Pushing Peach Care support in Atlanta

First let me once again thank the voters of District 116 for re-electing me state representative. The legislature is now back in Session, and we are busy working on the many issues affecting this state. Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson has assigned me to the following committees: Appropriations, Rules, Transportation, and Human Relations and Aging. I am also honored to have been named Chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

After receiving the Governor's budget proposal, various committees have begun the process of examining this proposal and listening to comments from interested parties. As Health Subcommittee chairman, I have been busy working on the budgets for Medicaid, PeachCare, and the state employees' health benefit plan. These programs, along with the others my committee is responsible for, account for approximately $12 billion of the state's total budget.

PeachCare funding is currently a major issue. Due to a federal funding shortfall, Georgia's highly successful program is facing a financial crisis. Our program is the fourth largest in the nation and currently serves 270,000 children of Georgia's working families. During the first week of the legislative session, I sponsored a resolution urging Congress to fully fund PeachCare. On January 18, accompanied by other Georgia legislators and officials, I hand-delivered copies of this resolution to our Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. Our state officials, including Governor Sonny Perdue, are committed to seeing this program succeed, and we continue to urge the federal government to do their part.

All other bills are currently working their way through the committee process. I will keep you updated throughout the session and I encourage you to contact me if you have questions or concerns about proposed legislation. During the session, I can always be reached at 404- 656-7146 or via email at mickey.channell@house.ga.gov.

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