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Rep. Morgan Introduces Resolution Honoring Cobb County Police Sergeant

ATLANTA – State Representative Alisha Thomas Morgan (D-Austell) recently introduced a resolution recognizing the outstanding service of retired Cobb County Police Sergeant Clarence Webb.

“Officer Webb dedicated 22 years of his life to outstanding service in our area,” said Rep. Morgan. “Not only has he been an outstanding officer for these years, but he also made great contributions to the communities and youth in South Cobb County. We owe it to Officer Webb to show just how much we love and appreciate his work in our community”

Clarence Webb began working at the Cobb County Police Department in October 1990. Eventually assigned to the community policing program in the Six Flags Drive area, Webb worked to bridge the gap between the Cobb County police and citizens of South Cobb. He did this by becoming a partner in education with Lindley Middle School, a mentor for students at Bryant and Riverside elementary schools, and a regular participant in the annual Fraternal Order of Police “Shop with a Cop” program.

In 1999, Webb received a distinguished evaluation before being transferred to a criminal investigation unit as an auto theft investigator. In this role, Webb received another distinguished evaluation in 2005 and later that year was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He retired from the Cobb County Police Department in January 2012.

In addition to his career at the Cobb County Police Department, Sergeant Webb has served as a volunteer coach for 33 years. Throughout this time, he coached football, soccer, basketball, and track and field. One of his most notable volunteer successes was assisting with the start-up of a youth track program with the Cobb County Police Athletic League. This program attracted 75 participating youth in its first year. In recognition of his community service, Sergeant Webb received the 2011 Drew Brown Award for Community Service. Sergeant Webb continues to volunteer with the Police Athletic League, which currently supports 110 youth track athletes.

Since 2003, Alisha Thomas Morgan has represented Georgia’s 39th House District, serving Cobb County. She is the first African-American to serve in the Georgia House of Representatives from Cobb County and currently serves on the Children & Youth, Education, Governmental Affairs, and Health & Human Services committees. Rep. Morgan may be reached at 404-656-0109 or by e-mail at Alisha.Morgan@house.ga.gov.

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Rep. Houston Encourages Constituents to Check for Unclaimed Property

Approximately $600 million left unclaimed

ATLANTA – State Representative Penny Houston (R-Nashville) recently announced that residents of Berrien, Cook, Colquitt and Tift counties have unclaimed money in the Unclaimed Property Program, which is managed by the State Revenue Department. Thanks to a request made by Rep. Houston, a complete list of residents with unclaimed property will soon be available to local newspapers, as well as the city halls and public libraries within the four counties. Rep. Houston previously made a similar request that resulted in these publications of local unclaimed property lists in 2008.

“Most people do not realize that they have money in the Unclaimed Property Program,” said Rep. Houston. “This money can make a significant impact on the lives of families and the local economy. As a result, I requested a list of the people who have unclaimed money. I was overwhelmed by the number of people in our area, and I have worked to ensure that this list is more accessible to local citizens. I encourage all residents to check these lists to see if they have any unclaimed property.”

The Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act protects the rights of owners of abandoned property and relieves those holding the property of the continuing responsibility to account for the property. According to the Act, when a person holds property that belongs to someone else but has lost contact with the owner for a specified period, that holder must remit the property to the state. The state then serves as the custodian for the property, allowing the owners or their heirs an opportunity to claim their property in the future. All unclaimed property will be returned to the owner at no charge.

For more information on Georgia’s Unclaimed Property Program, please click here.

Representative Penny Houston represents the citizens of District 170, which includes portions of Berrien, Colquitt, and Cook counties. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 1997, and is currently a Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. She also serves on the Banks & Banking, Budget and Fiscal Oversight, Economic Development & Tourism, and Ways & Means committees.

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House Passes Comprehensive Sentencing and Corrections Reforms to Cut Recidivism and Reserve Prison Space for Violent Offenders

Bi-partisan bill provides greater public safety returns on state corrections dollars

ATLANTA – The Georgia House of Representatives today passed House Bill 1176 with a vote 164 to 1, showing overwhelming bipartisan support for the measure. HB 1176 is a comprehensive public safety and corrections reform bill that will save Georgia taxpayers funds while improving public safety.

“Drug users get caught in a vicious cycle,” said Rep. Rich Golick (R-Smyrna). “They commit a nonviolent crime to support their drug habit and get sent to prison – where they receive no rehabilitation – only to quickly get arrested again after their release. When rehabilitation would end this perpetual cycle, it makes no sense to unnecessarily continue clogging our courts and prisons with low-risk addicts, especially when the state’s limited number of prison beds should be reserved for locking away dangerous criminals. Drug courts and community rehabilitation centers will allow us to do this at a fraction of the cost while still ensuring accountability for past crimes.”

“Georgia’s criminal justice system is filled with offenders living with substance abuse problems, and our current system does not address this reality,” said Rep. Jay Neal (R-LaFayette). “By redirecting some of the money we spend incarcerating low-risk, non-violent offenders with substance abuse problems toward more effective community-based options that cost less and produce better outcomes, we will make all of Georgia’s communities safer.”

HB 1176 would concentrate prison space on violent and career criminals by enhancing penalties for some serious offenders and more effectively punishing low-level drug users and property offenders. It creates tougher, more effective probation supervision; improves community based sentencing options, such as accountability courts, that reduce recidivism; and holds agencies accountable for better results through data collection and performance measurement systems.

If approved by the Senate and Governor Deal, the legislation will place Georgia in the company of more than a dozen states, including Texas, South Carolina, North Carolina, Arkansas and Kentucky that are implementing criminal justice policies designed to improve public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control corrections costs.

This legislation is the product of more than six months of work by the Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform for Georgians. This bipartisan, inter-branch council conducted an in-depth analysis of the state’s sentencing and corrections data and met with a wide range of stakeholders including victim advocates, sheriffs, prosecutors and county officials. The council found that drug and property offenders account for almost 60 percent of all prison admissions.

Since 1990, Georgia’s prison population has more than doubled to nearly 56,000 inmates. Today, the state spends over $1 billion annually on corrections. Despite this growth, Georgia’s recidivism rate has remained unchanged at nearly 30 percent during the past decade. If current sentencing and corrections policies remain in place, Georgia’s prison population is projected to grow by 8 percent by 2016, presenting the state with the need to spend an additional $264 million to expand capacity.

Members of a special joint legislative committee approved HB 1176 before sending it to the House floor for consideration. The bill will now go to the state Senate for consideration.

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Rep. Dempsey’s Legislation Makes Way Through General Assembly, Heads to Governor

ATLANTA – State Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) commented today on the General Assembly’s passage of House Bill 434, legislation that enables Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) to diagnose mental diseases and conditions for Medicaid patients. Sponsored by Rep. Dempsey, HB 434 passed the Senate today with a vote of 48 to 2, showing tremendous bipartisan support for the measure. The legislation previously passed the state House with a vote of 156 to 5.

“Licensed clinical social workers have been diagnosing and billing mental disorders for years under Medicare, Tri-Care, and most major commercial health insurance plans – basically every major medical payment plan but Medicaid,” said Rep. Dempsey. “In a time when Georgia is not only facing a shortage of doctors and nurses but also an increasing demand for medical services, we must take steps to create efficiencies within our existing resources, which this legislation does by expediting service to those in need while also saving Georgia taxpayers money. We must also recruit new medical caregivers to the state, which I encouraged as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services when I supported funding additional residency spots for medical students in the state.”

Supported by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Department of Community Health and Department of Behavioral Health & Development Disabilities, HB 434 maintains and clarifies the authority of LCSW’s to diagnose mental diseases and conditions in Georgia. Currently, the definition of “diagnose” is included in the LCSW’s scope of practice, but the word “diagnose” is not. Rep. Dempsey’s legislation simply insert’s the word “diagnose” into the LCSW practice act to enable those licensed professionals to diagnose under Medicaid.

“The members of the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers were thrilled to learn that Representative Dempsey’s legislation made it through the General Assembly,” said Susan R. Fort, Executive Director of NASW-GA. “This bill allows the 3,000 licensed clinical social workers throughout the state to provide the same services to Medicaid recipients that are already provided to most other Georgians. Our goal is to help alleviate the wait times and backlog faced by those in need of mental health services in Georgia.”

LCSW in Georgia have been diagnosing mental diseases and disorders as part of their scope of practice since the state adopted the social work licensing law in 1984. It was not until 2005 that the Department of Community Health made an interpretation of the social work practice act that no longer recognized the authority of LCSW to diagnose Medicaid patients. Since that time, LCSW have continued to diagnose mental diseases and conditions in Georgia under Medicare, Tri-Care, and most major commercial health insurance plans.

If approved by the Governor, HB 434 will allow Georgia to join 41 other states, including all of Georgia’s bordering states, that already allow LCSW to diagnose mental disorders for Medicaid patients.

For more information on HB 434, please click here.

Representative Katie Dempsey represents the citizens of District 13, which includes portions of Floyd County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2006, and currently serves as the Vice Chairman for the Higher Education and Appropriations committees. She also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health & Human Services, and Rules committees.
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Rep. Dudgeon Introduces Legislation to Encourage Free Market Principles in Funding Falcons Stadium

ATLANTA – State Representative Mike Dudgeon (R-Forsyth County) today introduced House Resolution 1871, legislation that urges the Georgia World Congress Center Authority to use free market principles when allocating land for a new Atlanta Falcons stadium. Continue reading “Rep. Dudgeon Introduces Legislation to Encourage Free Market Principles in Funding Falcons Stadium”