HELLO, I'M DALE RUSSELL SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FOR FOX 5 NEWS HERE IN ATLANTA.

WELCOME TO THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB.

LOUDERMILK-YOUNG DEBATE.

EIGHT SERIES.

NOW, THIS IS THE RUNOFF DEBATE FOR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR INSURANCE COMMISSIONER IN.

LET'S MEET THOSE CANDIDATES.

THEY ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

RAPHAEL BAKER IS A BUSINESS OWNER.

HE DECLINED TO PARTICIPATE AND IS REPRESENTED BY AN EMPTY.

PODIUM CHINESE LAWS ROBINSON IS AN INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL.

NOW, LET'S MEET OUR PANELISTS.

I'M SURE EVERYONE RECOGNIZES NICOLE CAR.

SHE'S A REPORTER FOR PROPUBLICA AND DAVE WILLIAMS IS A REPORTER WITH CAPITAL B FOR COMPLETE RULES ON TODAY'S.

PROGRAM, PLEASE VISIT THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB.

WEBSITE, ATLANTAPRESSCLUB .ORG TO START THE PROGRAM.

JANESSA LAWS ROBINSON WILL BE ASKED ONE QUESTION BY EACH PANELIST.

SHE'LL HAVE 60 SECONDS TO ANSWER HER QUESTION.

DAVE WILLIAMS.

YOU GET THE FIRST QUESTION FOR JENNY'S LAWS ROBINSON.

THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON IN YOUR YEARS IN THE INSURANCE BUSINESS.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE INSURANCE SYSTEM IN GEORGIA THAT YOU BELIEVE NEEDS FIXING?

FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION.

THANK YOU TO THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB FOR HAVING ME HERE.

TODAY.

I HAVE BEEN A LICENSED INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED IS THAT THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY IS A GREAT INDUSTRY.

IN FACT, WITHOUT INSURANCE.

OUR ECONOMY WOULD COME TO A SCREECHING HALT.

SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THIS IS NOTHING TO TAKE LIGHTLY.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED.

IS IN THE OVER 10 YEARS, WE HAVE NOT HAD AN INSURANCE COMMISSIONER IN THIS OFFICE, REPRESENTING, GEORGIA, FAMILIES.

AND AS A RESULT, WE HAVE HAD SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATE INCREASES IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE HAD INSURANCE CUSTOMERS WHO ARE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

AND AS YOUR NEXT INSURANCE, COMMISSIONER, I WILL HOLD INSURANCE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE AND I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.

NICOLE GUARDS.

NOW, YOUR TURN TO ASK A QUESTION.

YES, MISS LAWS ROBINSON.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THE MENTAL HEALTH, PARITY ACT BIPARTISAN MEASURE PASSED THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

IF OUR ELECTED.

THIS WOULD BE A PART OF OR YOUR OFFICE WOULD BE A PART OF ENFORCING THIS INCLUDING ADDING PERSONNEL TO OVERSEE COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL LAW.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS PROMISING IN THIS NEW MEASURE?

AND WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER A CHALLENGE AS IT RELATES TO THE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE?

THANK YOU.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I AM VERY EXCITED THAT WE PASS THE MENTAL HEALTH, PARITY ACT AND AS YOUR NEXT INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER.

TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE STATE.

WE DESERVE TO HAVE PARITY IN MENTAL HEALTH.

THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM IN OUR STATE.

I WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A DEPUTY INSURANCE COMMISSIONER ACCOUNTABLE FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND THIS WILL BE OFF THIS INSURANCE.

DEPUTY INSURANCE COMMISSIONER WILL ALSO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR MENTAL HEALTH BECAUSE THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.

IT DESERVES ITS OWN ACCOUNTABILITY.

SO I PROMISE YOU THAT.

AS YOUR NEXT INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, I WILL ENSURE THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS A TOP PRIORITY IN OUR STATE.

WE DESERVE THE BEST AND I WILL DO JUST THAT.

NOW, THAT CONCLUDES THE FIRST ROUND.

THIS IS NORMALLY THE PART OF THE DEBATE WHERE CANDIDATES WOULD QUESTION EACH OTHER.

BUT SINCE RAFAEL BAKER CHOSE TO NOT PARTICIPATE JENNICE LAWS ROBINSON, YOU MAY STILL ASK YOUR QUESTION TO YOUR OPPONENT, WHO IS REPRESENTED HERE TODAY BY AN EMPTY PODIUM AND YOU MAY SHARE THE REBUTTAL.

YOU WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO ASK YOUR QUESTION AND ANOTHER 30 SECONDS FOR A REBUTTAL JENNY'S LAWS ROBINSON.

PLEASE ASK YOUR QUESTION.

SURE, IF MR. BAKER WERE HERE, I ASK HIM.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THIS OFFICE?

HOWEVER, THE EMPTY PODIUM SAYS IT ALL.

HE DOES NOT TAKE THIS POSITION SERIOUSLY, AND HE HAS NO PLANS FOR GEORGIANS.

HE'S NOT SHOWING UP FOR A DEBATE AND HE WILL NOT SHOW UP FOR YOU.

AND ANY REBUTTAL.

I'VE BEEN SHOWING UP FOR GEORGIA FAMILIES, SINCE 2018, AND I WILL CONTINUE AS YOUR NEXT INSURANCE, COMMISSIONER TO SHOW UP FOR YOU AND TO FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE REPRESENTATION TO FIGHT FOR AFFORDABLE.

AUTO INSURANCE RATES ACCESS TO QUALITY AFFORDABLE, HEALTH, CARE, AND, HOLD INSURANCE COMPANIES, ACCOUNTABLE, BECAUSE YOU DESERVE AN INSURANCE.

COMMISSIONER THAT WILL SHOW UP FOR YOU.

WE HAVE HAD OVER A DECADE ORPHAN.

TRANSFORMATION IS NOT SHOWING UP AND WE DO NOT NEED ANOTHER PERSON IN THIS OFFICE.

THAT'S NOT GOING TO SHOW UP.

I'M HERE FOR YOU AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO JUST THAT.

NOW THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND ROUND.

WE MOVE ON TO ROUND THREE AND GO BACK TO THE PANEL TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE CANDIDATE UNTIL WE RUN OUT OF TIME.

AND AS A POINT OF MODERATOR PRIVILEGE, I MIGHT ALSO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE CANDIDATE.

I WILL DETERMINE WHEN A REBUTTAL IS APPROPRIATE.

NICOLE CAR.

YOU GET THE FIRST QUESTION IN THIS ROUND.

SURE.

MRS. ROBINSON.

I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO INSURANCE RATES, WHICH YOU'VE JUST BROUGHT UP TAKING THIS FROM, BANKRATE.COM.

GEORGIANS ARE PAYING TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS, MORE A YEAR FOR COMPREHENSIVE CAR INSURANCE.

HOW EXACTLY WOULD YOU WORK TO LOWER THESE RATES?

GREAT QUESTION, AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS FIGHT FOR AFFORDABLE RATE SINCE 2018.

I GOT IN THIS RATE.

I GOT IN THIS RACE FOR JUST THIS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AFFORDABLE RATES.

WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST AUTO INSURANCE RATE INCREASES IN THE COUNTRY.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH GEORGIA FAMILIES, JUST LIKE YOU AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

OUR CURRENT INSURANCE.

COMMISSIONER HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THESE RATES AS YOUR NEXT INSURANCE.

COMMISSIONER.

I WILL FIGHT.

FIRST OF ALL, TO REPEAL AND REPLACE SENATE BILL 276, WHICH IS THE SOURCE OF THESE OUTRAGEOUS RATES THAT WE PAY IN GEORGIA, SENATE BILL 276, LITERALLY ALLOWS INSURANCE COMPANIES TO CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANT AND YOU HAVE AN INSURANCE COMMISSIONER.

THAT'S BEEN APPOINTED.

AND INSTEAD OF WORKING FOR YOU.

HE'S TRAVELING THE STATE CAMPAIGNING TO TRY TO EARN YOUR VOTES FOR A POSITION THAT HE HAS NEVER LEARNED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND DAVE WILLIAMS, IT'S YOUR TURN.

ONE OF THE ASPECTS OF THIS JOB.

THAT IS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT.

IT DOESN'T GET AS MUCH PUBLICITY.

BUT IT'S IN THE TITLE.

YOU HAVE IS THE SAFETY FIRE.

COMMISSIONER.

HOW WOULD YOU PROMOTE?

FIRE SAFETY?

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I AS PART OF MY TEAM.

I HAVE FIRE SAFETY EXPERTS ON MY TEAM.

AND I THINK THIS IS A CRITICAL ROLE.

GEORGIA HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST FIRE FATALITY.

RIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY.

WE'RE NUMBER 9 IN THE COUNTRY FOR WILDFIRES.

NO ONE EVER TALKS ABOUT THIS.

BUT I WILL MAKE SURE I WORK WITH THE GEORGIA FORESTRY COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE PROPER PERMITTING FOR FIRE SAFETY.

I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT BEGIN IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

I WILL WORK WITH OUR RURAL FIRE STATIONS THAT DO NOT GET THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE FIRE SAFETY ACROSS THE STATE.

THIS IS A BIG STATE OVER.

IN 59, COUNTIES AND RURAL, ESPECIALLY OUR RULE FIRE FIGHTERS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.

DO NOT GET THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE AND I WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.

NICOLE CAR.

MRS. ROBINSON.

THE OFFICE IS STILL HEALING.

SO TO SPEAK FROM A SCANDAL FROM A FRAUD SCANDAL, NOT INVOLVING THE CURRENT COMMISSIONER, RATHER HIS PREDECESSOR.

DO YOU THINK THERE IS STILL A PUBLIC RELATIONS ISSUE WITH THE OFFICE?

AND IF SO, HOW WOULD YOU MOVE TO ADDRESS THAT GREAT QUESTION?

YES, WE IN 2018.

I CAME WITHIN THREE PERCENTAGE POINTS OF WINNING THIS SEAT.

AND AS, YOU KNOW, THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER THAT ONE, THIS SEAT WENT TO JAIL.

SO THAT WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE 3%.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH GEORGIA FAMILIES FOR MORE THAN TWO.

DECADES AS A LICENSED INSURANCE PROFESSIONAL AND I'VE NEVER HAD ANY INFRACTIONS.

IN FACT, MY CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING ME IN THIS RACE SINCE 2018, THEY GIVE AND VOTE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED IN ME.

THEY TRUST ME AND THEY KNOW THAT I WILL BRING INTEGRITY BACK TO THIS OFFICE.

I WILL BRING INTEGRITY IN FORM AND FUNCTION.

I'LL MAKE SURE THIS OFFICE IS MANAGED TO EFFECT FOR EFFECTIVENESS.

AND I'LL ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE REPRESENTATION INFORMED, BECAUSE WOMEN ARE THE TOP INSURANCE CONSUMERS IN THE COUNTRY.

AND I WILL REPRESENT YOU ALSO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED DAVE.

ANOTHER QUESTION, THE STATE RECENTLY, IMPOSED A RECORD, FIVE MILLION DOLLAR FINE ON ANTHEM, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD FOR SEVERAL VIOLATIONS OF STATE LAW CONSIDERING THE ADAPT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

THAT WAS THE ALL-TIME HIGH.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE HAS THERE NOT BEEN ENOUGH OF THAT?

DO WE NEED TO DO MORE INVESTIGATING?

IS IT MORE OUT THERE TO FIND?

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK THAT IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT WE BEGIN TO HOLD INSURANCE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE.

AND THANKFULLY.

I'VE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT HOLDING INSURANCE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE, SINCE 2018.

SO, I'M GLAD SOMETHING AS FINALLY HAPPENED.

HOWEVER, FIVE MILLION DOLLARS TO BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD.

MAYBE NOT A BIG DEAL.

SO WE NEED TO MAKE MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HITTING THEM WORTH ACTUALLY HURTS AND THAT IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IT WILL CAUSE CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR AND THAT THEY WILL KNOW THAT AS INSURANCE, COMMISSIONER THAT I WILL NOT TOLERATE THEM, TREATING OUR FAMILIES UNFAIRLY, AND THAT THEY WILL BE FINED.

SO, THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING AND I'M GLAD IT STARTED, BUT I WILL CONTINUE.

TO INVESTIGATE, I WILL CONTINUE TO FIND INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT DISCRIMINATE AND THAT DO NOT HONOR YOUR CLAIMS AS LONG AS ROBBINS AND LET ME GO BACK FOR JUST A SECOND TO THE LEGISLATIVE ISSUE THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE THE SOMME CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT AND PUSHING THIS AGENCY FORWARD.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC PLAN?

A BILL IN MIND LANGUAGE IN MIND THAT MIGHT HELP GEORGIA PEOPLE WHO ARE BUYING INSURANCE NOW THAT ARE PAYING SUCH HIGH RATES.

WELL, NUMBER ONE.

THIS BILL LITERALLY SAYS, NO RATES WILL BE DEEMED EXCESSIVE AS LONG AS THERE ARE SUFFICIENT COMPETITION IN THE MARKET.

SO MY FIRST PRIORITY IS TO REPEAL AND REPLACE THAT LANGUAGE AND IT AS INSURANCE.

COMMISSIONER.

I HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT.

I HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO AMEND AND TO CHANGE BILLS, THIS INSURANCE COMMISSION'S THAT WE HAVE HAVE NOT DONE THAT.

SO YES.

I WILL TAKE THAT ON AND THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR QUESTIONS.

NOW, THE CANDIDATE WILL NOW HAVE 60 SECONDS FOR HER.

CLOSING STATEMENT JENNY'S LAWS ROBINSON.

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR CLOSING STATEMENT.

THE INSURANCE, COMMISSIONER IS A CRITICAL ROLE BECAUSE INSURANCE IMPACTS OUR EVERYDAY LIVES.

YOU DESERVE REPRESENTATION IN THIS VITAL GOVERNMENTAL OFFICE.

I WILL BRING MY TWO DECADES OF EXPERIENCE AND ETHICAL LEADERSHIP TO REPRESENT.

ALL GEORGIA, FAMILIES.

WE ARE IN THE RUNOFF AND WHEN YOU GO TO VOTE IN THIS RUNOFF ON JUNE 21ST, IT WILL SAY THAT THERE ARE TWO CANDIDATES IN THIS RACE.

AS YOU CAN SEE.

THERE'S AN EMPTY PODIUM.

I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE HERE REPRESENTING YOU.

I ASKED YOU TO TREAT YOUR BALLOT AS SUCH I AM.

THE ONLY CANDIDATE HERE.

I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE.

AND SO I ASK YOU TO VOTE JANIECE LAWS ROBINSON TO BE YOUR NEXT INSURANCE COMMISSIONER IN 2018.

YOU TRUSTED ME OVER ONE POINT.

EIGHT MILLION GEORGIANS VOTED FOR ME.

I'M HERE AGAIN BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN AND YOU BELIEVED IN ME, A VOTE FOR ME, IS A VOTE FOR YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

EARLY VOTING STARTS ON JUNE 13 AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR PROGRAM AND WE'D LIKE TO REMIND VOTERS AND ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, JUNE 21ST.

OUR THANKS TO THE CANDIDATES AND TO OUR PANEL OF JOURNALISTS.

DAVE WILLIAMS.

NICOLE CAR AND JENICE LAWS ROBINSON.

WE'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB.

FOR ARRANGING TODAY'S PROGRAM, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE DEBATES.

THEY WILL HOST THIS.

ACTION SEASON, VISIT ATLANTAPRESSCLUB.ORG.

I'M DALE RUSSELL.

THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB.

LOUDERMILK-YOUNG DEBATE SERIES.