Georgia State Representative John Lunsford

Nathan Deal please read

2010-10-10T15:04:00.000-05:00

Please read the following letter from Senator Tommie Williams, Senator Williams I know to be not just a great man, but a great family man, and an astute businessman as well, he is also a trusted friend.

John Lunsford

State Representative 110^th district

From The Honorable Tommie Williams, President Pro Tempore,

Georgia Senate District 19

You say that Nathan Deal has a lot of baggage attached, but I want to tell you some of the real baggage that he carries:

1. Nathan graduated with honors from Washington County High School .

2. Nathan graduated with honors from Mercer University in 1964.

3. Nathan graduated with honors from Mercer Law in 1966.

4. When Nathan graduated from Mercer in 1964, he was named the male recipient of the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award which designates the top senior.

5. While at Mercer Nathan was president of the student body.

6. While at Mercer Nathan was the commanding officer in the ROTC.

7. Nathan served his country with distinction in the US Army JAG Corps.

8. After serving in the Army, Nathan moved to Gainesville (where his wife, Sandra, is from) and began to practice law, serving as Assistant District Attorney for several years before going into private practice.

9. Nathan served as Juvenile Court Judge for a number of years in Hall County.

10. During these years Nathan was a member of various civic clubs, serving as president of the Jaycees and Rotary, among others.

11. Nathan grew up a member of the First Baptist Church of Sandersville, and he has been a faithful member and leader of the First Baptist Church in Gainesville for over 40 years.

12. In the early 1980s Nathan ran for the Georgia Senate from his district and won. He served his district for twelve years, rising to become President Pro tem of the Senate.

13. In 1992 Nathan ran for the United States House of Representatives for the Ninth District of Georgia and won. He was reelected by his constituents each two years thereafter and resigned early this year to focus on the campaign for governor.

While in Congress, Nathan wrote, among other things, the law that prohibited Social Security benefits for illegal aliens. This piece of legislation alone has saved this country over 20 billion dollars.

You may ask why I have gone into such detail. It is because I know this man and have watched him closely since we were first graders together in Sandersville Elementary School. We went all the way through elementary school and high school together, participating in many of the same activities. Then, we went to Mercer together. We pledged the same fraternity because we had made a pact that we would join the same one (he became president of that, too). He was in our wedding, but my wife was the star of that event.

I can say with all truthfulness and soberness that during these years of being close to Nathan, I have never heard him use a swear word of any kind, drink alcohol of any kind, use tobacco of any kind or do or say anything that was or could be construed to be immoral, illegal, unethical or dishonest. One may say that I am blinded by being so close to him. I say, on the contrary, I am grateful that the State of Georgia is being offered one of the best and most experienced of her citizens for its highest elected office.

I know of no one, either personally or by reputation, who is better qualified and trustworthy and can serve this State with more devotion, care, and carefulness than Nathan Deal.

2010-09-27T21:52:00.000-05:00

Please join

Clay Davis

Representative Steve Davis

Gerry Harkins

Bill Herndon

Representative John Lunsford

Eddie Walker

Representative John Yates

at a

Reception

honoring

Nathan Deal

Republican Nominee for Governor

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Eagles Landing Country Club

100 Eagles Landing Way

Stockbridge, GA 30281

Hosts - $6,100

Sponsors - $2,500

Patrons - $1000

Guests - $250 per person/$500 per couple

Contributions to Deal for Governor can be mailed to

Deal for Governor ~ P.O. Box 2495 ~ Gainesville, GA 30503

or give online at www.DealforGovernor.com

To attend or to participate as a Host, Sponsor, or Patron please contact Hayley Howell at

404.841.8576 or hayley@nathandeal.org

State law requires political committees to report the name, mailing address, occupation and name of employer for each individual

whose contributions aggregate in excess of $100 in a calendar year. Contributions to Deal for Governor, Inc. are not deductible for

tax purposes. Please make checks payable to Deal for Governor. State law allows individuals, corporations, and Political Action

Committees to contribute a maximum of $6,100 for the primary election, $3,600 for the runoff election, and

$6,100 for the general election.

Paid for by Deal for Governor, Inc.

eric johnson for gov

2010-07-23T18:20:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Over the last couple of weeks many people have asked me who I am supporting for Governor in the Tuesday July 20th Republican primary. With a large number of candidates in the Governor’s race, many people are still undecided and are trying to learn about the candidates.

If you are casting your ballot on Tuesday, I would urge you to consider Eric Johnson for Governor.

I had the pleasure to serve with Eric Johnson for ten years in the legislature; I got to know him personally.

As Senate President Pro Tempore, he helped pass groundbreaking legislation and lead on issues like:
Cutting Taxes
Tort Reform to reduce frivolous lawsuits
Protecting our hunting and fishing rights with a Constitutional amendment
Upholding private property rights
Defending our family values and the sanctity of marriage

As Senate Minority Leader he led Republicans to the majority for the first time in over 130 years. Eric Johnson went up against Roy Barnes when

King Roy redrew Georgia’s voting districts and gerrymandered our State by tearing our communities apart.

Eric Johnson is the only republican to run a clean campaign race and focus on the issues and not other candidates.

I hope you will support and vote for Eric Johnson for Governor - I know I am.

Thanks,
john Lunsford
State Representative
District 110

lunsford weekly release

2010-05-03T08:55:00.000-05:00

State Rep. John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

April 30, 2010

It is official; the 2010 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly adjourned Sine Die and came to an end midnight on Thursday, April 29th. After spending months devoting our time and commitment in Atlanta under the Gold Dome. After being in session for forty legislative days spread out over four months, continual committee meetings, agreements and disagreements, the members which represent people from all over our state came together and finished the work of the people. The two days of session this week the members worked into the late hours passing legislation. Key pieces of legislation were passed this week, including: the passage of the final Fiscal Year 2011 budget, possible trauma care funding, a ban on texting while driving, clarification on carrying firearms, and the Healthy Georgians Act of 2010.

The General Assembly passed a trimmed down $17.9 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2011. The conference committee reached a negotiation on the budget after working strenuously on it for over a week. With less money, and a state budget that has been greatly reduced, it was quite an accomplishment.

The legislature passed legislation this week as a safety precaution for our drivers across the state. The bill, which is a combination of two separate bills (HB 23 & SB 360), will not allow anyone under the age of 18 to use a cell phone while behind the wheel. In addition to this, it would prohibit texting while driving for everyone while behind the wheel. Evidence has shown that texting while driving is distracting and people are more likely to get into an accident. It caught texting while driving and not involved in an accident, the fine would be $150; however, if someone gets into an accident and it is discovered they were texting, the fine will be doubled and there will be a one point violation on your driving record. Georgia joins around 20 other states that have also banned texting while driving.

Funding trauma care in the state of Georgia has been an issue that arises yearly. Senate Resolution 277 passed this week and it will be a statewide referendum which will go on the ballot in November and the decision will be left up to the voters. It would place a $10 surcharge on certain motor vehicle registrations in the state. If passed by voters, it will have the potential to bring in around $80 million a year to existing trauma care centers in the state. Statewide trauma care funding is essential because we want to ensure that citizens have the emergency care available that is needed.

The Healthy Georgians Act of 2010, Senate Bill 411, also passed the General Assembly this week. This Act would allow insurers to offer wellness and health improvement programs with awards and/or incentives to be available to those with health insurance plans. Before, it would have been considered an unfair trade practice to offer incentives for wellness and health improvement and this legislation would change that. Also, attached to this legislation was an Amendment to the bill which would prohibit mandatory participation in any healthcare system. Due to the federal Health Care Reform that passed, the members of the General Assembly want to give Georgians the option to opt out and not be mandated to purchase health insurance if they chose not to do so.

In an effort to give greater rights to our property owners and to expand those rights, the legislature passed Property Tax Reform, Senate Bill 346. This bill will protect taxpaying property owners by guaranteeing their right to appeal assessments and protecting them from unfair tax assessments. Expanding gun rights is of importance to the people in our state. SB 308 passed the legislature and would clarify where licensed gun owners can carry their firearms. This bill will permit guns to be in the vehicles in parking lots of colleges, court houses, and jails. It would also eliminate the 1,000 foot limitation on guns and schools at colleges. The legislative session has ended; however, please feel free to contact me at any time should you have any questions, ideas, or concerns. I will be concluding the weekly update next week with a session wrap up highlighting key legislation passed this session. Should you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

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2010-05-01T09:07:00.000-05:00

Rep. John Lunsford Steps Aside

Will Not Seek Senate Seat nor Re-Election to House

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Matt Metcalf

May 1, 2010 Phone: 678-480-6281

mattgop@mindspring.com

Atlanta, GA – State Representative John Lunsford (R-Henry) has decided to step aside rather than run for State Senate District 17 or seek re-election in House District 110.

“I have loved my 10 years in the General Assembly, and I am proud of our many accomplishments,” Lunsford stated. “However, at the end of a long and difficult session, I have decided that it is time for me to refocus on my business and spend more time helping my wife raise our four young children.”

Five candidates have qualified to run in both the 17^th Senate District and the 110^th House District. Primaries will be held July 20^th.

“I would like to thank people of Georgia for giving me the chance to serve them; as I have said, it has been the highest honor of my professional career,” Lunsford concluded. “While I am not ruling out any political run in the future, for now, the right thing for me and my family is to step aside and allow someone else to carry the torch.”

XXXXX

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lunsford Qualifies for 17th Senate Seat

2010-04-28T15:19:00.000-05:00

Rep. John Lunsford to Seek Senate Seat

Qualifies to Run for District 17 Seat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2010

Atlanta, GA – State Representative John Lunsford (R-Henry) filed his official papers today at the State Capitol to seek election in Senate District 17. Senate District 17 includes all or parts of Henry, Newton, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton counties. The incumbent, Senator John Douglas, is running for the Public Service Commission.

“I first ran for the Legislature promising to represent the common sense conservative values of this area,” Lunsford stated. “I’m proud that, over the past ten years, I’ve voted for tax cuts, worked to reduce the regulatory burdens on our businesses, and consistently supported fiscally conservative budgets. I’ve delivered on those promises, and after ten years of service, I have a unique opportunity to work for more of my neighbors by offering to serve in the State Senate.”

During his time in the House, Rep. Lunsford has served on many committees, including Rules, Appropriations, and Health and Human Services. Currently, he is Chairman of the House Special Committee on Small Business Development and Job Creation, where he worked on innovative tax plans and deregulation to help economic development in Georgia. He has also been an effective voice in various Republican campaigns around the state, working to deliver a Republican House majority in 2004 and maintaining it with financial contributions and conservative policies he helped develop.

“I believe my community involvement, my proven track record of delivering on the conservative principles I campaigned on, and my history of leadership in the House make me the best choice for continued effective conservative representation in District 17. I am particularly proud to announce that, in the very first day of my campaign, I’ve secured the endorsements of Rep. Jeff May, Rep. Doug Holt, and Rep. John Yates, all of whom represent other parts of this district. ” Lunsford continued. “It has been the greatest honor of my professional life that Georgians have trusted me to represent them in the General Assembly, and humbly ask for their support once again.”

The date of this year’s primary in Georgia is July 20th. The general election will be held on November 2nd.

Contact :Matt Metcalf

Danbridge Consulting

678-480-6281

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lunsford weekly update

2010-04-26T06:48:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

April 24, 2010

The 2010 legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly is nearing an end after months of hard work and dedication. Major milestones were completed this week and now with day 38th completed, the marathon is almost finished and the finish line is in sight. With two days left, this week legislators met some of our goals for the session. The General Assembly has now balanced the budget for the state, passed a Transportation funding bill, and passed ethics reform.

The Georgia 2020 Transportation Act passed the House and the Senate on Wednesday and will now go to Governor Perdue for his signature. After years of working on a solution and thorough discussions, the members of the House and Senate worked together in finding a solution for transportation funding. Georgians will now have the opportunity to approve a Regional Transportation Sales Tax. It has been one of our goals as legislators to work on the transportation needs for the state and to come up with a bipartisan solution. This session we were able to work out a compromise that fulfills the transportation needs throughout the state. To work out the differences in transportation funding between the House and the Senate, the conference committee has been working diligently on House Bill 277 for the last several weeks. The negotiations came to an end on Wednesday when it passed the House by a vote of 141-29. The voters of our state will make the final decisions on whether they want to fund transportation projects in their areas.

Transportation is an issue that affects everyone statewide, from the rural areas to the metro, and improving our transportation needs throughout the state has been a priority to lawmakers for years. This transportation solution will allow voters, by ballot in 2012, to vote on levying a one-cent sales tax to raise funds for highway and transit projects in their areas. The tax districts for transportation will be divided into twelve regions along the current Regional Commissions for Georgia. Within each of the districts, a Regional Transportation Roundtable will be assembled and this will allow local government officials to have input on transportation needs within their areas. A project and investment list will be approved through the Roundtable, and those in the district will then vote on the project list. If voters approve the referendum, a sales tax will be implemented to pay for those projects. In addition to regional transportation projects, this bill will allow for a portion of the revenues to be spent on transit capital expenses, maintenance, and operations. The goal of this is to relieve traffic congestion within the state. This plan has been developed over the years and includes a solution for transportation concerns statewide.

Ethics reform was also one of our priorities this year. As lawmakers of the state, we want to continue to ensure the voters that will always uphold our ethical and moral obligations. This session we substantially revised some of our ethics and campaign disclosure laws. With the passage of Senate Bill 17, several changes were made, including: making it a felony for any state official or employee to ask for money in return for an agreement or vote; requiring lobbyists to file disclosure reports twice a month during session which must include a description of all expenditures; decreasing the minimum to $5,000 for which a disclosure by public officials must be filed; increasing the penalties for late filing of disclosure reports; and allowing the commission to issue and publish written advisory opinions on how the ethics law applies to political candidates and elected officials.

All of these changes will create more transparency within our state government. I will continue to keep all of you informed on our progress during the 2010 legislative session. We are quickly approaching the end of session; Should you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

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2010-04-20T10:57:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

April 18, 2010

Returning from our recess, the General Assembly was refreshed and ready to get back to doing the people's work. It has been a longer legislative session in comparison to the past few years; however, the end is in sight. With only four legislative session days left, the General Assembly confirmed that our last day of the 2010 Legislative Session will be Thursday, April 29th. One of the most complex budget years in the history of the state, we have made necessary, but difficult, choices as we reduced spending and therefore the size of our government. When the economy does poorly, it not only affects individuals, families, and businesses; but, the economic downturn has also had an impact on our state government and budget. After months of hard work and thoughtful consideration about the budget for the state, the House passed a very slimmed Fiscal Year 2011 budget on Wednesday and it will now go to the Senate for review. Although we are all anticipating that the end is near, there is still much work left to do during the final days of session.

This week the House tackled a daunting task and a major accomplishment as the members balanced and passed the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, House Bill 948. One of our duties as legislators, and also a requirement of our State Constitution, is that we pass a balanced budget for the state. The House passed the FY 2011 budget during the later hours of the evening on Wednesday. This budget included a total budget for the state of $17.8 Billion. The FY 2011 budget will now go to the Senate for consideration and most likely a Conference Committee will meet to work out the differences. Times are difficult for many people, not only within our state, but throughout the country. Over the past two sessions, the General Assembly has had to downsize the budget for the state and include cuts that have not been easy. The General Assembly has decreased the size of government and the FY 2011 budget is near the budget levels from 2005. The only necessary way to way to balance our budget for the state was to reduce spending. To downsize the budget we had to make difficult cuts to many good programs and areas which we all consider high priority. A key element of the FY 2011 budget is that it does not include state mandated furlough days; however some agencies may eliminate positions or require furlough days so that they can manage their budgets. Hoping for an economic recovery soon, the state received encouraging news as revenue collections for the month of March increased one percent. Although we still have a very far way to go, this is the first increase since November of 2008. As we are all aware, the recovery for our economy will not be a quick nor easy process.

Just as the state has had to do, we are all tightening our budgets and reducing our spending. Bringing some form of relief to the families in Georgia has been a topic greatly discussed. The General Assembly passed tax relief this week with HB 1055. Called by some as the "Georgia Taxpayer Relief Act of 2010," the passage of this legislation brings needed relief to taxpayers. This bill would eliminate the taxes on all senior retirement income and would also eliminate the state portion of the ad valorem property tax. This Act would phase out the taxes on senior income and the state property tax and once both tax cuts are fully phased in, Georgia taxpayers will save roughly $236 million a year. Another aspect of this Act is that it will adjust outdated state fees and fines. In analyzing our budget and trying to find ways to save, we found that at many times the fee charged by the state for services does not cover the cost of the service. This difference was passed on to the taxpayers of Georgia; however, under this Act the issue will be addressed and those using the services will pay for it. The Georgia Taxpayer Relief Act of 2010 will bring meaningful tax relief to the taxpayers within our state. I will continue to keep all of you informed on our progress during the 2010 legislative session. We are quickly approaching the end of session; however, please feel free to contact me at any time should you have any questions, ideas, or concerns. , I will continue to give legislative updates for the 2010 session. Should you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2010-03-28T17:48:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

March 26, 2010

The Georgia General assembly adjourned on Friday, Crossover Day, and the thirtieth legislative day of the 2010 session. We adjourned in the wee hours of Saturday morning and the tensions had grown worse as some who are running for higher office and the democrats debated almost every bill throughout the evening. This combined effort resulted in leaving many good pieces of legislation on the table. The ethics bill that prevented elected officials that owed taxes from serving was one of those measures. They mini filibustered as much as they could; another causality was the hall of fame museums in Macon. As we began the day on Friday, we had 36 Bills and Resolutions and more were added throughout the day. As far as the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, subcommittee meetings will continue on Monday as we work to finalize the House version of the budget. We will be in session for three days next week, and the other days working on committees.

HB 1023 the 2010 JOBS bill passed a it is a very important omnibus bill it was originally sponsored by Tom Graves of Ranger Georgia but was carried in the house by John Lunsford , This bill is projected to bring over 254 million dollars in new wages to Georgia, by year two. It also removes net worth tax, helps balance the unemployment insurance pool, and many other items including tax credits for angel investors. Maybe the most important bill so far this session.

The construction industry has suffered during these tough economic times. To ensure that additional costs are not placed upon some of those in the industry, especially homebuilders, the House passed HB 1196. This bill states that building codes cannot require that fire sprinklers be installed in a single-family dwelling or a residential building that contains no more than two units. The legislature understands that if this was required, it would place additional costs associated with building homes and would be an unreasonable requirement.

Teachers are an essential asset within all of our communities and schools. We passed HB 1307 which relates to teacher certification and will temporarily suspend the professional learning requirements for a certification renewal for teachers and paraprofessionals for five years, beginning July 1^st 2010. This bill will also not require that a course be completed in computer skill competency, as is currently required.

Many of us get frustrated when driving and other vehicles are in the fast lane and are going below the speed limit and impeding the flow of traffic. It is already currently a law that the person driving is suppose to move into the slow lane; however, we passed House Bill 1047 which promotes the safe operation of the vehicle while driving, vehicles going slower in the fast lane can be a safety hazard.

In an effort to entice physicians to rural areas of Georgia, we passed HB 866, the Physicians for Rural Areas Assistance Act. This will allow rural hospitals, other health care entities, local governments, and civic organizations to receive matching grants from the State Medical Education Board for the purpose of attracting physicians to rural areas throughout the state.

Gold Star specialty license plates are available for those who have had a family member that served our country and was killed in action. The House unanimously passed HB 1012 to make this specialty plate also available to siblings and step-parents as it currently is only available to the spouse, mother, or father of a fallen service member.

Just as the state of Georgia provides tax credits for back to school purchases and energy-star appliances every year, we passed an additional credit for equipment. The passage of HB 1069 will provide a tax credit in the amount of either a 25% credit of the cost of the equipment or $2,500 for taxpayers that purchase certain energy or water efficient equipment as part of a new construction or retrofit. This will be available with federal funds granted to Georgia specifically for that purpose.

As the General Assembly continues to do the people’s work, session will continue until midnight or longer as we finish up Crossover Day on Friday. Although a long day, the members stay to ensure that the work of the people is completed before we leave for the day. We serve in the legislature always on behalf of those we represent. On Crossover Day, legislation is given adequate time on the floor for debate and possible passage. After passage by the House, legislation then goes to the Senate and the process is repeated. Although seen as a long process for a bill to become a law, it helps to ensure that we continue to do the people’s work and only essential and necessary legislation makes its way through the process and awaits the signature of our Governor to become law. With ten legislative session days left, I will continue to give legislative updates for the 2010 session. Should you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2010-03-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

March 21, 2010

The Georgia General Assembly concluded this week on Thursday, the 27th Legislative Day. The committees continued to work on Friday and some through the weekend. The days during session are now longer and the members are concentrating on the bills within their committees and those arriving on the House floor for debate and possibly passage. The speed and intensity of the legislative session is increasing daily as we vote upon legislation which has made its way through the committee process. With Cross-Over Day vastly approaching, next Thursday will mark the last day during which a bill must be passed by one Chamber in order to be considered by the other. As discussed each week, the budget remains at the top of our priority list. Since we have received incoming revenue figures, the members of the House Appropriations Committee are working tirelessly with our budget office and are in the process of finalizing our proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget, which will then go to the Senate for consideration. The General Assembly made a major stride this week in regard to conserving water in Georgia.

A key vote this week was the passage of the Water Stewardship Act of 2010. Conserving water and ensuring that this vital resource is available to Georgians has been a key concern, especially in recent years with the drought many of us throughout the state have experienced. This bill uses both incentives and requirements to promote the conservation of water in the state. Senate Bill 370 passed both the House and the Senate and now awaits the signature of Governor Perdue.

The House also passed HB 396 this week, which deals with how the funding for school transportation can be used. Previously the funding designated for school buses could only be used for the new purchases of school buses; however, many schools simply needed their buses to be refurbished. This bill allows the State Board of Education to have the ability to use the funds to refurbish the buses which might need work. This could save the local school systems millions of dollars each year and in especially during times like these, we are looking to every means possible to save money.

Collecting taxes owed to the state are one of the issues the Department of Revenue is experiencing. This increases our budget shortfall, as those collections the state is expecting are not being received. The members passed HB 982 which will provide for an administrative garnishment process to allow the Department to more efficiently collect delinquent taxes on active businesses. Numerous other southern states already use this process and this bill will improve the collection process here in Georgia.

Currently, drivers in Georgia that have previously had eyesight problems and were required to wear glasses or contact lenses and found guilty of failing to do so would have their license temporarily suspended even if they had had corrective surgery. To correct the issue, the House passed HB 1224 so that if this driving violation occurs, the driver can provide proof that they no longer suffer from an eye condition and will avoid the suspension and penalties.

As we get older, many of us experience arthritis. It is the most common form of disability and affects one in every five Americans. By passing HB 1119, this bill would create the Arthritis Prevention and Control Program to increase the public's awareness of arthritis, promote early detection and prevention, and to make information available on diagnosing and treating arthritis.

Encouraging and attracting businesses in Georgia is a priority to the General Assembly. Businesses help our economies grow, from the state level down to the local. We passed HB 1082 to allow local government to exempt all inventory from ad valorem taxes. Increasing economic development here in Georgia has many benefits and this legislation follows that of surrounding states to allow cities and counties to remove ad valorem taxes on inventory. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions, ideas, or concerns. The legislative update will continue throughout the 2010 session. Should you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

weekly update from lunsford

2010-03-14T13:31:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

March 14, 2010

The General Assembly went back into legislative session this week after our two week recess whereby the members analyzed the budget, looked for potential areas to trim the budget, and awaited the incoming revenue figures. Our top concern remains to finding the best solutions for balancing the budget. On Monday, our first day back from the recess, the General Assembly received news we were all expecting and waiting on, incoming revenue figures. Although the General Assembly had high hopes that the economy was improving, the incoming revenue figures for February fell nearly ten percent in comparison to last year. This marks the continued decline of incoming revenue for the fifteenth consecutive month. Hoping for good news, the numbers were better than we expected; however, any amount of decreasing revenue for the state equates to trimming, and therefore balancing, the budget. Our optimism remains and the economy will eventually improve.

On Thursday, Governor Perdue stated that the revenue figures first released would have to be revised. On a positive note, the budget will not have to be cut as much as we expected. As I have previously explained, the budget hearings that have taken place over the last two weeks were preparing us for the worst, but hoping for the best. As legislators, we wanted to be prepared should the revenue figures had been more than anticipated. The General Assembly has been planning for a potential $1 billion in additional cuts; however, the numbers were not as severe, although we were preparing for it. For the current fiscal year, the revised amount is an additional $342 million in cuts in comparison to Perdue's original estimates. For the budget in Fiscal Year 2011, which begins on July 1st, the revenue estimates must be trimmed by $443 million which puts the budget at $17.7 billion. Although cuts are tough, many of us were relieved that the budget will not have to be cut by the projected $1 billion. While the state was improving and doing well, we were able to expand services and increase our budget. Now times are tough and we have to make some difficult decisions as our budget goes back to the level it was in 2005 and 2006.

On Wednesday, March 10th the members honored and reflected upon the service by former Speaker of the House, Thomas Murphy. As Speaker in Georgia for 28 years, Speaker Murphy was the longest serving speaker in the history of legislatures. Outside the House Chamber, a picture of Speaker Murphy was placed and reminds all of us about hard work, dedication, and leadership. After all, the House is called the "People's House."

Many important pieces of legislation passed the House this week. With the budget still on all of our minds, legislation that is beneficial to the citizens is also of importance. House Bill 1135 passed out of the House this week which would allow the Department of Transportation (DOT) to enter into multi-year contracts in one year increments. Currently, the funds for a project for DOT must be available before a contract is signed; however, this will allow the DOT to sign the contract and obligate the funds for it and thereby improving efficiency and appropriated the funds responsibly. Unanimously passed this week was HB 984 which would ensure that taxpayers would not be potentially taxed by both the county and the city for a 1% income tax on individuals and/or businesses. It would be burdensome to allow cities and counties to place another tax on income especially when many families are struggling financially. Relating to the payment for teacher's certification fees, the House passed HB 1079 which allows additional payment methods of credit or debit cards to pay those fees. Currently only check or money order can be used and by allowing other forms, it makes it more convenient for our teachers. Another bill related to education passed this week was HB 1013 which would require school boards to publish in the newspaper an annual summary of their sales tax for education (ESPLOST). This is already required by cities and counties that receive special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) and to ensure transparency in both, the boards of education should also be required to do the same. I will continue to keep you informed as we progress through the 2010 legislative session. Should you have any ideas, questions, or concerns, please feel free to contact me (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

weekly update from Rep Lunsford

2010-03-09T06:34:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

The State’s Budget and Legislation

March 9, 2010

Last week the General Assembly concluded the last week of our two week recess to work on the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget. It is a difficult task to balance the budget for the state, but one that must be effectively done. Budget hearings have consumed all of our time over the last two weeks as we look for ways to reduce state spending and increase revenue. It is difficult when the state has been financially supporting many state agencies and departments and now current economic conditions have forced us to make difficult budgetary decisions. Due to the decrease in incoming revenue to the state, we must reduce spending so we can have a balanced budget. The General Assembly should receive the revenue figures for February sometime next week and we will be able to better determine exactly what the monetary amount of cuts will have to be made. Appropriations Subcommittee meetings this week included Public Safety and Higher Education.

Over the last few weeks, many citizens have called or written with concerns over the proposed cuts to the budget. As I have stated before, the state of Georgia is experiencing revenue shortfalls and we must trim the budget to the bare essentials and necessities. Financial hardships are something many Georgians are experiencing and the state is as well. We have to make sacrifices and we all must share part of the ever slimming pie. Just as families are reducing their spending, the state must also do the same.

Many have expressed concerns this week over the proposed University System of Georgia budget cuts. The cuts that have been proposed this week were not from the members of the General Assembly, these cuts were the proposals from the University System of Georgia. As legislators, we went to each department and state agency and asked them to propose ways that they could cut spending. With the understanding that cuts are not an easy decision, we let them tell us where the cuts could be made. The budget cuts that were recommended by the University System of Georgia are their proposals and included items such as potential tuition increase, eliminating positions, reducing the acceptance number of incoming freshmen, and other various spending cuts. As your elected official, I want you to know that these suggestions are just proposals that the University system have given us. We will work with them to find other ways to cut the budget so it has the least possible impact on the citizens of Georgia.

Numerous people have contacted our office this week in regard to the 4-H Program. The General Assembly supports this program and did not make the proposal to eliminate it. We will look at every means possible to ensure the programs that are important to the citizens of Georgia remain; however, cuts involving many services and programs should be expected. The suggestion to eliminate the 4-H Program was made this week during a budget hearing by one of the University Presidents. Once again, this was a proposal made by the University System of Georgia and all proposed measures will be decided by the General Assembly. Our intentions were to make the Departments aware that more cuts will be coming and allow them to give us some input as to where the cuts could come from; however, the proposals made are just possibilities. The legislators will work together to make cuts and ensure that the programs most needed are funded to the best of our ability. On Monday, we will go back into session for legislative day number twenty-one. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns that you may have. I always look forward to the input of those I represent. . If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

2010-02-22T07:55:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

February 20, 2010

The Georgia General Assembly convened on Thursday, February 18^th after day 20 of the 2010 legislative session. The General Assembly has decided to take a two week break from the legislative session to work on the daunting task of balancing the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. Although labeled a “break,” it is far from what will actually be taking place for the next few weeks. The General Assembly will hold joint House and Senate Appropriation Committee meetings. The input from all of the members is both necessary and essential as we make difficult choices and decisions. Working together with all of the members of the General Assembly, on both sides of the aisle, we will make it through these difficult budgetary times. This allows us to wait on the incoming February revenue figures and then make the decisions for how much more must be cut from the budget. All of our options are difficult and reducing the budget and making choices about where the cuts will be made is never an easy task. The budget outlook is distressing and alarming. For the month of January, revenue declined for the fourteenth consecutive month, falling 8.7% for the month, compared to January of 2009. The legislators are looking at every option available to us for balancing the state budget. The burden is heavy, but it is a job that must be done. As legislators, we want to assure the citizens that we have the best interests of the state and the taxpayers in mind when we make the decisions of how best to cut the current budget, while continuing to ensure that we are looking at every means possible to save money and reduce spending.

Transparency within government is a fundamental principle which the Georgia General Assembly will continue to uphold. On Tuesday, the House unanimously passed House Bill 122 which requires counties and municipalities with an annual budget larger than $1 million to make their annual budget and report available online for the public.

Voting is a right guaranteed to the citizens of the United States. Through elections, we get to make our own choices about who we believe would be the best candidate to represent us. With the advancement of technology, the election process for those that are in the military and overseas should be a simple, yet effective, process. The House passed House Bill 655 which establishes a pilot program beginning with the 2012 general and primary elections to allow the electronic transmission of absentee ballots by those in the military and for overseas citizens. By established a pilot program, we will be able to test the process, improve upon it, and make voting easier, especially for those in the military and/or are out of the country.

Due to tough economic times, our school systems are also making cuts and tightening their budgets. Unanimously passed by the House, House Bill 977 makes some changes to the Quality Basic Education Act in regard to the salaries of local school administrators and/or superintendants. Although most school boards have good intentions, we want to ensure fairness and equality for all employees. The bill prohibits the use of state funds for salary increases for administrators’ pay during a year in which the local board of education has had to furlough teachers, paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, support staff, or any other non-administrative position. In regards to fairness, this legislation is needed. If the school boards are forcing those within the school system to take furlough days, we want to make certain and prevent administrators from taking salary increases when other employees are losing money. When appropriating cuts in the budget, all levels of education should continue to be mindful of all of those it could have the potential of affecting. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 CLOB, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update 02-08-2010

2010-02-08T18:21:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

Second Week of the session

February 5, 2010

Following a full week of session, the legislature adjourned on Friday for our thirteenth legislative day. The session is quickly picking up and we are anticipating many more important discussions regarding the House version of the budget as we continue to work through this difficult budget year. The amended 2010 budget will be ready within the next two weeks and then we can center our attention on balancing the 2011 "big" budget. Many bills passed by the House of Representatives this week centered on education which is a main focus for legislators.

Legislation was passed out of the House this week related to education. The members of the House passed several pieces of legislation this week to amend the Quality Basic Education Act. This change involve the organization of middle schools and removes the current legislation which states, if a school housed one of the middle school grades in another building, they would lose funding. The House passed House Bill 907 to revise and correct this problem. Also passed was House Bill 923, another revision of the Quality Basic Education Act. This bill extends the time period for those teachers currently in a leadership program, although they have not yet completed the program, to be able to receive and become eligible for earnings under this Act. Another change we passed, House Bill 905, involves extending the original sunset provision within the Act for Capital outlay projects for school systems. The legislators chose to make these changes in part due to the stress many of our local school systems are experiencing with their budgets and this will allow them more time and flexibility. In an effort to save money, the House passed House Bill 910, to allow the Department of Education to send the participation rate by gender for sporting activities in electronic format to the members of the General Assembly, thus saving on printing expenses.

In an effort to protect our children and our animals against the effects of consuming antifreeze, we passed House Bill 219 by a vote of 142 to 25. One of the concerns that was brought to our attention is that because of the sweet taste of antifreeze, it could potentially be mistaken for something else by small children. It is common for animals to consume antifreeze because of the sweet smell and taste, also. By requiring that manufacturers, packagers, distributors, recyclers, or sellers add a substance called denatonium benzoate to antifreeze; this will make the substance taste bitter and will hopefully prevent people and animals from consuming it by alarming them by taste. It is our hope that this precaution will save lives.

Legislation was also passed this week that regarding retirement. To clarify existing legislation, the House passed House Bill 916. This legislation requires that state employees who have not reached the normal retirement age on the date of their retirement are required to wait two consecutive months before returning to work. The House unanimously passed House Bill 54 which will allows the members of the Georgia Judicial Retirement System to receive spouses benefits although the member had previously rejected it. By doing this it allows an individual to reapply for the benefits by contacting the Board of Trustees and paying a specified amount. The restriction is that the member must have had at least 10 years of membership. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-0213 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 Clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

1-30-2010 weekly update

2010-01-31T16:22:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

Just into the session

January 30, 2010

On Thursday, January 28^thwe adjourned after our eighth legislative day of the 2010 session. This week consisted of short days of legislative action followed by committee hearings reviewing legislative initiatives. Bills are currently being drafted and introduced by legislators and the committee process is beginning to take full swing as we debate introduced legislation before it is presented on the House floor for votes. The budget is continuing its process and the House Appropriations Subcommittees are continuing to meet to discuss and debate the specifics of how the state revenues are to be used and where spending cuts can and should be made.

One piece of legislation was voted upon this week, House Resolution 1168, and it was unanimously passed by the House. This Resolution amended some changes to the rules governing how we operate in the Georgia House of Representatives. One change is the elimination of the Hawk System. The new leadership, and some of the legislators, have questioned the role of the Hawk system that was implemented in previous years. Although the Hawk System has been in place for almost 5 years, Lunsford resigned last year as the senior Hawk and the Speaker of the House decided not to replace that position. Another change now allows the media outlets access to the House floor after our morning devotional. Previously, the media were restricted in the House chambers. Also, although more of a formality, is a change which allows substitutions to be made on Bills within the Rules Committee if an error is found. As legislators, we are always improving the process by which the legislature and committees work, it is a continuous cycle.

Jobs and business development continue to be a focus for the General Assembly. The creation of the Small Business development and jobs creation committee, whereas John Lunsford was tapped to chair this important new committee. The House and the Senate are working together for the Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2010 (JOBS Act of 2010 by Rep. Tom Graves Ranger Ga. ). The jobs act of 2010 legislation has been placed into this new committee. Ensuring that Georgians are employed, and that business owners have incentives to hire those unemployed, are one of our priorities. With unemployment numbers reaching 10.3% for the state of Georgia, we are committed to helping people once again become gainfully employed. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, over the last year Georgians lost approximately 175,000 jobs. Much of this can be contributed to the economy; however, legislators must do our part to ensure that we are encouraging businesses and helping the citizens of the state. Legislation will be introduced next week which is similar to the legislation the General Assembly passed last year which was vetoed by Governor Perdue. This legislation, the JOBS Act of 2010, would help in numerous ways by: waiving state fees for new businesses, giving quarterly tax credits for unemployment to those businesses that hire someone currently receiving unemployment benefits, a tax credit of $2,400 for businesses employing the unemployed for 24 consecutive months, a fifty percent reduction in the capital gains tax, a tax credit for investments made to small businesses, and a gradual phasing out of the sales tax deposit required for businesses. These incentives will encourage businesses in Georgia, and in return, individuals and the economy benefit as the steps are taken toward recovering from this economic recession. We have a lot of other great ideas that will be vented in the coming weeks. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 505 Clob, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

weekly for 1-21-2010

2010-01-31T15:47:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

January 21, 2010

Many legislators filled the Capitol this week although we were not in session. Our agenda consisted of Joint Appropriations Committee hearings. During these joint hearings, each state agency presents their budget to both the Senators and Representatives of the Georgia General Assembly. Now that the agencies have presented their budgets, the House and Senate Appropriation Subcommittees will individually resume working on their version of budget, to be approved by each chamber, and the differences will be worked out later in the session with the Appropriations Conference Committee. On Monday, January 25^th, all legislators from across the state will join together at our State Capitol as we begin our 5^th legislative session day.

Last Friday, Governor Perdue released his amended budget proposal for 2010 and for Fiscal Year 2011. The Fiscal Year 2010 Amended Budget figure released was reduced to $17.4 billion. This includes between an eight and nine percent cut on most state agencies. Three additional furlough days for all state employees has been requested by the Governor in the amended recommendations. An option for the individual school boards across the state is the choice to offset the furloughs by either using surpluses or cutting the budget in other areas. The Fiscal Year 2011 estimated revenue figure is projected at $18.2 billion. The “Rainy Day Fund” still has roughly $103 million and this money is used to help ease the burden when the state experiences revenue shortfalls. As I have mentioned before, the Governor’s budget is the recommendation for how the incoming revenue will be appropriated; however, legislators ultimately decide funding for the state agencies, programs, and services and the Governor’s budget is used as a guide in the decision making process.

Transportation is a topic that arises every session. Especially now with declining budget figures, we must continue to improve transportation infrastructure and also come up with a transportation funding plan. This week, the Governor stated that he would support a referendum on a regional sales tax to support transportation. The House and Senate lawmakers will continue working together and in cooperation with each other to find a solution.

In addition, education will continue to be a priority. If we had the ideal perfect economic and budget situation, we would be increasing the amount of funding for education. However because of our budget situation, all departments will have to make cuts. In the Amended 2010 budget, Perdue recommended that Public K-12 reduce their budget by an additional three percent. Although this is difficult, other agencies faced between eight and nine percent reductions. Perdue also mentioned a possibility of teacher compensation being based upon student performance. This is an idea that will be reviewed; however, we must also consider that in more rural areas, teachers have fewer resources available to them. Although the education budget will have to reduced, as will the budgets of all state agencies, education is still a main concern. The benefits of improving education have a ripple effect that can be seen in our communities and throughout the state and country. As legislators, we understand that we are educating the leaders of the future and that providing quality education is essential for our future. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 508 CLOB, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford presession

2010-01-04T21:55:00.001-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

The State’s Budget and Legislation

January 4, 2010

As we quickly approach the beginning of January and are embarking on the start of a new year and another legislative session, it is time for us as legislators to focus on setting our agenda for the 2010 session. The budget will be our priority during the session. Other areas we will focus on this year include transportation funding, education,water concerns, and ethics reform.

With declining revenue figures throughout the year of 2009, it was a surprise to many that we were not called in for a Special Session to sort out our budget shortfalls. The budget deficits we are facing can be contributed to a weak economy and decreasing tax and revenue collections. In Georgia, the Constitution requires that we have a balanced budget. The revenue estimates for the upcoming budget are based partly upon the incoming revenue numbers from the previous year. Due to revenue declining drastically throughout 2009, we have been faced with a budget shortfall. Luckily, we were able to use Reserve Funds and some Federal Stimulus Funds to account for the nearly $2.3 billion budget deficit. In addition to that, for Fiscal Year 2010, the state was able to save around $35 million due to a lower interest rate on bonds. This lower bond rating saved the state, and Georgians, money.

Just as we balance our checkbook and make sure the amount we spend does not exceed the amount we have, the state also has to do the same. Difficult choices are being made daily as the people in Georgia tighten their budgets and focus on the essentials. The mid-year reconciliation budget for Fiscal Year 2010 and the new Fiscal Year Budget for 2011 will be some of the toughest the state has ever had to handle as we have to reduce state spending. It is a fiscal crisis that we will have to manage. As legislators, we are going to have to come together and decide where the cuts will be made. The decisions are not going to be easy. We have to decide what the essentials are in terms of programs and services and decide where cuts can be made. As Republicans, we are committed to not raising taxes on the people of our state; therefore, cutting and reducing our state budget is the only solution to the budget shortfall.

Water is an essential part of our life and a resource we often take for granted. Conserving water, ensuring water supply, and developing long term solutions have become a main topic to focus on this session. Earlier this year Georgia was facing a historic and severe drought. In some areas, people were either banned from outdoor watering or put on watering restrictions. Midway through the year, we were fortunate enough to receive generous rainfall and our water levels rose. In addition to this, the U.S. District Court has limited the state’s access to water at Lake Lanier. The Governor created a Water Contingency Task Force in September of 2009 to try and address the water issues and for the Task Force to offer recommendations. The Task Force has recommended what it refers to as the "3Cs" in relation to water: conserve, capture, and control. Governor Perdue met in December with the Governors of Florida and Alabama to try and come up with an agreement on how to share the water. As legislators, we must also do our part to preserve our water resources and also to come up with long terms solutions.

Transportation is always a priority that the Georgia General Assembly focuses on. Last year, there were two different transportation funding bills, but neither passed. Although both pieces of legislation intended to fund transportation, an agreement could not be made on whether it should include a regional or a statewide one-cent plan. We need a solution for funding transportation statewide. Especially since we are facing a budget dilemma, transportation policy and funding is at the top of our list. Alternative means to funding transportation will be explored, especially as our state budget continues to decrease. Traffic and congestion continues to be a problem, especially in metro Atlanta. We also need a broader road system to allow rural communities to create economic development opportunities. In Georgia we need solutions, not only for metro Atlanta, but statewide. Transportation is something that affects everyone. As legislators, we have to prioritize transportation projects across the state but also remain fiscally conservative.

The Republican members of the House Caucus have implemented new leadership and our new leadership team will set and implement new priorities for the session. The changes in House leadership include: a new Speaker of the House, Rep. David Ralston; Speaker Pro Tem, Rep. Jan Jones; and Majority Whip, Rep. Edward Lindsey. As legislators, it is our obligation to both our constituents and the citizens of the State of Georgia to uphold and maintain both our ethics and our values. Unfortunately, the actions of a few can sometimes look poorly on the whole. Personally, I believe that the poor actions of some legislators should not reflect on the rest of the legislators. We are all individuals and we are all accountable to ourselves, our families, and our constituents. Therefore, we are going to take the steps to ensure that ethics is upheld by the members of our General Assembly. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford view on the caucus

2009-12-16T22:10:00.000-05:00

Dear Colleague:

Since being elected to the House in 2000, I have had two goals. The first was to establish and maintain a majority to better represent my constituents and the other people of Georgia. The second was to create unity within our caucus to be able to ratify legislatively the Conservative values that motivated me to run in the first place. To a large extent, we have accomplished this goal as a caucus by providing tax cuts, passing tort reform, reducing the size of state government, enhancing public safety and crafting many other important measures that have improved the lives of all Georgians.

Now, however, our Caucus faces an unprecedented challenge. When confronted by this situation, I determined that the best way for us to move forward as a caucus was to reaffirm our leadership whoever that might be, while at the same time maintaining the solidarity necessary to continue to accomplish our goals.

After much thought, prayer and discussion with my colleagues, I decided that offering a petition in last week’s meeting was not only the best course of action, but also the only way to ensure that we enter the 2010 session strong, unified and energized. Many advised me against taking this course, arguing that it would hurt my chances at becoming Majority Whip. I told them, as I explain to you now, that my desire to serve as Whip pales in comparison to maintaining our majority.

For this reason, I willingly assumed the risk of a lost race and of whatever punishment leadership would mete out against me for my actions. To leave no doubt about my dedication to and belief in this higher purpose, I resigned all of my leadership positions. I wanted us to walk out of that meeting united behind our leadership and to begin preparing for the difficult session that awaits us in January.

This was not, as the media falsely reported, an effort at grandstanding. Quite the contrary, it was instead an attempt to put this unpleasantness behind us, to close ranks behind our leadership, and to face head-on the issues that are important to Georgia. Contrary to media expectations, it was not then nor is it now my intention to turn in the petition on the morning of the elections for Speaker and Speaker Pro Tem. The elections that we hold tomorrow take precedence over everything, and further distraction is counterproductive. The petition will be available thru myself or Rep Mike Jacobs, until the close of the caucus meeting so that all members, especially those who were absent from the previous meeting, will have an opportunity to sign if they wish.

As predicted by my friends, the petition has taken on a life of its own. I have been bombarded by media calls about it, and I apologize to those of you who have taken calls from your local media asking if you have signed. I did not feel a need or have a desire to share my plans with the media, as this was for the members of this Caucus and not for press.

Although I remain steadfastly committed to both the petition and the principle for which it stands, I have kept private the names of the signers to protect them unnecessary exposure to retribution in the event that leadership voluntarily placed their names up for reaffirmation.

As I have said from the start, I want to serve as your Whip because I believe the office should be about our agenda (including a pledge not to vote for a tax increase of any kind), our message, our communication strategy, and our elections. All of these are vital to the survival of our majority and to the betterment of Georgia.

I promise to each of you that I will continue to help develop the agenda necessary for us to win, both during session and at the polls next November. I will keep working vigorously to make certain that we succeed in passing our agenda and that the people of Georgia know what we have done on their behalf. Both before and after session, I will, as I have for nine-plus years as a member of this Caucus, lead the charge to raise money and to implement election strategies to make sure that we continue in the majority. I ask for your support and vow that I will do all that I can to help both our Caucus and our state.

Sincerely

Rep John Lunsford

District 110

Po Box 1598

McDonough, Georgia 30253

2009-12-10T08:18:00.001-05:00

Lunsford Announces Candidacy for Majority Whip

Experienced Conservative Leader Joins Leadership Race

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 2009

Contact: John Lunsford Phone: 404-656-7573

McDonough, GA – Rep. John Lunsford, a 5 term year legislative veteran, has announced his intention to seek the office of Majority Whip.

“It is with great humility that I enter the race for Majority Whip,” Lunsford said. “While there are many talented people in our caucus who could do this job, I feel that my business background and legislative experience make me uniquely qualified.”

Lunsford serves the constituents of 110^th District. With 25 years in business management and marketing, Lunsford uses his professional skills and knowledge to provide expertise to several House committees: Appropriations, Health & Human Services, Rules and Science & Technology. Lunsford also serves as the Senior Hawk and as Vice Chairman of the Rules Committee.

Representative Lunsford has been an active participant in helping his fellow party members get reelected. He has been involved in development of agenda strategies and financial support for over 9 years, contributing to numerous campaigns during past electoral seasons.

“I have worked to help build our majority, and I know what it takes to maintain it,” Lunsford continued. “We must commit ourselves to core conservative principles – lower taxes, a smaller, more efficient government, and removal of the regulatory burdens that hinder business and job growth, and personal responsibility. This is my vision to improve Georgia.”

In addition to the legislative responsibilities Lunsford serves on the board of Directors of the Henry County Farm Bureau, Quality Growth Council, Connecting Henry Program , and the Clayton County Law Enforcement training Academy as well as others. Lunsford was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and has lived in Georgia for over 30 years. John and his wife Tina have been blessed with 7 wonderful children: Brittany, Allison, Benjamin, Joseph, Sophia, Christopher and Leah. They reside in McDonough, Georgia and the family attends Philadelphia Baptist Church.

“This is a vital time for House Republicans, with elections and redistricting on the horizon,” Lunsford concluded. “I offer my services to my colleagues at this time because I want to help lead Georgia toward a conservative government, which I feel will enrich our state for generations to come.”

XXXXX

session wrapup lunsford

2009-04-13T17:13:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

Session wrap up

April 13, 2009

The 2009 Legislative Session of the Georgia General Assembly officially adjourned Sine Die Friday, April 3^rd. We accomplished many important items on the agenda and passed key pieces of legislation during the 2009 session. Over the course of 40 legislative days, we worked together and devised a budget that basically includes only the essential and necessary programs for the state. Also during the 2009 session, with the cooperation and input from both chambers, we passed legislation that meets the needs of the people we represent.

The main issue on our legislative agenda, like every session, is creating a balanced budget. This year was difficult given the current economic situation we are faced with, not only as individuals but also as a state. Families across Georgia are cutting back and we had to do the same with the budget. In the late hours on Friday night, we passed HB 119 which includes an $18.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2010. It is still awaiting the signature from Governor Perdue. Faced with statewide revenue shortages, we had to make some very difficult decisions about what to fund. The General Assembly here in Georgia did not follow the lead of others states, states around the country which raised taxes to make up for the shortfall. We are proud to tell you that we did not raise taxes on the citizens in Georgia. Families are struggling to make ends meet and to place another burden on them would simply be unfair. During hard economic times, we all suffer: as individuals, as families, and as a state. We have all had to cut back and make sacrifices. One thing can be said; when things are tough we share the responsibilities, come up with solutions to our problems, and pull together as a state.

The Transforming Transportation Investment Act, SB 200, was passed by both chambers. It will provide the Governor and the legislature with more influence on transportation projects in Georgia. Appointed by the Governor and upon approval of the Transportation Committee, this bill will create a new DOT Director of Planning. Also, the Governor and members of the General Assembly will have greater input on the transportation plans within the state.

In an effort to curb metal theft and to strengthen the law in Georgia, both chambers passed SB 82. As legislators, we have heard of many instances within our communities of various pieces of metal parts being stolen, from parts of an air conditioner to unused car parts. This legislation will create additional requirements for those taking items to a metal recycler with the intention of reducing metal theft in the State.

The Department of Human Resources (DHR) will be faced with an immense restructuring with the passage of HB 228, still awaiting the Governor’s signature. Under this piece of legislation DHR will be reorganized and separated into three new departments: the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Community Health, and the Department of Human Services. DHR is extremely large as one entity and our goal was to make it into smaller and workable departments.

One of our goals during this session was to help our businesses in Georgia by providing some form of economic relief. We passed HB 438 which would increase the tax credit for major economic development projects in the state. To encourage business development in less-developed areas of the state, we passed HB 439 which revises the income tax credit to businesses. The JOBS (Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success) Act of 2009, HB 481 and HB 482, passed both chambers during this legislative session. Our intentions with these pieces of legislation are to promote business in Georgia and to encourage employment. The JOBS Act of 2009 includes many incentives for businesses, such as: phasing out the corporate income tax, reducing the capital gains tax, eliminating the state inventory tax, temporarily suspending filing fees for new businesses, and allowing a $2,400 tax credit for the hiring of the unemployed. Hopefully these bills will help to stimulate our economy here in Georgia by providing some economic relief to our businesses and also have a positive impact on employment.

Education is always a priority. In an effort to provide parents with school choice for their children we passed HB 251. This bill relates to elementary and secondary education and will allow the parent or guardian to transfer their children under certain conditions to another school within the district as long as the school has room to accommodate a transfer student. Parents should have a choice of where their children attend school. We also passed the Move on When Ready Act, HB 149, which will allow high school junior and seniors to receive high school credit for work completed in post-secondary institutions. Due to the shortage of science and math teachers in Georgia, we passed HB 280 which provides teachers in those areas with the same compensation that fifth-year teachers receive. As legislators we realize the importance and significance of education and will continue to provide the support for our schools, teachers, and children within our districts and all across the state. Every legislator is accountable to the people he or she represents and I welcome your comments and input. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly

2009-04-05T08:11:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

April 4, 2009

Wrapping up the final legislative day 40 on Friday, we had a full week with many items on the agenda to accomplish. Due to the Georgia Constitution, the legislative session must end on Day 40. In addition, we had many Conference Committee reports that had to be agreed to or amended. This is the process where legislative conferees are appointed and the House and Senate versions of the legislation are worked out.

Working into the late hours of the day on Friday, the main issue of concern was the 2010 budget. As of Friday afternoon, the House and Senate were still trying to insure that the items in this austere budget were truly needed. As legislators, we are constitutionally required to pass the budget and so there were some tense negotiations on Friday.

In an effort toward promoting Georgia to become the number one destination for entrepreneurs, we passed HR 165 on Monday by a vote of 152 to 1. This Resolution would request that the colleges and universities under the University System of Georgia expand their education efforts toward the promotion and support of science, innovation, technology, and energy. The end result would be the advancement and promotion of entrepreneurs in Georgia. We want to encourage entrepreneurship within our districts and across the state. Increasing the number of new businesses in Georgia will not only help our economy, but it will also encourage growth and innovation. Small businesses will be the economic growth engine that helps us grow out of the economic downturn we are in.

Relating to the Made in Georgia Program, SB 117 passed the House on Wednesday and was nearly unanimous by a vote of 165 to 1. This piece of legislation requires the Department of Economic Development to create and maintain a website for the citizens in Georgia to be able to be informed of Georgia manufactures and their products across the state. If at least half of the products are manufactured within Georgia, the companies will be included on the website. This website will be both educational for the people in Georgia and will also provide a convenient place to find this information.

On Wednesday, we passed SB 128 by a vote of 167 to 3. This would allow the owner of motor vehicles to have the option to apply for and obtain a permanent license plate for their boat, utility, and/or noncommercial livestock trailers when registering their motor vehicle. Currently the law in Georgia does not give the owner the option of a permanent registration for these types of motor vehicles.

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases which affects a large portion of our population. SB 163 passed the House on Wednesday by 171 to 1 and this bill would authorize the Commissioner of Human Resources to appoint a diabetes coordinator who will be responsible for the storing diabetes treatment and prevention data in an effort to properly coordinate the prevention and treatment. This will be beneficial in that it will maximize the diabetes program and will in turn lead to the reduction of health consequences and complications from diabetes.

Many additional items passed and failed on Friday night as both chambers worked until midnight, next week I will wrap-up what actually passed both chambers. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly

2009-03-28T17:07:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

March 28th, 2009

As the 37^th legislative day comes to an ended on Thursday, we are now officially one week away from the end of the 40 day session. With just a few legislative days remaining, the final session day (no more than forty days) is set for next Friday, April 3. In addition to voting on numerous pieces of legislation on the House floor, this week has also been full of committee meetings as we are trying to get bills out of committee and onto the floor for a vote.

The House passed out the FY 2010 Budget (HB 119) last week. We are still waiting to finish up the official finalized budget for next year. The concurrence of both chambers is needed and the Senate is still working on their version of the budget. Once the House receives the Senate version, leaders from both chambers will meet to come up with a final reconciled version of the budget. As stated in previous weeks, the budget is one of the most important tasks we have as legislators. Due to the economy, the budget for this year and next has been incredibly difficult and depending upon the revenue figures for March, the budget may once again have to be reviewed and adjusted.

In response to Federal regulations by the Federal Accounting Standards Board, we passed a bill which would split the Georgia Retiree Health Benefit fund into two funds, the Georgia School Personnel Postemployment and Georgia State Employee’s Postemployment Health Benefit Funds. The House passed SB 122 on Monday by 161 to l. The newly-created funds will be created on August 31, 2009 and will provide post-employment health insurance benefits for their beneficiaries. Under this bill, the state employee and school employee retirement funds will be protected by ensuring that the amount the employer places into the fund goes into the correct fund, by separating the school funds from the state funds.

As legislators, we realize that the housing industry plays such a key role in our economy and it is currently in a slump. In an effort to encourage home buying in the state of Georgia, the House introduced and passed HB 261, and on Thursday, the bill passed the Senate. This bill will allow a one-time tax credit to buyers of single-family homes. HB 261 was slightly changed by the Senate, as they added two Amendments to the bill to include the addition of condominiums and other documentation. The amount of the tax break would be the lesser of 1.2 percent of the purchase price or $3,600. The housing industry is an essential part of our economy and we need to take the steps to promote it. By providing a tax credit to homebuyers, especially during economic times like we are in now, it creates an incentive which could hopefully increase real estate sales in Georgia.

The “Super Speeder Bill,” HB 160, has passed both chambers and if the Senate changes are approved by the House, the bill will be sent to the Governor. This bill would increase the fees on those that are excessively speeding. The fine will be $200 for those that are driving over 75 mph on a two-lane road and 85 on a four-lane. The revenue, approximately $23 million, will be used to help fund trauma care. Although this bill helps, we still need a permanent and reliable solution to fully fund trauma care. Funding Statewide Trauma Care in Georgia is essential and we need to come up with a solution. This bill is a start in the right direction; however, it will only provide approximately one fourth of the funding needed to fund trauma care.

On Wednesday, the House unanimously passed SB 13. This bill will ensure that those accused of crimes may be sentenced to life without parole, even if the prosecutors choose not to seek the death penalty. This legislation will not apply to offenses committed on or before June 30, 2009.

In an effort to promote Georgia based companies and products, the House passed SB 44 by a vote of 157-5 on Wednesday. We are trying to come up with solutions to stimulate our economy, especially here in Georgia. With the passage of this bill it would require purchasing decisions by the state, departments, agencies, commissions, local governments, and public schools to give preference to certain Georgia produced goods in the bidding contracts and/or with their purchasing decisions. This bill would apply to large scale contracts and purchases to an amount that exceeds $100,000. Our intentions with this piece of legislation are to promote the purchase of Georgia products, supplies, and food. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly

2009-03-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

March 14, 2009

This legislative week ended with Cross-Over Day on Thursday, legislative day number 30, which is one of the longest days of session. It is the responsibility of the legislature to enact new laws and legislative day 30 plays a key role in the law making process. This day is significant in that it is the last day that legislation must pass one chamber in order to be heard by the other. The House voted on more than 70 measures on day 30 which was Thursday into the night. The Georgia General Assembly meets for up to 40 session days, so only ten legislative days remain.

Every year on our birthdays, the one thing we dread is the so called birthday tax on our vehicles. As legislators, we realize that all of us do not look forward to having to pay the ad valorem tax on our vehicles yearly. For the second year in a row, we are trying to tackle the issue of the ad valorem tax paid on vehicles. HB 480 passed out of the House on Cross-Over Day by a vote of 133 to 39. This Bill would replace the sales tax and annual ad valorem tax on our motor vehicles with a one-time title fee. Another benefit of this bill is that the excess funds could be dedicated to help partially fund trauma care in the state of Georgia; but, will still be subjected to the appropriations process. If passed by the Senate, this would take affect on or after January 1, 2010. The total of the one time state and local title fees on the vehicle would be the lesser amount of $2,000 or 7% of the value of the vehicle. This bill is essential as it means that instead of paying the yearly ad valorem tax, a one time state and local title fee would be paid when the vehicle is titled.

Several tax bills were on the minds of the General Assembly this week. Two GOP proposals, HB 481 and HB 482 passed out of the House on Thursday. The Jobs, Opportunity, and Business Success Act of 2009 (HB 481), passed by a vote of 164 to 4. Both of these bills make changes to the tax code while both promoting and encouraging businesses and employment in Georgia. HB 481 would provide a $2,400 credit to businesses that keep people employed for at least two years, gives a $500 credit per employee to employers for hiring people that are unemployed and receive unemployment benefits, and also gives refunds for sales tax deposits. HB 482 passed unanimously. This bill would provide an exemption on all business inventories from the state’s 0.25 mill ad valorem tax. This is subject to the approval of voters on the 2010 ballot. Also included in this bill is a business sales tax day which would waive the $100 state filing fee for businesses in Georgia. In Georgia, job create and increasing business is essential during economic times like we are in and these tax break proposals help to accomplish both of those needs. Unfortunately one measure that would have helped, failed that was HR 22 a constitutional amendment protected the right to secret ballots for union elections. The democrat party took an official position against this bill. The outcome could be disastrous for business across this nation.

One bill that many of us are watching is SB 169. The Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos Act passed out of the Senate on Cross-Over Day after much debate.

This bill declares an embryo to be a living person and the current version which passed out of the Senate by a vote of 34 to 22 would limit at least one form of embryonic stem cell research. Although initially intended to restrict multiple births through invitro fertilization, the bill was given an in-dept look once debate opened up on the Senate floor. The current version of the bill would restrict researchers from mixing human and animal genes. Also, it mandates that embryos be created for the purpose of making babies. This bill will now come to the House for consideration.

The Insurance Delivery Enactment Act of 2009, HB 321, passed the House with bipartisan support on Thursday with 171 members voting for the bill. This bill amends the Georgia Code by changing the definitions of group accident, sickness insurance, and true association. Also, the bill reduces the number of people required for an association from 25 to 10 people. This bill now requires that spouses be included under a policy issued to a legal entity providing a multiple employer welfare arrangement. Other changes relate to the amount of insurance under the policy and makes changes in the required number of years in existence from 5 to 3 years. We want to help our small businesses in Georgia to be able to continue to grow and offer group health insurance to their employees at reduced costs. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2009-03-10T04:29:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

March 8, 2009

As the 27th day of the legislative session ends, the legislature is in full swing. As we become closer to legislative Day 30, Cross-over day, bills are moving fast as we are trying to get bills out of committee and onto the House floor for a vote so it can be sent to the Senate for consideration.

This week, one of the large accomplishments was an effort to fund transportation. Accompanying House Bill 277 is House Resolution 206 and both passed out of the House this week. HB 277, the Georgia 2020 Transportation Act, passed out of the House on March 3rd by a vote of 149-18 and HR 206, to establish a Transportation Trust Fund, passed by 151 to 15. This bill and resolution would create a transportation trust fund, establish an oversight committee, and allow an authority to administer and disperse the fund. Voters will have the opportunity to approve a Constitutional Amendment on the ballot in the general election in 2010 which would allow a 1% sales tax for state wide transportation projects and improvements. The major transportation initiatives are detailed in the legislation and it includes specific transportation projects across the state. Also, the fourth penny of sales tax currently collected on motor fuel would be redirected from the general fund to transportation. It would raise approximately $25 Billion during the next decade. Transportation is a priority and we are trying to come up with a solution.

The House and Senate have differing legislative solutions to try and solve our transportation needs. The main difference is the Senate version would make the sales tax regional. The different versions for funding transportation will hopefully be worked out in Conference Committee.

As I have described in the previous weeks, our economy in the state and across the nation is struggling. We are faced with decreasing state revenues and we, as legislators, are facing more budget cuts than we ever have in previous years. Federal stimulus funds will help to offset some of the cuts; however, with state revenues now estimated at $1.6 billion less for the fiscal year that begins July 1st, even more cuts are going to have to be implemented.

As I have stated already, we have never experienced cuts to this extent in the state of Georgia and difficult decisions have to be made, none of which are easy. From the Federal Stimulus Package, we are going to accept approximately $1.1 billion which will help to soften the cuts, but many more cuts will have to be made. From the stimulus funds, $467 million will be used for the revised 2009 budget, to help fill some of the gaps. The rest of the Federal Stimulus money will be used to help cover some of the shortages in the 2010 budget.

Some have argued that we should accept all federal money that we are offered; however, as legislators in Georgia, we somewhat disagree. For some of the Federal Stimulus funds we could accept, there are strings attached. As your elected officials, we are trying to figure out what the strings are and what federal money we are willing to accept. We have to do what is most beneficial to the people we represent and to the state of Georgia. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2009-03-01T18:33:00.001-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

Your State’s Business

February 28th, 2009

As the sixth week (24^th legislative day) of Georgia’s legislative session wraps up, many necessary items on the agenda were accomplished. The Georgia House passed out the mid-year budget this week, which was a sigh of relief for some. Overall, the bills that were passed covered a wide variety of issues.

The budget is always the number one item on the agenda for the legislative session. The supplemental appropriations bill for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 and ending June 30^th, 2009 was passed out of the House on Thursday by 168 to 5. The $18.9 billion midyear budget includes funding for the operation of State government, its departments, boards, bureaus, commissions, institutions, and other agencies. With the aid of federal money (around $145 million), we were able to avoid some of the difficult cuts; however, we still had to cut back. Given the challenges and constraints of these economic times, the budget we passed was very reasonable. We tried to keep from hurting those that are most vulnerable in our society. As I’ve mentioned in previous reports, the economic situation we are in makes detailing the budget for the state of Georgia a very difficult task. We had to make approximately $2.6 billion in cuts and it was not an easy choice. We realize that we are in hard times right now and we tried to restore funding that was necessary for the people. For instance, we funded the Homeowner’s Tax Relief Grants and other various programs, such as the Meals on Wheels, which many of our seniors rely on.

Education is a priority and in the budget we tried to restore some of the funding for education. We realize how essential our local school systems are and how budget cuts can have drastic effects on our communities. Now we will have to focus our attention to the next fiscal year which begins July 1^st.

SB 31, the Nuclear Energy Financing Act passed the House on Thursday by a vote of 107 to 66. This Bill will allow Georgia Power to charge customers early to expand nuclear power reactors, a savings of approximately $300 million. The average increase will be around $1.30 on each customer’s power bill. By allowing Georgia Power to pre-bill, it will save customers money. It will allow Georgia Power to raise customer rates in increments over seven years, instead of raising rates at the time of construction, which would have been around 12.4%. This bill will provide Georgia’s citizens with low cost and clean energy and in return will reduce the state’s reliance on coal and natural gas. We are fortunate to have companies that are willing to invest in Georgia. Since this bill has been passed by the House and Senate, it will now go to Governor Perdue.

In 2008 we passed HB 1133 which provided an income tax credit to donations made to Student Scholarship Organizations (SSO). These organizations provide scholarships for those attending public schools to attend private schools. HB 100 passed out of the House on Tuesday and it modifies the legislation previously passed. We authorized the Student Scholarship Organizations to allow private school students to also be able to receive scholarships and tuition grants. HB 100 requires the Student Scholarship Organization (SSO) to obligate 90% of its annual revenue for scholarships and tuition grants. This ensures that multi-year scholarships will be funded. The SSO will have to verify this obligation. To simplify the tax credit, we also changed the taxpayer’s contribution limit to the amount expended or 75% of the taxpayer’s income tax liability, whichever is less. Also included in this bill were requirements regarding privacy protection for donors and the organization. As legislators, we want to ensure that we clarify and perfect any previous legislation so we have the best, most comprehensive legislation that affects the people we represent. I will keep you informed as the legislative session proceeds. Every legislator is accountable to the people he or she represents and I welcome your comments and input. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2009-02-22T20:17:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

The State’s Budget and Homestead Tax Relief Grants

February 22nd, 2009

As the fifth week (the 21^stLegislative Day) of Georgia’s legislative session comes to an end, numerous pieces of legislation were discussed. Activity has picked up significantly as the budget requirements were made clearer with the addition of $465 million in federal funding for Medicaid. This additional funding has taken some of the pressure off the Medicaid funding parts of the budget which have federally-mandated requirements.

The first bill was passed out of the General Assembly this week and signed by the Governor would fund the Homeowner Tax Relief Grants for 2008. This legislation, in place for almost a decade, provides state funding to local government taxing districts to help keep property taxes lower. By passing this legislation and the Governor signing it, we make good on our commitment to homeowners to continue to fight for lower property taxes thus keeping citizens in their homes, especially during this economic crisis. For this legislative session, House Bill 143 was the first bill to be passed out of the Georgia General Assembly and signed by the Governor. Citizens will not receive additional property tax bills for 2008 and this bill further states how the funding will be appropriated in future years.

In a Press Conference, top leadership in the General Assembly unveiled their plans for the Transforming Transportation Investment Act. Transportation is a statewide issue that comes up every legislative session. In a joint effort to try and improve transportation projects, Governor Perdue, Lt. Governor Cagle, and Speaker Richardson introduced the Transforming Transportation Investment Act. The transportation plan would create a new State Transportation Authority (STA) composed of an eleven member board with five members chosen by the Governor, three by the Speaker, and the other three chosen by the Lieutenant Governor. It would incorporate the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the State Road and Tollway Authority into a new State Transportation Authority responsible for overseeing state and road project funding. Once this piece of legislation comes to the House, we will take an in-depth look at it and will make an informed decision on whether or not it is the most effective solution for our transportation needs.

Legislation this week that also was passed by the House includes HB 59. This bill would exempt the sales tax on free drug samples provided by physicians and also on the samples used in clinical trials and research. As legislators, we want to encourage physicians to continue to provide free drug samples to their patients, especially those that might be unable to pay for a prescription. During hard economic times, people often cut back on medications and we need to ensure that the option of being able to use free drug samples is available and that the physicians continue to disperse it to the people. This bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. In addition we passed HB 217, a bill that will allow pharmacists and nurses to administer flu shots through the use of a written protocol formed between a doctor and either the pharmacist or nurse. This is extremely important in rural and inner-city areas where doctors are less prevalent. The legislation passed 160-3.

We unanimously passed HB 237, legislation that provides financial assistance for adoptive parents who adopt children classified as “hard-to-place.” The legislation expands financial assistance to families that adopt hard-to-place children through private adoption agencies. This includes children with mental, physical or emotional disabilities. This legislation is designed to make Georgia more adoption-friendly. Every legislator is accountable to the people he or she represents and I welcome your comments and input. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

weekly update Feb 13th 2009

2009-02-15T09:33:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

The State’s Budget and Legislation

February 13th, 2009

As your elected State Representative, it’s my duty to be honest and truthful to the people I represent. Today, I want to explain and clarify the current economic situation in Georgia. Like the majority of states across our nation, Georgia is experiencing an economic crisis and I want to forewarn the people in my district that there is no easy solution and we may have to take drastic steps in order to balance the budget including the difficult task of deciding what cuts will be made.

A balanced budget means that the amount of money spent during the fiscal year cannot exceed the amount of money collected. This makes the budget process very complex, but ensures that the state of Georgia does not operate with a deficit. Budget cuts of 10 % or more have already been enforced and additional cuts are expected. The state revenue for January of this year dropped over 14%, a decline of around $260 million compared to January of last year. But it’s evident that further budget cuts will have to be made. The state of Georgia is now looking at close to $3 billion in cuts which will undoubtedly affect everyone in our state.

This week, several important pieces of legislation were voted on in the House. HR1 failed to obtain a constitutional majority by a vote of 105-67. This Resolution would have allowed the citizens to vote on limiting the Property Tax Reassessment Caps on residential and commercial property. The vote failed mainly because of the Democrats who voted against it, but it will be up for reconsideration. Most legislators realize that it’s important to have greater accountability of taxing authorities and transparency for the citizens in Georgia, so when this legislation comes up again, it’s my hope it will pass.

Another bill relating to property tax reform, HB 233, passed the House on Friday by a vote of 110-63. This Bill creates a two-year moratorium on property reassessment increases and requires that each parcel of property be reassessed at least once during that time. The property reassessment can be decreased during this time, but not increased. Legislators are working together on this in an effort to keep property taxes down and make sure that reassessments are fair.

As the economy worsens, unfortunately crime in Georgia is increasing. HB 140 relates to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and would create a state-wide blue alert system to increase the apprehension of violent criminals who kill or seriously injure local, state, or federal law enforcement officers. This bill is in the House Rules Committee and if passed would ensure the protection of our officers in Georgia and would help make certain that violent criminals are apprehended.

This past week in the House was one of serious scrutiny as we carefully consider the best avenues for balancing our budget. Just as every family in Georgia is facing tough decisions about paying bills with less income, as legislators we must be responsible and methodical in our approach to making decisions regarding our state. My responsibility to you is my concern and I will keep you informed as the legislative session proceeds. Every legislator is accountable to the people he or she represents and I welcome your comments and input. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update 2-6-2009

2009-02-09T20:20:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

The Budget Shortfall is on everyone’s mind

February 6th, 2009

The 2009 General Assembly session has slowed down due to the current economic crisis and the looming $2 billion revenue to the state. This critical shortage has forced the entire membership to first stop and understand that there isn’t any money for special projects, and worse yet, most current programs will face reductions in funding or outright elimination. There is a very good reason why there hasn’t been much legislation looked at, because we are all looking at the budget, and determining how it affects us.

The schedule for the General Assembly has been modified by the leadership of the House and Senate. This was done to slow the pace down of the constitutionally-mandated, no more than forty day session of which as of this past Friday, came to 15 days. We are waiting to see what the federal stimulus package does for education and Medicaid funding which consumes a majority of the roughly $19 billion annual budget total. The General Assembly will meet on Tuesday through Thursday of each week until the end of March, hoping to finish in 35 days. It also will leave five days for a brief session should the economic crisis worsen and adjustment needed for the Fiscal Year 2010 budget.

The House has passed several meaningful pieces of legislation including House Bill 141, a bill that further updates our state banking code. This includes amending the definition of “net assets” and “financial institutions”, reestablishes what a credit union is and is not, as well as other house-keeping rules. This bill passed easily, 162-5. We also modified the threshold requirements to purchase corporate owned life insurance from 10 employees to 2 employees. H.B. 80 passed unanimously.

In an effort to help those who work in the state’s largest business, agriculture, we have ratified the Governor’s executive order which provides a state sales tax exemption for the sale of dyed fuel oils which are used exclusively for agriculture, timber growing, harvesting, and mining or construction purposes. This bill, H.B. 121 passed unanimously also. We also passed H.B. 69, a bill that would allow for the change in criteria for determining “candidate for non-resuscitation” from needing two physicians to only one. The bill also clarified that 2 physicians were required to concur on an order not to resuscitate. This bill easily passed 153-4. We unanimously passed H.B. 128, a bill that would exempt from occupation taxes, administration fees, and regulatory fees, those self-employed individuals that are also disabled veterans or blind.

One bill that has received and will receive continued attention is Governor Sonny Perdue’s plan to create a “hospital tax.” The bill, H.B. 307, was introduced this week as a way to overcome the $423 million shortfall in the state’s Department of Community Health’s budget. The bill would require hospitals to pay the state a 1.6 percent “provider-fee” out of their net patient revenues. The taxes collected will allow the DCH to leverage those funds for additional Medicaid funding from the federal government. At this point in time, the legislation faces an uphill battle as many in the legislature don’t understand Hospital finance and worse yet don’t have time to learn it.

I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2009-02-01T20:26:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

Beginning of session

January 30, 2009

During this week of the legislative session, several bills were on the agenda. Although the session has just begun, we, as legislators, are already in full swing deciding on numerous important pieces of legislation. Governor Sonny Perdue gave his State of the State address two weeks ago and included his budget recommendations for the amended 2009 budget and the 2010 fiscal year budget. Two major tax bills were on the calendar for debate on Friday, only one of which was voted upon. The House passed HB 143 on Friday, the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant legislation (HTRG), and it has been sent to the Senate for consideration. Next week, members of the House of Representatives will vote on HR1 which will decide the fate of Property Reassessment Caps.

In this current budget climate, what we are dealing with is the same thing every individual family in Georgia has to deal with. Our income is down and some tough choices and decisions have to be made. When times get tough, we have to cut back. Families all across Georgia are making some similar decisions that we as lawmakers are facing with our budget. In this climate, with such a severe economic downtown, we have to look at our options concerning the budget and cut back on nonessential and some essential items. It is a challenging and sometimes heart wrenching task.

With a $2.2 billion budget deficit, the Governor had tough choices to make in his proposal. The issue is revenue. By using some of the money in the Revenue Shortfall Reserve (RSR), also known as Georgia’s rainy day fund, the Governor is hoping to get through the difficult economic times Georgians are facing. In the Governor’s recommended 2009 Amended Budget, $187 million was used from the Midyear Adjustment Reserve and $50 million from the RSR. For the 2010 budget, $408 million was included from the reserve.

The Governor’s proposal is the recommendations for the budget. We are in the process of budget hearings to determine our version of the budget, as is the Senate. Using the Governor’s revenue estimate, set at around $19.2 billion for the rest of 2009 and $20.2 billion for fiscal year 2010, the members of the House will decide how we believe the money in the budget should be spent. The House and Senate will then come to an agreement on a budget proposal to be voted on by both chambers.

The Governor’s proposal would eliminate the Homeowner’s Property Tax Relief Grants, essentially saving the state $428 million. The problem that arises is that if it is not funded, this amount is placed onto the property owners in Georgia, another bill for $200-300. With many families facing dire economic times, this could become a burden on families in our communities. The legislature promised this money last year and the House plans on fulfilling the promise they made to property owners. The members of the House are struggling with the idea of how to fund the grant this year and on Friday we passed HB 143 by a 117-55 margin. This Homeowners Tax Relief Grant legislation commits us to pay for the grant covering the 2009 budget and sets the rules for how the grant program will be administered in the future. This program is intended to be a mechanism to send back surplus funds to homeowners and the legislation we passed outlines how and when these grants will be distributed and will also make it easier for local governments to plan their budgets. I am honored to be your representative. I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2009-01-24T19:56:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

The Budget work goes on during the break

January 24^th, 2009

On January 12, 2009, the 150^th legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly was gaveled open as members of the House of Representatives and members of the Senate were sworn in for our legislative duties. This process repeats itself every two years following the elections, and the winners of the 180 districts in the House and 56 districts in the Senate are seated to serve their district and state.

The first week is mainly an organizational week for the General Assembly as few bills are debated. It is used to elect the leadership of the House of Representatives and assign the membership to the many standing committees. It is also used to develop strategies for tackling our biggest problems, mainly this year, a $2 billion shortfall in the Fiscal Year 2009 budget.

Also last week, the Governor unveiled highlights in his Amended Fiscal Year 2009 and his Fiscal Year 2010 budget recommendations. The General Assembly reviews two budgets a year. The first is the review of the FY 2009 budget which begins July 1 every year. In January, we begin to review that budget to see if we are short funding for mandatory programs like education and healthcare.

The second budget, or what we call the “big budget,” is used to set spending policy to fund the state government for the upcoming fiscal year. The Governor each year introduces his mid-year corrections and his policy and program funding for the next year. The General Assembly is tasked with reviewing the budget and making changes where we see fit. It is part of the oversight responsibility that the citizens have to insure that the Governor is doing the right thing.

The FY 2009 budget is set at $19.2 billion which includes a devastating $2.2 billion cut to most state agencies and programs. The FY 2010 budget is set at $20.2 billion. The state’s “Rainy Day Fund” now stands at $1.2 billion. More details on the budget initiatives will be discussed in the upcoming weeks.

Some of the highlights unveiled in the Governor’s State of the State speech included the requisite budget issues, as well as, several key initiatives that the Governor wants to launch. Most notably of his various proposals was a decision to overhaul the Department of Human Resources. DHR is Georgia's human service agency whose mission is to strengthen Georgia families by providing services through about 80 programs that ensure their health and welfare. Unfortunately, this department, by far the biggest in the state, has grown into a bureaucracy unto itself. DHR encompasses programs that help Georgians who suffer mental retardation, mental health problems, assistance to the poor and senior services. Many of these programs are very much needed, but the level of bureaucracy has made them unwieldy and limited their ability to “best” serve those that need the help.

One bill was debated and that was House Resolution 1022. The resolution ratifies the comprehensive state water management plan that was adopted by the State Water Council. It overwhelmingly passed 131-37.

After completing the first five days of this year’s session, the House and Senate broke for a week to begin budget hearings in front of joint meeting of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

Most state agency directors did testify before the Joint Appropriations hearings to discuss their agencies and their priorities. In addition, it allows for your elected representation to ask questions regarding various programs and to ascertain their viability. I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2009-01-18T19:01:00.001-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's

Weekly Capitol Update

What’s happening this session?

January 16, 2009

As the 2009 Legislative Session convenes this week, we will be addressing issues that are being discussed around kitchen tables throughout the state of Georgia. As Georgians in every corner of our state closely watch their bottom line during this economic downturn, it will also be a tough session for lawmakers as we determine the fate of state programs and projects as we face a budget deficit.

Since state tax revenues are lower than had been projected, we will have to address spending cuts for the last six months of the current fiscal year. Gov. Sonny Perdue has proposed a large program funded on borrowing, but has not detailed how he would spend the money. We are also waiting to see how much President-elect Obama’s stimulus package will affect individual states. Once these two issues are clarified, we will have to roll up our sleeves and determine the most responsible way to proceed.

In regard to taxes, both House and Senate leaders have expressed support for plans to cap property taxes, although the details have not been agreed upon. We recognize that any tax relief would be welcomed by the citizens of Georgia, but we must be diligent so that any such legislation doesn’t get drowned by dissenting legislators in a myriad of party-line details.

Roads and transportation will also be a major issue this session. As the more populous cities in the state experience an increase in traffic congestion, and as rural areas desire roads to entice employers, at the same time environmental groups want a mass transit system. All three interests are being represented as business groups and environmentalists are jointly lobbying for a constitutional amendment that would allow a group of counties to impose a regional sales tax to support transportation projects. The proposal would have to be passed by voters in the 2010 general election, so there is time for us to carefully consider all of the ramifications.

Trauma care is an issue that lawmakers have wrestled with for years and one that will likely be another top priority. Because there is a dire need for a dedicated funding source for a statewide network of facilities to provide advanced trauma care, including specialized equipment, air transportation for patients, and physicians, this is a cause for legitimate concern. Without a solution, there is a concern that trauma centers could be forced to close amid recent operating losses in the millions of dollars. Because of the dire need coupled with a suffering economy, this will undoubtedly be a hot-button topic again this year.

The Savannah Port continues to create jobs and bring in significant revenue for the state, and because of this the harbor deepening project that the Georgia Ports Authority hopes to partially fund with money from the state will more than likely be approved. The Port wants to deepen the harbor from 42 feet to 48 feet to allow for larger vessels. Due to the budget crisis, it is more than likely that bonds will be issued to pay for this construction project. It is most likely that a final review of this project will take place later this year. Georgia’s deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 286,000 jobs throughout the state and contribute $14.9 billion in income and almost $3 billion in state and local taxes. I am honored to be your representative. I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford opad on saxby

2008-11-20T10:27:00.001-05:00

On December 2^ndGeorgians will have the opportunity to play a crucial in the future of our country. Our Senator, Saxby Chambliss, is in a tough run-off against Jim Martin who is well funded by the national, liberal Democrats. Saxby has been a leader for Georgia on the issues that matter most to us: national security, lower taxes, agriculture, fuel prices and energy independence. Jim Martin is already promising in his television commercials to vote in lockstep with Barack Obama’s radical, liberal agenda.

I know Jim Martin – I served with him in the Georgia Legislature – and I can tell you this first hand: Jim Martin isn’t one of us – he is one of the most liberal Democrats to ever have served in the Georgia House of Representatives. He not only voted for the largest tax increase in Georgia history, and he voted to increase his own government funded expense account by 27 percent. He actually proposed legislation that would raise property taxes by 150 percent! Had enough? There’s more! He voted against Georgia’s ban on partial birth abortions, against making English the official language of Georgia, and against allowing prayer in public schools 3 times! Jim Martin doesn’t share our values, and we cannot afford the higher taxes he has a record of supporting.

But this Senate race is bigger then just Georgia, this is about putting country first. Saxby Chambliss will be the firewall, the last man standing, between Obama’s liberal agenda and our conservative values. Saxby’s will be the vote that stops the Martin/Obama plan to declare defeat in a war that we are winning, raise our taxes, re-instate the moratorium on offshore drilling, choose our doctors, nationalize our healthcare, and appoint liberal judges to our courts.

I am calling on every voter, even if you didn’t vote on November 4, to get involved and vote. Early voting is now underway, and you can bet the Democrats will be in overdrive trying to get their voters out. We have to do better. We have to vote, and we have to get our friends to vote. Vote early, vote by absentee ballot or vote on Dec. 2 – but whatever you do, VOTE!

The future of our state and our country is at stake. We cannot afford to lose Saxby Chambliss in the United States Senate.

lunsford endorses chambliss

2008-11-20T10:24:00.000-05:00

RUNOFF MESSAGING:

· CONTRAST

o Jim Martin is too liberal for Georgia & his record proves it.

o Saxby is for lower taxes; Jim Martin will raise taxes.

o Saxby is the Senate sponsor of the Fair Tax; Jim Martin voted for the largest tax increase in GA history and to raise his own government expense account.

o Saxby is pro-life, while Jim Martin voted against a partial birth abortion ban in Georgia.

o Saxby believes Georgians should choose their doctor themselves; Jim Martin supports national healthcare where the government chooses your doctor for you.

o Saxby supports judges who strictly interpret the law; Jim Martin supports liberal activist judges who legislate from the bench.

o Saxby supports increasing America’s energy independence by drilling offshore and in our other national reserves; Jim Martin does not support domestic drilling and will be an ally of Barack Obama to reinstate the ban on offshore drilling

· SAXBY WORKS FOR GEORGIA; JIM MARTIN WORKS FOR OBAMA

o In his first commercial, Jim Martin promises to work to enact Barack Obama’s liberal agenda.

o The Democrats are still hoping for a filibuster-proof Senate, and Saxby could be the last man standing between Barack Obama and 60 Democrat Senators.

o Jim Martin will be a blank check for Barack Obama’s plan to raise taxes.

o Jim Martin will be a blank check for Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw from Iraq before our Generals say its time, thus endangering our progress and the lives of our military personnel.

o Jim Martin would be a vote for Barack Obama’s plan to nationalize healthcare.

· VOTE EARLY OR ON DECEMBER 2

o This is a historic runoff, and everyone must vote to protect our conservative values.

o Saxby must be re-elected to stop the liberal agenda that Jim Martin & Barack Obama have promised: higher taxes, government-run healthcare, and liberal judges.

o Turnout is key, and we know the Democrats will be using the Obama machine of thousands of staff and volunteers and millions of dollars from liberal, Washington Democrats to turnout votes.

o We have to make sure that we raise enough money to fight them and get Republicans back to the polls. Call everyone you know and make sure they vote.

o Absentee ballot applications available now.

o Early voting begins November 17.

o Advanced voting: November 24, 25 & 26

Vote December 2.

house study committee on non profit hospital

2008-11-11T20:09:00.000-05:00

An explanation of where and what I want the

House of Representatives Study Committee to review concerning

Not for Profit Hospitals and indigent care / charity care.

Chairman John Lunsford

November 11, 2008

The concept of the original piece of Legislation I proposed in 2008 session was based on CON requirements. Which I felt made sense at the time but I have since changed my mind on that legislation, and requested that a study Committee be formed to look deeper at the big picture. You see originally I felt 5% was the number or percentage that non profits should pay in exchange for their tax free status. However I don’t believe that today because it’s not that clear.

Is that :

5% of gross revenue?

5% of adjusted gross revenue?

Do we allow the deduction of charges verses contractual obligations?

Do we allow the Medicaid Medicare shortfall to be added?

Is it calculated before or after DSH funding is added?

Should we count the ICTF money if so towards the total sales or against the obligation?

Do we deduct the contributions of local tax digest mileage assessments?

Do we adjust revenue for, or deduct the ad valorem taxes, federal and state income taxes. sales tax or property tax?

And how much are we deferring locally and how much is the community truly getting in return?

But several issues I do feel strongly about and I know them to be true.

Non life threatening healthcare is a privilege not a right !

A large percentage of the time a physician called in to the ED is not reimbursed. Even if the hospital is And those Doctors should get paid for their services that are requested if possible.

That we have a medical crisis and a trauma crisis on our hands that it is not going to improve by its self I know that we have a finite amount of money and an infinite amount of needs as a state. With that in mind we must make the best decisions possible with the funds available to treat the highest percentage of people in need. This whole issue is coming to a head while we continue to move forward as one of the fastest growing states in the nation. We are growing in population as well as health care needs. Statistically speaking within the next few years we could easily have over 3 million uninsured gracing the doors of hospitals, clinics and doctors’ offices some models show that happening as soon as 2014.

Of the 3 million uninsured up to 1 million could be classified as indigent while 2 million would be working uninsured.

They will be over 21 years of age under 65 years of age not disabled earning too little for insurance earning too much for Medicaid etc, you get the picture. With no ESI or employer sponsored insurance now what percentage of those will pay their bill I cant tell you.

And a large percentage will receive services in the ED of the hospital because they allow the symptoms to progress ignored until it is now a medical emergency.

I as well as many of my colleagues supported tort reform to reduce costs for medical mal practice and insurance, but we need to do more.

Creative accounting practices and expansive definitions of services have led to a variety of non-ideal practices by hospital management in order to balance the bottom line, while at the same time maintaining tax-exempt status.

Hospital Community benefit standards are lax at best. And way under defined

Cost of services can include the light bulbs in the parking lot. But not necessarily the physicians charges if in private practice.

Charity care, indigent care and bad debt ratio definitions are vague as to what can or cannot be counted in them. So when we say under CON or some other rule that you must do a certain percentage of X care does it mean anything?

I believe that the concept of “community benefit” should be interpreted to require that not for profit hospitals provide population health care. As a percentage of adjusted gross revenue as defined by a community benefit assessment done by the community equal to a percentage of the taxes deferred.

I believe that a physician performing those services should be compensated for them. or the shortage paid into a fund to insure that occurs.

I believe that we should be taking part of the yearly DSH allotment and using it under a 1115 federal Medicaid demonstration waiver to purchase limited insurance for those who fall into the gap so more of the patients have insurance whereby reducing the percentage of uninsured.

“According to professor JESSICA BERG, JD CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY Both the legislative history of tax-exemption, and political theories regarding the role of the government and the appropriate use of tax revenues, support the notion that community benefit must be interpreted on a group, not an individual, level. “ “Thus, the Provision of individual charity care should comprise only a part of a tax- exempt hospital’s community benefit obligation. “

I am studying models such as Texas community benefit standards and Tennessee’s ten care case management which may allow us to cover a larger portion of the uninsured and limit primary or well care in the emergency room, which is the most expensive place to receive service.

The ideas we are working on should result in better, more expansive benefits for communities; a higher percentage of insured patients, an incentive to compensate the physicians doing the work. Resulting in an overall reduction of the uninsured reducing the incentive for cost shifting thereby reducing health insurance costs whereby increasing the percentage of insured and the cycle repeats. Transparency should provide fewer problematic Incentives for tax-exempt hospitals attempting to meet their community’s true needs.

Thereby reaching the goals of transparency in healthcare, improving the overall health of our population and fairness to the taxpayer and the provider. With the ultimate goal being reducing healthcare costs, improving access, reducing insurance costs and expanding coverage to those who need it most.

I hope this clears up some confusion being spun around the capitol and other places as to the true direction of this committee with malice for none but hope for all, and proactive planning for the future of our great state.

Respectfully

John Lunsford

State Representative District 110

FW: Perry McGuire for Court Of Appeals

2008-10-29T20:52:00.000-05:00

From: Perry McGuire [mailto:postmaster@listservant.org]
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:01 AM
To: lunsford_j@bellsouth.net
Subject: Perry McGuire for Court Of Appeals

Having trouble reading this newsletter? Click here to view in browser.

Please make checks payable to:

Perry McGuire for Court of Appeals
P.O. Box 672433
Marietta, Georgia 30006

Trusted Judgment, Proven Leadership
Perry's Website – Find out more about Perry's dynamic campaign!
Read Perry's Autobiography!

MORE IMPORTANT ENDORSEMENTS!!!

Dear Fellow Georgians –

This week, we've been honored with several important new endorsements, including U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal, several state lawmakers, and sheriffs, as well as a number of prominent community leaders. We're demonstrating a strong momentum going into the final days of this campaign, and I am counting on your help to put us over the top and into victory!

I want to share a special news story that ran this week in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. One of Georgia's most prominent columnists and conservatives, Jim Wooten, endorsed me and gave voice to a number of important issues raised in this campaign. Most importantly, he and I share the view that Georgia voters have a right to know about the judicial candidates for whom they vote!

Here is The Atlanta Journal-Constitution column, as it appeared on Wednesday, Oct. 28:

McGuire Best Pick for Court of Appeals
October 28, 2008
By: Jim Wooten Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Two suspected conservatives are among the seven running for the Georgia Court of Appeals.

It is possible that there are others. But with the interpretation many judicial candidates have chosen to apply a U.S. Supreme Court opinion that gives them more freedom in campaign speech than the old school wants, voters will not know before casting ballots on Nov. 4.

One can say with some certainty that Perry McGuire "holds rule-of-law, strict constructionist judicial views" and, furthermore, "believes that judges should interpret the law, not create them from the bench." One can say that with some certainty because he says it of himself.

While the Georgia Court of Appeals does not address constitutional disputes — that's the purview of the state Supreme Court — it is important to salt the judicial mines with those who express McGuire's view.

The other suspected conservative in the race is Mike Sheffield, a Gwinnett County lawyer who had a heartbreak loss for the Court of Appeals in 2004 when he first made the runoff by 382 votes before a challenge to the results forced a rerun. He lost.

Whether he is or not, Sheffield is amply experienced with about 300 jury trials and 65 appeals as a prosecutor, public defender and private-practice lawyer.

If you're just looking for somebody who can do the job, throw a dart. They're all capable. Vote for long names, vote for short names. Vote the alphabet. Each of them has something to offer.

McGuire, a former Republican state senator from Carrollton, also served as a corporate counsel for Chick-fil-A before becoming a partner in a business and corporate law firm in Cobb County. While trial lawyers tend to support Democrats and therefore find reason to oppose McGuire, for other Georgians having a strict constructionist with expertise in business law on the Court of Appeals would be useful. Most incumbents have trial-related backgrounds, either as judges or as prosecutors.

McGuire, it's worth noting, has been endorsed by an assortment of legislative leaders who are themselves conservative, including Congressman Lynn Westmoreland of Grantville, Georgia Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson of Savannah, and a number of others.

Candidates clearly are allowed to state their personal views on disputed public policy issues, obviously without making promises or implying commitment to rule one way or another on issues to come before the court. Most judicial candidates either declare or imply that they are ethically bound to silence on such issues, an interpretation of the 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Republican Party of Minnesota v. White that is at odds with the majority opinion. Elections are required under the state constitution and, as such, voters should be given responses beyond those lawyers and judges think proper. In Minnesota before the Supreme Court decision, voters were only allowed to ask approved questions. Candidates could offer opinions on cameras in the courtroom, how to reduce caseloads, what they thought about administrative costs, and how women and minorities could be treated more fairly.

The Minnesota decision caused many lawyers and judges great angst. In Georgia, a self-selected group composed mostly of lawyers formed a group calling itself the Georgia Committee for Ethical Judicial Campaign and invited candidates to take a pledge that they would not make misleading statements in judicial campaigns. It's a pledge I wouldn't sign on a dare, not because I'd be inclined to misleading utterances but because liberals and conservatives tend to see the world differently. Self-styled groups have biases that aren't evident. What a group of conservatives and what a group of liberals think is misleading are often entirely different.

No candidate for judicial office should ever surrender to an unelected and non-official group the right to declare which speech is acceptable and which is not in an election. Most of the seven candidates in this race have unwisely signed the pledge giving outsiders authority over their campaigns. The two suspected conservatives haven't.

McGuire has said, as have others, that he'll rule strictly on the law as written and not on the basis of personal beliefs or on the outcome he might have advocated as a legislator. A judge on the Court of Appeals "must be impartial and fair, but most importantly must honor the law as written," he said. "We play the role of an umpire, applying the rules, not making them."

The seven running for the open seat on the Court of Appeals are all qualified. It's hard for voters to distinguish one from another. A runoff is certain. Perry McGuire should be one of those left standing.

Can You Help?

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lunsford reception

2008-10-14T20:51:00.000-05:00

You are cordially invited to a Fundraising reception Honoring:

State Representative John Lunsford

With Special Guest Speaker

Governor Sonny Perdue

The Governor of Georgia

With other special Guests and Hosts

October 28^th

5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Eagles Landing Country Club

100 Eagle's Landing Way,

Stockbridge, GA 30281 770.389.2000

Donations Accepted and Appreciated but not required:

Light Refreshments and hors d`oeuvres to be served.

Directions: I75 south from Atlanta to Eagles landing parkway turn left (east) go to second light turn right on country club drive Eagles landing country club is on right reception is in the clubhouse

us senator in mcdonough

2008-09-16T08:43:00.001-05:00

Join Us for Breakfast

with Senator Saxby Chambliss

September 20, 2008

8:00 to 9:00 a.m.

US Senator Saxby Chambliss

Senator Chambliss is coming on Saturday, August 20, 2008 for citizens of Henry County. You will be able to talk with your US Senator about issues of concern to you.

Date: Saturday, September 20, 2008

Time: 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. (Doors open at 7:35 a.m)

Location: Moose Lodge #2170

91 Hunter's Chase

McDonough, GA 30253

Directions: I-75 to exit 216. Hwy 155 w. Go west 1.5 miles. Lodge is on right.

Cost: $5 cash per person for a Full Breakfast Buffet, including drinks.

THIS IS NOT A FUNDRAISER

Reservations are not required.

Questions? Contact henrygopevent@yahoo.com.

fundraiser invite this thursday

2008-08-04T20:30:00.001-05:00

You Are Cordially Invited to a Reception Honoring
Representative John Lunsford
with Special Invited Guest
Congressman Lynn Westmoreland
At the 191 Club
Thursday, August 7th, 2008
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
R.S.V.P. (770) 883-6597
rsvp@ambassador-consulting.com

191 Club
191 Peachtree St. NE
Atlanta, GA 30303
Tursday, August 7th, 2008

6:30-8:30 p.m.
Directions:
From North of Atlanta
Take 75/85 South
Exit at 249A (Courtland St./GSU)
Merge onto Courtland St. NE
Turn right at Andrew Young International Blvd. NE
Turn left at Peachtree St. NE/Peachtree St. NW
From South of Atlanta/I-20
Take 75/85 North
Exit at 248C (Freedom Pkwy.)
Keep left at fork toward World Congress Center
Merge onto Fort St.
Turn left onto Andrew Young Intl. Blvd.
Turn left onto Peachtree St.
Congressman Westmoreland is not asking for donations
from corporations or from individual’s own funds in excess
of $2,300 or from multi-candidate political action
committees in excess of $5,000 per election.
Paid for by the Committee to Elect John Lunsford

Please come if you can

Thanks

John lunsford

education overview lunsford

2008-05-05T08:03:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

Education Overview of Session

May 5, 2008

Since qualifying time is past, and I was fortunate enough not to get an opponent I wanted to start in a series of press releases about what occurred this year in the general assembly by subject matter. Over the next few weeks or months I will update each department of the state as to changes made or improvements. Much of the information will be gleaned from others who either chair the respective committees such as Jan Jones education appropriations, or state agency’s themselves. Many have called this year the session without substance but I think after reading you may view differently. I wanted to let people know we are their staunch advocate and partner in creating a brighter future for their children. I wanted to let them know what I know – The House of Representatives was relentless throughout the budgeting process in assuring our schools and our children are taken into account.

We succeeded in creating a budget that meets the educational needs of Georgia’s public school students. Together, we crafted a strong and sound state education budget that will directly benefit our states future.

Even more, we accomplished it in spite of a softening economy; revised revenue projections ($245 million less); and competing needs.

K-12 Education

· Held firm on a 2.5% pay raise for teachers ($160 million). This pay raise is in addition to 3% salary increases awarded to more than half of teachers through normal progression on the teacher salary schedule. Georgia consistently ranks #1 in highest average teacher salary in the Southeast – and this pay raise will ensure that Georgia maintains this ranking. Also note that according to the John Locke Foundation, Georgia ranks #2 nationally in average teacher salary when adjusted for cost of living, pension contribution and teacher experience.

· Added $50 million for austerity restoration. This funding equates to an additional $31 per student. The General Assembly was able to reduce the remaining austerity reduction from $143 million to $93 million. The remaining austerity represents 1% of the total QBE budget. Total spending on education exceeded the inflation rate.

· Fully funded the per student funding formula for 1.23% growth of public school students ($200 million). Note: The per student funding formula (QBE) for new student growth has been and continues to be fully funded (with no austerity reductions).

· Added 2,500 slots in the Georgia Virtual School ($1.8 million). Students will have 6,500 class slots offered through this state program so they can take 75 Advanced Placement and other courses online that are not offered or not convenient at their local school. Public and non-public school students are eligible.

· Fully funded growth in Equalization grants. This grant program serves 134 school systems each year to level out funding for less wealthy systems. The $110 million was split between the FY09 and Amended FY08 budgets.

· Continued to fund $100 classroom cards for teachers to purchase classroom supplies the week of the sales tax holiday. Added classroom cards for new teachers and new media centers. The total cost comes to $11 million.

· Fully funded bonds to pay for school construction and renovation ($300 million). It was split between the Amended FY08 and FY09 budgets.

· Funded a new Mentor Teacher program to provide $500 stipends for those who mentor new teachers ($200,000).

· Created 11 new math mentor positions to work with schools struggling with math. Schools will be selected to receive services based on low math test scores and achievement ($1.3 million).

Pre-K

· Funded a 1% increase for operations for public and private Pre-K providers ($700,000). This is only the third operational funding increase since Pre-K was created 15 years ago. Last year’s 2.35% operations increase was the second.

· Added 1,000 Pre-K slots ($6.4 million). Currently, 56% of all four year olds attend Pre-K, which is funded through the lottery. Total children attending lottery – 79,000.

Lunchroom workers, Bus Drivers and Custodians Retirement

· Increased retirement benefits. Means a $0.50 higher rate raising it from $14.25 to $14.75 per month per year of service ($2.7 million).

NOTE: The attached spreadsheet lists school systems alphabetically. The figures show the actual funds your school system(s) will receive because of initiatives we placed into the budget. I encourage you to share this information with your neighbors.

System	Earnings	Restoration	(Bonds)
Butts	943,959	100,946
Henry	12,514,169	1,177,563	17,430,347
Newton	14,181,450	552,456	8,490,605
Fayette		700,066
Spalding	7,078,716	317,643
Lamar	728,791	71,219	1,518,723
Rockdale	2,591,698	458,149
Clayton	26,822,320	1,489,941	5,465,428
Fulton		2,459,012	21,522,719
Coweta	3,754,230	631,356

. I am honored to be your Representative. I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

Final Final wrapup lunsford

2008-04-23T08:48:00.001-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

Final Wrap up of session

April 22, 2008

In coffee shops, diners, and community meetings, much has been debated about the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session that concluded two week ago. Some have criticized, some have ballyhooed, some jumped for joy, while others registered indifference. The reality is that it was a successful session. The question that always begs to be answered is did we get everything done? (The answer is no we didn’t) But we did a lot and here are some highlights.

Let’s start first with the fact that we passed a balanced Fiscal Year 2009 budget and amended the 2008 budget in a time when revenue projections for the state have been downsized. We returned $50 million in austerity cuts to education and we gave teachers, state employees, and law enforcement officers pay increases. We also funded eight new or expanded libraries, funded Georgia’s first dental school, and additional new community health centers. Close to 50 hospitals received increased funding for indigent care and set aside $10 million for land conservation.

One of the most important bills passed was Senate Bill 342, a bill designed to help alleviate future water problems by developing and expediting the building of additional water reservoirs.

We protected our children by passing Senate Bill 1, a bill that prohibits sex offenders from photographing minor children without parent or guardian consent. We also passed a bill, S.B. 474, which would provide greater protection for children from sexual predators using the internet to try and lure our children. We also cracked down on habitual drunk drivers by making their fourth DUI conviction a felony with the necessary penalties.

We helped protect our 2^nd Amendment rights by allowing Georgians licensed to carry concealed weapons in parks, historic sites, recreation areas, wildlife management areas and prohibiting employers from searching employee vehicles and conditioning employment on regulation of firearms. This was done through House Bill 89.

We passed a major reform of our medical care system by passing S.B. 433. The Certificate of Need reforms relaxed outdated regulations that limited health care options available to Georgia citizens by increasing access and competition. The bill also allowed for a new state-of-the-art cancer hospital to open within 25 miles of the Atlanta airport.

We continued our effort of bringing transparency to our state government by passing S.B. 300 creating a free, publicly accessible website providing information on state expenditures. With our efforts to reform the Department of Transportation, we passed two bills that will make them more accountable to the citizens of Georgia. The first bill, House Bill 1189, will require the Department of Transportation to report on a Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan. The second bill, S.B. 417, will require DOT to develop and publish benchmarks to provide a time frame for the completion of transportation projects.

We passed House Bill 948 which continues the popular back-to-school sales tax holiday set for July 31 through August 3 and the energy efficient products sales tax holiday set for October 2-5.

We passed H.B. 1019, ( lunsford) a bill that allows communities to fund new road construction using the newly created Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank.

We created a law in H.B. 1159 9 (lunsford) that will give families a $2,000 tax credit for adopting a child in the Georgia foster care system. We allowed home school or private school children to qualify for the HOPE scholarship as well as military or GED recipients

And many many more issues of local or state wide importance.

With these remarkable legislative initiatives passing the General Assembly, with too little fanfare in our media, I think many of us would say that this session was a success.

In conclusion, it has been my privilege to serve as your state representative carrying your needs and beliefs to our state’s capital. I am honored to be your public servant. I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

legislative wrapup lunsford

2008-04-20T09:34:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

April 18, 2008

The Georgia General Assembly concluded the business of the state at midnight on Friday, April 4. Day 40 if viewed from afar would resemble chaos, but up close, was a fairly well orchestrated attempt to pass meaningful legislation. I will be the first to admit, some very good legislation didn’t make it. The reasons are many but the reality of the General Assembly is consensus. It takes a majority to pass legislation in the House and in the Senate and sometimes those bodies, filled with independent thinking men and women, fail to reach a consensus. But often they do.

Some of the highlights from the last day of the session included some very important legislation. Much of the day was filled with agrees and disagrees, the process where we agree to the modifications or amendments that the Senate has placed on the legislation. There also was legislation that managed to be debated on the last day after going through the required vetting at the committee level.

One of the more important bills debated allowed for more construction of Public Water supply reservoirs. Senate Bill 342 funds up to 20% of the cost of obtaining permits for and constructing improvements to any dam that was originally constructed or financially assisted by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The bill also funds up to 40% of the cost of obtaining a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bill passed 111-59.

We also passed S.B. 406, a bill that strengthens our penalties for dealing in pirated recorded materials. The bill increases the penalties for reproducing or distributing recorded materials with the first offense of a minimum fine of $500 and up to $25,000. The second offense would set a minimum fine of $1,000 and requires a minimum of 48 hours of prison, with the third and subsequent offenses with fines at a minimum of $2,000 up to $250,000 and a prison term of two to five years with at least six days served. The bill passed 143-9.

One bill that passed shows the methodical process of passing meaningful legislation is Senate Bill 433. This bill basically became the culmination of four years of work on the certificate of need (CON) issues for medical providers. The bill is a compromise measure agreed to by most of the stakeholders and worked out by the legislators who had authored and carried CON legislation. S.B. 433 includes the unanimous and majority recommendations of the Commission on the Efficacy of Certificate of Need, in addition to, the allowance for a destination cancer hospital within 25 miles of the Atlanta airport. The bill passed overwhelmingly by a margin of 138-17.

We also passed S.B. 474, a bill that will provide greater protection for children with regard to the use of the internet. The bill establishes parental controls over internet access to children and enhanced the penalties for failing to report certain information to the Cyber Tip line at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The bill passed 153-1.

We passed a bill that will allow our outdoorsmen and women by lowering the fee for hunting and fishing license renewal so that Georgia residents receive the same financial benefit as non-residents who purchase temporary licenses. The bill, S.B. 382 passed 162-1.

Last week the Governor signed into law three very important bills each having been worked on for a number of years (CON certificate of need for medical care), (State transportation infrastructure bank) and a (state wide reservoir plan) .

In the Next few weeks, I will provide a recap of the legislative highlights from this year’s Georgia General Assembly. Including what the Governor signs into law and what he veto’s I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

lunsford weekly update

2008-04-08T09:37:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

April 4, 2008

The end is near for the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session. By the time many of you read this, the session will be completed and we will have adjourned Sine Die. In the next few weeks I will provide you with the highlights of the session, but for now, this is what happened in the final week. Most of the debate these final days is based on the amendments that have been added to some bills as they have gone to the Senate for their approval. The committee process allows the Senate to make changes to the bills that we have passed and they send them back to us. We then have a choice to “insist” on our position or to disagree with the Senate position. We also are working on some high-profile legislation that has taken a while to be properly vetted by the committee process.

One of the bills that we hope to pass that will make your state government more transparent is Senate Bill 300. This bill provides for the creation of a free, publicly accessible website to provide state expenditure information. The bill passed unanimously. Another bill that passed unanimously would revise and streamline the ways Georgians may “give the gift of life” by being an organ donor. S.B. 405 updated and more importantly, harmonized the giving rules with other states to make the laws more “uniform.”

We also passed unanimously, S.B. 196, a bill that provides free scholarships to children of our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen who died of combat wounds or were injured suffering a 50% or greater disability. This was a great way for us to help Georgia citizens who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the Global War on Terror.

One bill we passed is designed to create three student loan programs that will allow students to apply for low interest financial aide programs. S.B. 169 will have three programs which will allow for a 1% need-based loan that will act as a bridge gap for financial aid the student may receive in that the primary financial aid doesn’t quite cover the costs. The second program, called Graduate On Time loan, has an interest rate that would be no higher than the prime rate. If the student graduates with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher and completes school in four years, the loan gets a reduced retroactive rate of 1 percent. If the student graduates in five years and with a 2.0 GPA or better, they would get a 2 percent rate. The third program creates a loan for people who want to work in community service, they would receive a 1 percent rate if the spend between 5 and 15 years in public service. S.B. 169 passed 158-1.

S.B. 1 is a bill we passed that would make it unlawful for sexual predators from photographing minors without the consent of the minor’s parents or guardian. This would apply only to registered sex offenders and the bill passed 133-32.

S.B. 374 amended a number of lien laws. The bill basically updates the state lien laws that are used in building or renovating homes and commercial structures. The bill passed 160-3.

We easily passed legislation urging the state Department of Audits to closely examine the use of state-issued credit cards by continuing to audit certain accounts to ensure that transactions are authorized, legal, and ethical. The resolution passed 155-2.

weekly update lunsford

2008-03-29T20:38:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

March 28, 2008

By the end of this Friday, we will have completed 36 days of the 2008 General Assembly session. The following week we will conclude the session, most likely adjourning sine die on Friday. This has been a short week as we were in session only two days as a whole house but 3 days were spent in committees to allow our colleagues in the Senate time to finish their Fiscal Year 2009 budget work. As directed by the state Constitution, all budget matters must begin in the House of Representatives, so the Senate was waiting on us before they began.

One high interest bill we passed is Senate Resolution 845. The legislation would authorize a regional sales tax to pay for highway improvements in congested areas. It would create several regions across the state, known as special transportation districts, where local governments could agree to hold a referendum for voters to approve or reject a local one-cent sales tax. The key to this resolution is voter choice. In our version, the money collected would be kept entirely by the region for local road projects. The Senate version would require that 20 percent of the sales tax proceeds go to the state Department of Transportation. This bill will go to a conference committee to work out the differences. We approved this bill 136-35.

The Fiscal Year 2009 budget has been discussed but I haven’t really outlined some of the highlights of the spending bill. First, as has been widely reported, revenue estimates for FY 2009 will be down by $245 million. Our state’s net growth is expected to be $635 million or 4.26%.

The biggest news in education was that we restored $90 million to the “austerity cuts” that were in the Governor’s budget. We also restored $1.3 million to Math Mentors – the Superintendent’s #1 priority based on the overwhelming success of the Science Mentor program that the House of Representatives created to raise test scores. We also have added $305 million across the two budgets to fund K-12 school construction and equipment needs. We added $114 million in additional funds to fully fund the Regents formula for our colleges while creating a $60 million bond to start the construction of a new dental school – the only one in the state – to ensure an adequate supply of dentists trained in state-of-the-art procedures.

With trauma care being one of the most important topics here at the capitol, our budget contains $5.5 million for equipment and $53,402,769 for distribution to aid existing trauma hospitals. Also on the health care front, over $80 million was added as provider increases for hospital, home health personal support, maternity, well-child care, ambulance, pharmacists, nursing homes, therapeutic resident care and dental services. This is for the 1.6 million Georgians receiving Medicaid and PeachCare services. We put in $2 million for four new Community Health Centers, which provide primary care access in underserved areas of the state. These centers are the best deal in health care, as the state provides $250,000 to start-up in federally designated areas with significant access issues and then fully funds the on-going operations; this is for four start-ups and four existing centers adding mental health services.

We provided just over $1 million for the Meals on Wheels program. Funds are needed to replace federally withdrawn funds (Paper Plate Initiative) from the Nutrition Services Incentive Program. Meals are served in-home and congregate places such as senior centers. This will provide over 200,000 meals to at-risk seniors and disabled persons. In the realm of public safety, we added $20 million to continue the House’s initiatives last year to retain and recruit public safety officers, as well as prevent the compression of salaries in between pay grades. This annualizes last year’s increases for law enforcement officers in Public Safety.

As always in the general assembly the bulk of the large legislation will seek final passage in the last week as most complicated issues are being worked out.

lunsford weekly update

2008-03-22T19:35:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

March 21, 2008

We have completed 34 of the no more than forty days of the 2008 Georgia General Assembly. As allowed by the state’s constitution, the only item we must complete is enacting a balanced budget for the operations of the state. We completed that this week and now the Senate will consider it. (Just a quick civics lesson, all tax and budget legislation must begin in the House of Representatives.)

The budget is a $21.2 billion budget for the new 2009 fiscal year beginning July 1. It includes 2.5 percent pay raises for state teachers and employees, $50 million for reservoirs and related water management projects aimed at Georgia’s future water needs, and $90 million in school formula funding replacing the austerity cuts. We also included $10 million for land conservation. The FY 2009 budget passed 166-1.

We also passed the FY 2008 Supplemental Appropriations bill by a margin of 167-2. This is the bill that redirects funding mainly to education and Medicaid shortfalls that are mandated by the federal government. This is the Conference report and we have transmitted the bill for the Governor to sign or veto. He has six days to decide.

In other legislative action this past week, we passed Senate Bill 350, a bill that further strengthens our laws regarding driving on a suspended license. The bill adds to the requirements for people arrested for driving with a revoked or suspended license that they will be fingerprinted and a fourth conviction within five years will result in a felony with imprisonment up to five years and a fine up to $5,000 or both. That bill passed 99-68. We also passed legislation that will allow District Attorneys to request the death penalty if jurors are in favor by a margin of 10-2. Current law requires a unanimous verdict for the death penalty to be implemented. That bill, S.B. 145 passed 112-55.

We passed S.B. 359, a bill that would require the Georgia Department of Economic Development to create and implement a “Made in Georgia” program to promote products made in our state. That bill passed 161-1. We also passed S.B. 444 a bill that will allow the Department of Transportation to dispose of surplus property. As part of the streamlining process being adopted by the DOT, S.B. 444 will allow the DOT to sell excess property not needed for public roads to the highest sealed bidder. The bill passed 164-0.

We passed a fairly comprehensive bill that determines how the Georgia Bureau of Investigation can use DNA samples for evidence and how that information obtained from evidence is exchanged. The bill, S.B.430 passed 130-40. Another bill dealing with the GBI would allow them to investigate identity fraud cases and grant them subpoena powers. This bill, S.B. 388, passed unanimously.

As the 2008 General Assembly session winds down, the schedule for the last six days of the session will be somewhat hectic. As usual, the most difficult issues are undergoing negotiations to determine what members of the House and Senate, as well as, the Governor can agree upon. This includes the 2009 budget, tax reform, Certificate of Need issues dealing with the medical community, and a host of other important legislative initiatives.

WEEKLY UPDATE LUNSFORD

2008-03-15T19:22:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

March 15, 2008

Your Georgia General Assembly is moving into the final quarter of the 2008 Assembly session as we have completed 31 days of the no-more-than 40 legislative day session. The final quarter is when the tough legislation is worked out and debated. In addition, the budgetary issues really storm to the front as the Appropriations Committee members move to submit a balanced budget that fulfills needs of federally mandated programs like education and Medicaid, as well as, universities, roads and other needed projects and programs.

The highlight of the week is that House members were able to reach a tenable compromise and voted to pass out a tax relief package that was defeated last week. House Resolution 1246, which failed to pass last week, was overwhelmingly adopted this week after some modifications were made to the legislation that would allow voters to determine whether they wanted the tax relief, in the form of a constitutional amendment.

The latest version of the tax relief proposal eliminates the ad valorem taxes on auto license tags, the .25 mills in property tax charged by the state on property owners (a total annual savings of $94 million), and a freeze on property tax assessments. Because this bill is a constitutional amendment, 120 votes were needed to pass the resolution and this time it passed 166-5 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

As part of the removal of the auto property tax or what we call the “birthday tax”, we implemented House Bill 1158 which places a $10 trauma charge on motor vehicle tags in the state of Georgia. The reason we call it the “birthday tax” is that your tag renewal is tied to your birthday. The ten dollar tag charge would be used exclusively to help fund our state’s trauma care network. Trauma care is the hospital you need when there is an accident. Currently this state has only 4 level one trauma care units with those being in Atlanta, Savannah, Macon, and Augusta. Enhanced trauma care is desperately needed in all regions of the state. There are two points I want to make about this. First, trauma funding is essential for saving lives. Second, most of us would gladly pay $10 dollars additional on our car tag, and NOT pay hundreds of dollars for the car tax. This legislation, House Bill 1158, passed 164-7.

In an effort to enhance charitable giving to private schools, we passed House Bill 1133, a bill that provides an income tax credit to taxpayers who make contributions to ‘student scholarship organizations” that provide 90 percent of their funding in the form of scholarships. As with most tax credits there are additional rules. This legislation passed 92-73.

In an effort to strengthen our regional areas of the state, we easily passed HB 1216 that essentially changes our regional development centers or RDCs into regional commissions. The purpose of these commissions is to develop, promote, and assist in establishing coordinated and comprehensive land use, environmental, transportation and historic preservation planning in the state. In addition, these regional commissions would assist local governments in planning. Twelve regional commissions would be created. The bill passed 134-34.

In an effort to separate and codify theft, we have created a new offense called “organized retail theft.” Organized retail theft is committed when 2 or more people are involved in retail property theft in large quantities over a 180-day period with the intent to resell the stolen items. HB 1346 passed unanimously. There were many other pieces of legislation this week such as tax credits, mail order wine, and tree farming by products legislation. We will convene again on Tuesday as a committee of the whole house but until then most committees are meeting daily trying to finish up the session.

weekly update lunsford

2008-03-10T08:57:00.000-05:00

Under the Gold Dome

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

March 10, 2008

The Georgia General Assembly has completed twenty-nine days of the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session and “Day 30” which is “Crossover Day” will be Tuesday, March 11. As I discussed last week, crossover day is the last day that the House or Senate will consider their own legislation and pass it over to the other body for consideration. If a bill that originates in the House of Representatives hasn’t been passed by the House by this Day 30, then the bill effectively is considered “dead.”

The big issue at the Capitol this week was the GREAT tax plan debate. Based on feedback from members, we decided that the best hope for a significant tax decrease for the citizens of Georgia was to vote on Senate Resolution 796. The measure fell ten votes short of the 120 votes needed to put it on the ballot in November so you could vote on it. Unfortunately, the majority of the House Democratic Caucus did not support the tax cuts.

For the past year, Speaker Richardson has led Georgians in a very healthy public debate about our state’s system of taxation. House Bill 979 and Senate Resolution 796 would have eliminated the hated ad valorem tax on all personal vehicles also known as the ‘tag tax’ or ‘birthday tax.’

The measures would have put an end to out-of-control growth of property taxes by freezing property tax assessments at the 2008 level and limiting the annual increase on residential values to 2 percent. The measures would have capped the growth of local government and said that if local governments or school boards

Wanted to raise local taxes, they must seek the approval of voters in the community. And finally, the bill would have provided funding for a statewide trauma care network. The final version of the bill contained NO NEW TAXES.

But none of these will happen, Unless we can generate 15 votes from the other side of the isle, we not need a statewide trauma network to fund hospitals like Grady that treat the most critically injured patients in our state Some members of the House have denied Georgians the right to decide for themselves if they want a tax cut and if they want to reform our current tax system. So on your birthday you will continue to pay the ‘birthday tax’ and your property values will continue to rise unchecked thereby increasing your property taxes. This is a good conservative, State and local tax cutting measure that I was happy to support. Moving forward, I will continue to support other tax cuts because I believe that we need lessen the tax burden on our citizens. I proudly voted for it and believe that if it were placed on a ballot, you would overwhelmingly approve it. The defeat of this resolution, S.R.796, denied you the right to vote for meaningful tax reforms.

The good news is we were able this week to ease your tax burden for two weekends. Every August, parents all over Georgia take their children shopping for back to school clothes and supplies. This is a big shopping weekend for our families and I was happy to again support a tax free shopping weekend to help them save a little money. The House approved House Bill 948 setting the weekend of July 31 through August 3 as the sales tax holiday weekend for school supplies, and October 2 through October 5 as the sales tax holiday weekend for energy efficient appliances.

We passed a very strict DUI bill this past week. The bill sets punishment levels for a DUI of drivers who are 18 years and older. The first offense would be a misdemeanor with a fine of $300-$1000; jail from ten days to one year (24 hours minimum); probation for 12 months less time served; completion of a risk reduction program; and community service hours. The second offense would be a 24-month misdemeanor; fine of $750-$5000; jail time from 90 days - 24 months. If the second DUI is within 5 years, 120 hour minimum jail time; and 30 days community service; probation for 24 months less jail time. The third offense: 36-month misdemeanor; fine of $1000-$5000; and jail time of 12-36 months. The fourth offense would constitute a felony with a fine of $1000-$5000 and 1-5 years in jail with 1 year minimum. The bill, House Bill 336, passed 124-17.

We passed a bill that would require local municipalities and county governments who wish to make their water usage policies more restrictive than the state to apply to the state for that ability. We also charged that the Environmental Protection Division of the state rule on those applications within three days of receiving the request. We recognize that sometimes, local governments may become overly ambitious in allocating water use. H.B. 1281 passed by a 124-38 margin of victory.

In an effort to help insure the integrity of our local elections, we passed H.B. 1098, which places the same reporting requirement to the Secretary of States office on municipal elections as on all other state elections. It also requires that municipal election officials be certified. The bill passed unanimously. We also passed a bill that would allow those handicapped individuals or those 75 years old or older to move to the front of the line to vote. This bill, H.B. 993, also passed unanimously.

In education this week, House members voted in favor of House Bill 1209 introduced by Brooks Coleman, Chairman of the House Education Committee. This legislation provides greater flexibility and local control of our schools systems. Working with the State Department of Education and parents, the legislation would continue to require school systems to develop a five-year strategic plan. Upon approval of the plan, each school system may choose to enter into a five-year contract with the State Department of

Education that will provide flexibility, accountability, and consequences for poor school performance. School systems would have greater flexibility with respect to class sizes, curriculum, teacher certification, salary structure and other state standardized areas. Accountability would be dependent upon standardized test scores, graduation rates, SAT scores, and other performance standards. If a school does not meet the accountability

Standards of the contract, the legislation sets forth consequences that could include conversion of a school to a charter school or a change in the controlling entity of a failing school. This legislation provides both and will help move our educational systems forward.

Transportation has been in the forefront of issues this year and we are still debating the best way to approach the challenges we face. This coming week we should see more legislation being debated and modified to utilize existing taxes for transportation as well as push by some for regional tax increases. I remain opposed to all tax increases and we will push for better efficiency standards as well as the requirement of all transportation agencies to implement cost benefit analysis and congestion relief standards for all

Projects placed on transportation plans.

One bill that I felt was very important for our children is H.B. 1286, legislation that would require our schools to close on November 11 of each year in honor of Veteran’s Day. Many of our school children do not understand the sacrifices that our men and women of our Armed Services have made in defending freedom and by passing this bill we hope to encourage our schools and the parents to talk with their children about what our veterans have done. This bill passed unanimously.

Ride in Real Army Huey Helicopter (Lunsford)

2008-03-03T19:31:00.001-05:00

Come fly with the Sky Soldiers

Army Aviation Heritage Foundation
March 6, 7, & 8 2008
10 AM – 4 PM
Tara Airfield
Next to the Atlanta Speedway
HELICOPTER RIDES
in authentic Vietnam Veteran UH-1H
“Hueys”

Your tax deductible donation of $50
will help keep our aircraft flying
For more information visit us on the web at http://www.armyav.org/

weekly update lunsford

2008-03-02T17:21:00.001-05:00

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

March 1, 2008

Next week taxes, certificate of need and lobbyists

We have completed twenty-six days of the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session and we are quickly approaching “Day 30” which is “Crossover Day.” Crossover day is the last day that the House or Senate will consider their own legislation and pass it over to the other body for consideration. If a bill that originates in the House of Representatives hasn’t been passed by the House by this Day 30, then the bill effectively is considered “dead.” Day 30 activities are widely active as Members of the House and Senate try to push bills through and we have a very long calendar of bills to consider. I anticipate Day 30 to be on March 7^thor 11^th this year.

This past week, we passed House Bill 455, a bill that dramatically helps us to control narcotic prescription drugs that are dispensed at drug stores. The bill establishes a program for monitoring prescribed and dispensed schedule II, III, and IV controlled substances. Dispensers of these drugs will be required to submit specific information regarding when the prescription was filled, the quantity dispensed, as well as, the patient’s data and the prescribing doctor’s information. This bill is designed to help fight the growing battle of “prescription shopping” that some drug addicts use to get prescribed drugs. The bill passed 149-8.

We passed a major transportation bill creating a Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank to help us fund future transportation projects. The new “bank” would serve in assisting in the financing of qualified road projects by providing loans and other financial assistance to governments for constructing and improving highway and transportation facilities. The bank will receive its funds from the state’s toll ways, federal transit funds, or state funds. The bill passed easily 162-1.

After a state employee who rang up hundreds of thousands of dollars in unlawful purchases, we saw the need for and passed H.B. 1113, legislation that would restrict the use of state purchasing cards. The legislation would require state agencies only to issue cards to those whose job duties would require them to have one and would limit purchases to $500 unless the item is part of a state approved contract. The legislation also established some very strict penalties for those convicted of stealing from the state. The bill passed unanimously.

We overwhelmingly passed H.B. 188, a bill that would recuse those who serve as the primary unpaid caregiver for a person over the age of 6 who has a physical or congenative limitation from jury duty. The bill passed 158-1.

We overwhelmingly approved the creation of children’s transition care centers, centers that are temporary, home-like environments for medically fragile children, technology dependent children, and children with special health care needs. These centers would be for children who are considered medically stable by a physician but dependent on life-sustaining medications, treatments and equipment and who require assistance with activities of daily living to facilitate the transition from a hospital to a home or other appropriate setting. The bill passed 148-1.

Of great importance was, H.B. 1159 that would provide a $2,000 tax credit for adopting a foster child until the child reaches maturity, this is the greatest tax credit of any state in the country in an effort to speed up the adoption process for foster care children, not only was it logical it saved money too. That bill passed 127-1.

We passed House bill 978, a bill that declares that any vehicle in an accident that is driven by an illegal immigrant will be subject to forfeiture to the state if the defendant is convicted of the offense charged. This bill passed 104-51.

We agreed to allow wine drinkers in this state to special order up to 12 cases of wine per year directly from an out-of-state vendor of wine. Currently, wine vendors could only ship wines directly to a vendor in the state of Georgia. This bill passed 126-8. I will keep you informed through weekly updates. Your opinions and concerns are important to me and I consider it an honor to serve you at the state capitol and in our district. If you would like to reach me, please call me at (404) 656-7573 or write me at: State Rep. John Lunsford, 401, State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334 or e-mail me at mailto:%20%20%20john.lunsford@house.ga.gov

weekly update lunsford

2008-02-24T16:37:00.002-05:00

Under the Gold Dome with State Representative

John Lunsford Capitol Update

February 24, 2008

50 percent of the days are gone, 80 percent of the work left

We have officially completed the twentieth legislative day of the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session, which signals we have passed the half-way point of the constitutionally mandated “no-more-than” forty-day legislative session. The reconciliation budget, called the “little budget” is the document that looks at where the state stands, especially with federally-mandated Medicaid and education funding. If we are short, usually due to unanticipated growth, the General Assembly must infuse new funds to offset those required expenses.

The House of Representatives took the lead in adding $53 million to help establish a state trauma care network; $6.5 million was added for indigent care trust fund, a federally mandated program; and $15 million for the PeachCare health insurance program that assists working families who cannot afford health insurance. Because of the ongoing drought conditions, we added $40 million for the development of new reservoirs.

The House and Senate Appropriation Committees have put the final touches on the Fiscal Year 2008 Reconciliation Budget and will now go to a conference committee to iron out the differences. The reason we are insisting on a conference committee is to insure that the austerity cuts the Governor made last year are restored to our school systems.

We continued our “War on Drugs” by making trafficking of the drug Ecstasy only bailable by a judge in superior court, joining trafficking in cocaine, methamphetamine, heroine, and marijuana. Ecstasy has become a drug of choice for many of our children. This bill, House Bill 960, passed unanimously.

In our efforts to streamline the Department of Transportation, and make it more accountable, we unanimously passed H.B. 1123. The legislation will require the DOT commissioner to file annual reports to the General Assembly, as well as, the Governor. The reports would mark the progress that DOT has made in disposal of county maintenance barns and surplus equipment; the commissioner’s plan for road maintenance and the funding amount and source for the funding; and the commissioner’s plan for inspecting and maintaining existing bridges and the money’s source.

In an effort to protect our children who attend a daycare, we strengthened the law that requires daycare center directors to undergo a Georgia Crime information Center check. The new legislation would require all employees of the daycare center to undergo a background check both with the Georgia Crime information Center and the National Crime Information Center. It would also require any individual 18 years of age or older who resides in a home that operates a daycare, to undergo the required background check. This bill, H.B. 904 passed 159-1.

In an effort to help our disabled military veterans, we unanimously passed Senate Bill 369 that would allow military doctors to submit affidavits stating that a service member or a veteran is disabled, regardless if the doctor is licensed to practice in Georgia.

Another bill of statewide importance was HB969 which passed overwhelmingly in the house to clear up some oversights within the driver licenses process, this bill allowed home school parents to sign the completion requirements and attendance paperwork for first time driver training license applications ,

In the House Ways and Means Committee this week, Speaker Glenn Richardson presented his proposal to provide property tax and ad-valorem tax relief to Georgia citizens. House Bill 979 and House Resolution 1246 would eliminate the ad-valorem tax on personal vehicles, freeze property tax assessments at the 2008 level, and provide Georgians with increased tax deductions for portions of their property taxes. The Speaker’s proposal was adopted by the committee and is expected to be debated by the full House next week.

With all this talk of tax reform, it is crucial we also discuss spending reform. I co sponsored House Resolution 1216 that, if approved, would stipulate any revenue surplus be spent first to fully fund education, maintain an 8% reserve fund and all additional revenues be returned to taxpayers in the form of income tax deductions.

I am pleased with the decision of House leadership to make education a top spending priority by fully funding the $30 million in equalization grants for our schools. This action will have a positive impact on all our schools in Georgia .

The topic of taxes was also brought up this week in a House Transportation Committee meeting. There is no doubt that we have a traffic congestion problem in the metro Atlanta area or that we must address these challenges. House Bill 1139 and House Resolution 1226 would impose a 1% statewide sales and use tax with funds collected to be used exclusively for transportation projects in addition to raising the motor fuel tax by 1%.

I firmly believe that before we begin raising taxes we must first examine how we are spending the tax dollars we already collect, prioritize our spending and create greater efficiencies where possible.

Finally, one piece of legislation I am happy for us to pass is the creation of a Legislative Service Award. The bill, H.R. 1081 would allow each Representative, on an annual basis, to present a Legislative Service Award to an individual or group who has contributed to the public good. This resolution was unanimously passed.

weekly update lunsford

2008-02-15T19:40:00.002-05:00

State Representative John Lunsford's Weekly Capitol Update

February 15, 2008

Almost 50 percent over but the heavy lifting is yet to come

This Valentine’s Day marked the completion of the eighteenth day of the 2008 Georgia General Assembly session. Many important pieces of legislation have passed the House this year and while not all garner the excitement of tax cuts, water policy or guns, they are equally important, especially to the people affected by the policy.

For example, House Bill 297 is a piece of legislation passed to allow recreational vehicle conventions to invite out-of-state dealers and manufacturers to participate in these conventions if more that 2,500 vehicles are registered.

We also passed legislation that would allow narcotics agents with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to purchase creditable service for retirement purposes. H.B. 209 passed unanimously.

We unanimously passed H.B. 930, a bill that makes exemptions for disabled veterans and blind persons, from the payment of occupation taxes, administrative fees, or regulatory fees for certain activities are valid for ten years.

We also defined the role of “wax technicians” as it relates to cosmetology. The bill, H.B. 494, allows for the certification of master estheticians and wax technicians, as well as, establishing standards for the practice. It also allows for barber shops, which aren’t set up as a cosmetology shop or salon, to employ wax technicians. This is a safety issue for the General Assembly and the bill passed 136-18.

We created a legislative oversight committee for the Georgia Lottery Corporation and created a nine member board of directors. We also created some of the duties that the chief executive officer must perform. The Georgia Lottery provides the money for the HOPE scholarship and many pre-k educational programs and was established in the 1990’s by the Georgia General Assembly. This bill passed 119-32.

House Bill 579 established the ability of storage centers for mobile homes to file a lien for storage or rental charges against a mobile home beginning thirty days after vacancy or eviction. The definition of “lien holder” covers lenders on the actual mobile home rather than the land on which the home sits. But it sets up ways the land owner can put a lien on the home for costs associated with the home being set-up on the property. This bill passed 138-5.

In the effort to spur interest in tourism, we have created the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission. This will allow for coastal areas that were involved in the short war which was fought against the British over trade issues, to have festivities honoring the heroism of the valiant soldiers and sailors. This bill easily passed 141-7. In addition, we also passed another tourism bill that would designate “agricultural tourist attractions” and provide for proper directional signs to those attractions. H.B. 1088 passed 154-1.

House Bill 1055 helped us in the area of professions and licenses that are controlled by legislative action. The state licenses doctors, accountants, real estate agents and barbers to name a few. This bill allows the designee of the division director to sign and attest orders and processes.

It also revised the requirements for interior designers, geologists, massage therapists, physical therapists and veterinarians. The bill was overwhelmingly endorsed with a 153-4 vote on the House floor. We also required all hospitals to offer any patient 65 and older, between October 1 and March 1, upon discharge, a vaccination to fight the flu. Flu and the complications from it, is a major cause of death for many seniors. The bill passed 151-9.

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Ride in Real Army Huey Helicopter (Lunsford)

Army Aviation Heritage FoundationMarch 6, 7, & 8 200810 AM – 4 PMTara AirfieldNext to the Atlanta SpeedwayHELICOPTER RIDESin authentic Vietnam Veteran UH-1H“Hueys”

weekly update lunsford

weekly update lunsford

weekly update lunsford

Army Aviation Heritage Foundation
March 6, 7, & 8 2008
10 AM – 4 PM
Tara Airfield
Next to the Atlanta Speedway
HELICOPTER RIDES
in authentic Vietnam Veteran UH-1H
“Hueys”