressed as Georgia’s economy and population continue to grow. Today each of the three leaders supported internal changes at the Georgia Department of Transportation to ensure projects are completed on time and on budget, allowing Georgia to foster economic growth and development for generations to come.

Following the first stop in Albany this morning, Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Cagle and House Majority Leader Keen plan to visit Brunswick, Savannah, Augusta and Atlanta on Wednesday. Speaker Richardson hopes to join the group as his court obligations allow. Thursday they visit Macon, Columbus, Cartersville and Gainesville.

For more information on these and other initiatives, you can visit Governor Perdue’s website at http://gov.georgia.gov, Lt. Governor Cagle’s website at http://ltgov.georgia.gov or Speaker Richardson’s website at http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/house/speaker/index.htm.