GEORGIA'S WIN LIST E-Newsletter

February 2008

Legislators, Donors Meet at WIN List Legislative Breakfast

The Georgia’s WIN List annual Legislative Breakfast, on January 29, attracted a large turnout of enthusiastic WIN List supporters and Democratic legislators who were elected with the help of WIN List endorsements and contributions. Legislators and other party officials brought news of the legislative session to those in attendance at Central Presbyterian Church.

Rep. Carolyn Hugley of Columbus, Minority Whip in the House, stressed the importance of talking about the issues women care about in ways that more people can understand. Rep. DuBose Porter of Dublin, House Democratic leader, spoke of health care needs that Democrats care about, reminding the crowd that a poor child who breaks an arm in middle Georgia must come to Atlanta to have the arm set because there is no pediatric orthopedist in that part of the state who accepts Medicaid.

Other speakers included Rep. Nikki Randall of Macon, vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus and Senator Nan Orrock. Rep. Kathy Ashe of Atlanta, secretary of the Caucus, who delivered the party’s response to the Governor’s state of the state address, noted that the number of Democratic voters in the South Carolina primary was double the previous cycle and was 40% higher than the Republican turnout. Jane Kidd, former WIN-endorsed State Representative and candidate for State Senate and now chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, reviewed Democratic doings under the Gold Dome and the party’s outreach efforts.

Vice Chair Amy Morton, presiding on behalf of Chair Stacey Evans, welcomed the group and noted that when Viola Ross Napier and Bessie Kimpton were sworn into the Georgia General Assembly in 1922, they spent $48 on their campaigns and could not accept outside contributions. Today, it costs considerably more than that to mount a campaign for elected office.

To see photos from the breakfast, click here.

Rep. Kathy Ashe Gives Democratic Response to State of the

State Address.

Rep. Kathy Ashe of Atlanta, a former WIN List endorsed candidate, made us proud as she spoke passionately about the Democratic Party’s disagreement with Gov. Perdue’s decision to cut an additional $141 million dollars from public school funding, thereby forcing further burdens on local governments. She previewed the tax relief plan proposed by Democrats and spoke of keeping “the promise made to students and their parents over 20 years ago” by funding the Quality Basic Education Act.

Ashe went on to decry the bickering in the 2008 legislative session and promised, “If Governor Perdue and the Republican leadership choose to face the future, we will stand with them. If they choose instead to turn inward and focus on the political fights that distract us from the betterment of our state, then we will show them the way.” To read the entire response, click here.

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES 2007

Threats to Reproductive Rights

HR 536 is a proposed amendment to the state constitution (serious business, folks) that would establish the “personhood” of each citizen from fertilization until natural death. A recent opinion piece on the resolution published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was titled “Truly inconceivable: Birth control itself at risk in proposed legislation that lays very heavy hand on reproductive choice.” This so-called personhood amendment sounds simple but has such vague wording and far-reaching implications its effect is hard to predict. HR 536 could potentially ban abortion, certain forms of birth control, and certain infertility treatments. It could affect stem cell research and living wills. This extreme bill has more than 60 sponsors and the current Republican leaders are actively anti-choice. A recent headline in the Daily Report stated, “Georgia legislators have Roe v Wade in their sights.” Not only that, this bill puts politics above the health and safety of women.

HB 916 (which has been prefiled) and HB 1 and take the threat to women to an even higher level. It outlaws all abortions and calls for the death penalty for doctors who perform them. The bill has received a hearing by the House Judiciary committee.

The previously mentioned legislation does nothing to prevent unintended pregnancies, nothing to increase access to birth control and sex education. In a state with high teen birth rates and high infant mortality, you would think support and funding for reproductive health care would be a priority for our leaders, but read on.

Another cause for concern, HB 526 denies minors access to confidential family planning and referrals. It would require a parent or guardian at every teen’s doctor appointment. What about teens with no involved family member? Are they to do without needed medical attention?

Mandatory parental consent will have a devastating impact on teen health care in Georgia. Studies have shown that many teens will forego accessing such services if parental consent is required. Conditions threatening minors’ confidentiality for contraceptive services might also deter some teenagers from accessing STD and HIV testing and treatment.

More Threats to Health Care

SB 153 would allow the sale of cheap health insurance in Georgia that doesn’t cover birth control, well child visits, or a 48-hour hospital stay after childbirth. This bill has passed the Senate and has now gone to the House.

SB 404 is potentially disastrous for women, families, and low-budget health consumers, in general. The bill creates a new agency attached to DCH to operate a health insurance comparison-shopping Web site for consumers. The idea is to help people sort out and compare coverage options by giving approximate nonbinding healthcare quotes from participating health insurers and others instantly. It will no doubt be touted as covering the uninsured, but with what?

The bill authorizes General Treasury dollars to promote the sale of individual high-deductible health policies and unregulated, discount prepaid packages of medical services based solely upon a contractual agreement between the insurer and the consumer…in other words, no mandatory coverage requirements.

Young people 18-25 years old would be marketed with individual policies offering catastrophic coverage ONLY with predatory features requiring the consumer to waive their legal rights to purchase products, including state-mandated health benefits and regulated protections regarding premiums, issuance, or cancellation of policies in exchange for paying a lower premium. Should the state-run Georgia Health Marketplace be promoting predatory health coverage products?

Watch your e-mail for E-alerts when action is needed on any of these bills, and go to our Web site to read more on the Top 10 WORST Bills in the General Assembly.

OTHER NEWS FROM GEORGIA’S WIN LIST

Men for WIN to be Annual Event!

Georgia’s WIN List found more than “a few good men” willing to turn out in support of the action committee and its mission on Friday, October 19. Supporters gathered at Manuel’s Tavern to honor Charles Huddleston, attorney and philanthropist. Huddleston was picked as the first “Man for WIN” to be honored because of his dedication to helping women achieve leadership positions as well as his commitment to coaching and mentoring in the Georgia Metro Girls Basketball Club.

The crowd was treated to a political history of Manuel’s Tavern and its legendary founder Manuel Maloof by board member Sharon Adams, and more than $14,000 was raised in support of our candidates and the WIN List mission to change the face of politics in Georgia!

A huge debt of gratitude is owed to Mark Dehler, event chair; Sharon Adams and Mary Long, fund-raising co-chairs; and to the many men who joined the Host Committee for making this event such a success. Planning is already underway for the second annual Men for WIN in 2008!

Click here, to see pictures from the event.

LOOKING AHEAD

WHAT’S ON THE WIN LIST CALENDAR?

• Stay tuned for details of our 2008 Spring Event to meet the WIN List endorsed candidates! The event will be at EcoManor. Laura Turner Seydel is graciously opening her Atlanta home to WIN List supporters for this exciting event.

• Tuesday, July 15 Primary Election

• Tuesday, August 5 Runoffs

• Tuesday, November 4 General Election

Quote of the month

"Of my two "handicaps" being female put more obstacles in my path than being black."

- Former Presidential Candidate and Congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm