Georgia Takes A Stand

I am about to type something that is extremely difficult for me to type. I am proud of Gov. Sonny Perdue. If you live in Georgia (or have lived in Georgia at any point during Perdue's reign) you are probably wanting to know how such a thing is possible. Well, no matter how much I may not like you or agree with you, if you do something that deserves credit, well, I'll give it. Yesterday, Gov. Perdue earned a smiley-face sticker when he signed Senate Bill 170 into law. Sonny, thank you for not screwing up something good!

Senator David Adelman (pictured to the left) deserves a pat on the back for being the main sponsor of SB 170. He represents Senate District 42, which consists of Decatur(County Seat), Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Clarkston, Doraville, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain. When you have a moment, send Senator David Adelman an email at david.adelman@senate.ga.gov thanking him for sponsoring SB 170. (I sent mine.)

Gov. Sonny Perdue has signed legislation banning Georgia government agencies from entering into contracts with companies that have business interests in Sudan.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. David Adelman, said the new law is designed to sanction the Sudanese government and stop mass genocide taking place in the nation's southern region of Darfur. Adelman said militias doing the killing in Darfur receive financial backing from foreign companies involved in Sudan's oil, power, mining, and military sectors.

The bill took effect Wednesday as the governor signed it into law at the state Capitol.
(Taken from 11Alive)

If a company decides to hide any business with the Sudanese government, the company could face one of three actions:

(1) The company shall be liable for a civil penalty in an amount that is equal to the greater of $250,000.00 or twice the amount of the contract for which a bid or proposal was submitted;
(2) The state agency or the Department of Administrative Services may terminate the contract with the company; and
(3) The company shall be ineligible to, and shall not, bid on a state contract for a period of not less than three years from the date the state agency determines

Perdue Says School Nurses Are NOT Needed

FROM THE ASHE ADVOCATE, a newletter written by State Representative Kathy Ashe.....

House Democrats fight to keep nurses in schools
According to the Governor's FY 2009 amended budget proposal school nurses will soon become a thing of the past. The recommendations submitted by the Governor last week cut $30 million in state funds which would eliminate the school nurse program. The Georgia House Democratic Caucus opposes this cut and has pledged to work to restore the program.

Democrats believe in promoting preventive medicine and supporting nurses in schools so children can focus on learning and avoid complications that arise when health problems go untreated. They also believe every family should have access to a doctor and every school should have a nurse.

"We have a growing number of working families without health insurance and some of those parents rely on school nurses to keep their children safe and healthy while they are in school." said Rep. Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta), Chairperson for Health and Human Services Policy Committee for the Georgia House Democratic Caucus.

Georgia House Democratic Caucus Education Policy Chair, Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta), said, "We must fight for our children and their right to receive appropriate health care while they are in school. If children don't receive the care they need their medical issues could escalate. It's a short sighted approach that will eventually cost our state additional funds and more importantly, diminish our children's ability to do the job they go to school to accomplish - learning. I am asking our parents and teachers to express your concern about these cuts to your state representative and state senators. Email gadhcissues@gmail.com if you need assistance finding your elected representatives."

Removing school nurses is extremely short-sighted. Georgia House Democratic Leader, Rep. DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) added real life examples. "In Dublin, we have one nurse for four elementary schools. Numerous daily school-age related illnesses aside, our nurse manages diabetic children who must undergo daily blood sugar testing, she takes care of a child on a feeding tube, and has a student going through stage 4 cancer. The management of these health issues takes a trained professional." said Porter. "In one of the four schools alone there are 38 students on asthma inhalers, students who at times have had to be rushed to the hospital with acute asthma attacks. We should not balance the state's budget by cutting health care to sick children or making our teachers become health care providers."

Georgia House Democratic Caucus Chairman Calvin Smyre (D-Columbus) agreed and pointed out legal questions that may arise, regardless of safeguards designed to protect the school. "The governor should be asking, who will administer this care... the teachers? The liability on untrained school employees administering health care could easily become an issue. Teachers in Georgia schools now are not allowed to administer medications. Nurses in our schools give out over 5 million doses per year. There are approximately fifteen million annual visits to the office or school health room for illness, medication and injury in Georgia," said Smyre. "Children can't learn when they are sick and teachers can't teach when they are running a health clinic."

In conclusion Porter noted, "We are willing to fight to stop this cut that will directly damage our schools and our children, but it will take a great effort to get the message to this Governor. Now is the time for Georgians to engage in the political process. Times are changing and Georgians can no longer assume basic services will continue. Georgians must become involved in the process."

The Georgia House Democratic Caucus has an e-mail address to handle issues that relate to the Governor's proposed cuts. To voice your concern, e- mail gadhcissues@gmail.com. Together we can continue to protect our children's future.

Governor's Proposed Budget

Fellow Georgians:

I know many of you are excited about the change happening in Washington; however, in our Obama excitement, we can't forget about the change that is needed in Georgia. I hope you will keep your eyes on what is happening in the '09 Georgia General Assembly, and I especially hope that you will keep an eye Governor Perdue.

Are you curious about the budget? If not, you should be. Click here for information regarding Perdue's proposed budgets.

A few items from the Governor's budget include:
1. Continued cuts to the QBE education formula that go to operate schools.
2. Elimination of 10 conservation rangers and 18 staffers at the Environmental Protection Division.
3. Cuts for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation crime labs and arson investigators at the Georgia Forestry Commission.
4. Reduction of case workers at the Child Protective Services Division.
5. Closing of four prisons.


*Thanks to Representative Benfield's weekly updates for this information.*

GA Politics: Perdue.....Hospitals....

Perdue has proposed a 1.6 percent fee on hospital revenues and health insurance plans to fill the state’s $208 million hole in Medicaid this year, and to provide $60 million toward a statewide trauma network.

and

Southwest Atlanta Hospital has to close it doors.

A Hidden Shame: Death in Georgia's Mental Hospitals

Below I have links to a series of articles, A HIDDEN SHAME: Death in Georgia's Mental Hospitals, written by AJC investigative reporters Alan Judd and Andy Miller. It isn't enough to say I am appalled by what has slid by in the state mental hospitals. I am saddened for the people and families that are victims of the neglect and abuse of the state mental hospitals.

I am disgusted that the GA Governor Sonny Perdue had the nerve to request $19 million for his Go Fish Georgia Initiative when the AJC was spotlighting the need of financial assistance for state mental hospitals. I was shocked that Perdue considers fishing more important than the state's mental hospitals.

A HIDDEN SHAME: DEATH IN GEORGIA'S MENTAL HOSPITALS
A HIDDEN SHAME: About the series
Part 1: Sarah Crider is among the victims
Part 2: Suicide exposes neglect in state hospitals
Part 3: A fatal struggle--but no punishment
Part 4: Lax security, easy escape, tragic ending
Part 5: Family shattered by failure in care
Part 6: Psychiatric patients are vulnerable when state shunts them to inns, shelters, streets
Part 7: Children housed with alleged offenders
Part 8: A lonely end to a life of madness
Part 9: Mental unit needed cops to end teens 'riot'