ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue on April 9 signed legislation to improve healthcare, transportation and education in Georgia.

Joined by the members of the General Assembly who carried the legislation, Perdue signed into law the IE2 (Investing in Educational Excellence) education reform initiative, state transportation infrastructure bank, and healthcare certificate of need reform.

“Before this session of the General Assembly, I traveled across Georgia to talk about the need for reforms to improve our educational system, streamline the way we finance transportation projects and deliver higher quality healthcare more efficiently and effectively,” said Perdue. “These pieces of legislation deliver the kind of innovative reforms necessary to keep our state growing while providing for the needs of our citizens, and I am proud to sign them into law.”

The IE2 initiative provides individual school systems the opportunity to contract with the state’s department of education for greater flexibility in how they administer their educational programs in return for increased accountability for performance. This measure provides greater local control of education while maintaining strict standards of accountability as Georgia continues to improve its educational system.

The legislation, House Bill 1209, was sponsored in the House by Education Committee Chairman Brooks Coleman and carried in the Senate by President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson.

The Georgia State Transportation Infrastructure Bank (STIB) will make millions of dollars available to cities, counties, transit operators and Community Improvement Districts.

The STIB will provide low interest rate loans and flexible repayment terms that are not currently available for much-needed transportation projects. As a revolving loan fund, dollars that are paid back will continually be made available for new transportation projects. The legislation, House Bill 1019, was sponsored in the House by Representative John Lunsford and carried in the Senate by Transportation Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis.

Senate Bill 433 provides necessary healthcare certificate of need reform by relaxing some outdated regulations that limit health care options. This bill will lift many of the current restrictions imposed by Georgia’s certificate of need program, increase access to quality healthcare, and increase competition in the health care marketplace.

Opening up the market will also help pave the way for one of the nation’s most comprehensive, innovative cancer treatment centers to come to Georgia and join some of the nation’s top cancer hospitals.

This legislation was sponsored by Majority Leader Tommie Williams and carried in the House by Vice Chairman of Appropriations for Health Mickey Channel.

For more information on these bills, visit www.legis.state.ga.us.

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[The above news release was received from the governor’s press office. Posted 4-09-08.]

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