Category Archives: Health Care

July 26, 2013 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

1966: Georgia’s Big Leap down the Slippery Slope

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 26, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Years ago, even before I became a “watchman on the wall” at the State Capitol, anti-traditional bills became law and dramatically interfered with parental authority. Seemingly honorable, honest, family-minded legislators passed laws that changed state culture forever. It was 1966 when senators and representatives in the Georgia General Assembly (most of whom had children and grandchildren) passed the Family Planning Act to provide confidential reproductive services for all ages, regardless of marital status. That meant no child is too young to receive services and no agency will inform the child’s parents.

The 1966 Family Planning Act presents a neutral attitude toward reproductive healthcare, with no mention of morality, parental authority and responsibility, or the law’s impact on the family unit or on family unity. In fact, you might have noticed that any sexually active or pregnant female is now identified in the media as a “woman,” though she might be only ten years old.

In Georgia, county boards of health and health districts, as well as pertinent departments of family and children services, train agency personnel to confidentially counsel and interview minors about reproductive health – healthcare/devices/medication/referrals before/during/after sexual activity. So, without parental knowledge or consent, minors may acquire from those agencies whatever medical services/drugs they want … if it concerns sexual activity. Continue reading →

April 19, 2013 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Preparing for the Worst, Praying for the Best

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 19, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

ACTION – Call 404 656-1776 and ask Governor Deal to refuse to
allow ahealth exchange to be created in Georgia.

 Good morning, Jim.  Try as we may, we cannot avoid the fact that Obamacare is law and the Supreme Court decided it IS constitutional and called it a tax, not a mandate to buy something we don’t want.

With that in mind, I’ll outline H.B. 198 that passed the House and Senate March 11th.  It authorizes the Insurance Commissioner to license navigators to work in a health exchange if necessary.  But I learned something important when I read the bill’s last paragraph that says:

“The provisions of this Act shall become applicable only upon the notification by the federal Department of health and Human Services … to the Governor, the Commissioner of Insurance, or other responsible … official of Georgia that a health insurance exchange has been created or approved to operate within the State of Georgia.”  That says Georgia will not have an exchange UNLESS the federal government sets it up under Obamacare. Continue reading →

April 13, 2013 Newsletter- On the Horizon, New State Laws

Posted on by

Voters Lose Control of Sunday Sale of Beer & Wine …
Unless the Governor Vetoes H.B. 124

The introductory paragraph of Representative Harrell’s H.B. 124 explains how retail sales of distilled spirits and other alcoholic beverages are, currently, governed and will be governed in the future. H.B. 124 secures the right of malt beverage businesses to sell on Sundays by removing the right of future voters to EVER prohibit Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine. Malt beverages are made from barley or other grain that’s soaked and softened in water until it sprouts. Then, it’s kiln-dried, brewed and distilled into beer and ale.

H.B. 124, actually, nullifies future election results in which the majority of voters disapprove of Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine. However, it DOES authorize future voters to STOP Sunday retail sales of distilled spirits, i.e. liquor (alcoholic drinks made by distillation), rum (made from fermented sugar cane or molasses) and whiskey (strong alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented mash of grain, especially rye, wheat, corn or barley). Both provisions are included in H.B. 124, which passed March 4th.

H.B. 124, plainly, states: If more than one-half of the votes cast on the question are for disapproval of Sunday package sales by retailers of malt beverages, wine, and distilled spirits on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 P.M. and 11:30 P.M., such rejection shall not nullify the prior election results for approval of Sunday package sales by retailers of malt beverages and wine on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 P.M. and 11:30 P.M. pursuant to subsection (p) of this Code section.” (Page 2, lines 40 – 44)

H.B. 124 expands the definition of “retailer” or “retail dealer” to include a business that, primarily, sells distilled spirits and unbroken packages of malt beverages and wine, not for consumption on the premises, and whose retail sale of such is at least 75 percent of its total annual gross sales. (Page 3, lines 64 – 66)

Unless the governor vetoes H.B. 124, these things will happen: (1) Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine will continue, regardless of the outcome of future referenda. (2) Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine are permanent, UNLESS future legislators amend this law and return power to voters. (3) Sunday sales of hard liquor and whiskey will be the only alcoholic beverage sales voters may prohibit.

Although it’s obvious the bill protects beer, ale and wine businesses at the expense of community values, some retailers have been reluctant to open their business on Sunday for a very good reason – it’s not worth the trouble! They’ve learned that Sunday customers are those that formerly bought alcoholic beverages Monday through Saturday, but now wait until Sunday to spend the same amount of money. So, opening on Sunday ADDS to the retailers’ cost of doing business with no increased profit!

If H.B. 124 is not vetoed, it automatically becomes law July 1st.

ACTION – Before May 7th, call 404 656-1776 and ask Governor Deal to VETO H.B. 124.

  • To read the rest of this newsletter in PDF format, please click here.

February 15, 2013 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Health Insurance Bills: One Good, One Very Bad

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, February 15, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim.  Today’ subject is health insurance bills, one good and one bad.   The good bill is S.B. 1 introduced by Senator William Ligon January 17th to fix the situation if one parent tries to deny the other parent access to medical information about their children.  If this bill passes, regardless of the custodial status of the parents, both would have equal access to their children’s health insurance records and could freely inspect, review and get copies.  Call the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee at 404 656-7580* and ask for S.B 1 to pass out of committee.

Private health insurance is a very good thing to have, but federally mandated health insurance is NOT a good thing and is unconstitutional, regardless of the Supreme Court decision.  That brings me to the very bad bill I mentioned.  It’s H.B. 46, introduced January 15th by Senator Nan Orrock to establish Obamacare in Georgia.  It would create two federally controlled insurance programs to put Georgia into the socialized health insurance business under federal law. Continue reading →