♪♪ >>> GEORGIA PATHWAYS AND GEORGIA ACCESS TOGETHER COVER 200,000 MORE OF OUR CITIZENS THAN TRADITIONAL MEDICAID EXPANSION, WITH A LOWER COST TO THE STATE AND BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR THE ENROLLEES.

>> ON DAY THREE OF THE SESSION, GOVERNOR KEMP COMES OUT FOR THE THIRD TIME IN A WEEK PROMOTING HIS VISION OF WHAT HE THINKS SHOULD BE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

TODAY'S PRESS CONFERENCE DEALT WITH HEALTH.

GOOD EVENING, WELCOME TO "LAWMAKERS. "

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

AND WE HAVE AN IMPACTFUL SHOW LINED UP FOR YOU.

WELL, TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE HEALTH PRIORITIES, AND THE SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CHAIR JOINS US TO DISCUSS UPCOMING INITIATIVES.

WE'LL ALSO HEAR FROM A DEDICATED LAWMAKER WHO WILL SHARE HER PERSONAL HEALTH STORY HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY DETECTION.

AND WE'LL ADDRESS THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE HELENE, WHICH DEVASTATED COMMUNITIES IN GEORGIA AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT HARDSHIPS FOR FARMERS.

TWO LAWMAKERS WILL JOIN US.

FOR NOW, LET'S FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED UNDER THE GOLD DOME.

TODAY, FROM CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT, SARAH.

>> Reporter: DONNA, BOTH CHAMBERS ARE SETTLING INTO THE SESSION ON DAY THREE.

THE SENATE REMEMBERED ONE OF THEIR OWN TODAY, AS THEY CELEBRATED THE LIFE OF FORMER SENATOR AND GEORGIA LABOR COMMISSIONER BRUCE THOMPSON, WHO PASSED AWAY IN NOVEMBER AFTER BATTLING PANCREATIC CANCER.

>> HE WAS SOMEBODY THAT I LIKE TO CALL HIM, HE WAS ONE OF THOSE FOXHOLE GUYS THAT IF HE WAS WITH YOU ON AN ISSUE, YOU DIDN'T EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CHECKING WITH HIM TWICE BECAUSE HE WAS.

THERE BRUCE WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS FAMILY, HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS FAITH, BUT HE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE.

HE LOVED SERVE THING THIS CHAMBER AND LOVED SERVING THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA.

>> Reporter: WITH BRUCE'S FAMILY AND MANY CO-WORKERS FROM THE LABOR DEPARTMENT PRESENT, THEY UNVEILED A PORTRAIT IN TRIBUTE.

>> THIS IS GOING TO BE WITH US FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND WE'RE GOING TO GIFT THIS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.

>> Reporter: ON A HAPPIER NOTE, A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY AND SHOUTOUT TO THE ATLANTA FOOTBALL HOST COMMITTEE FOR THEIR WORK IN BRINGING THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP GAME BACK TO ATLANTA.

IT'S THE FIRST CITY TO REPEAT THE FEAT.

>> I'VE TRIED TO TUNE OUT THE FACT THAT THE NATIONAL TITLE GAME IS IN ATLANTA.

I'M PROUD FOR IT BEING IN ATLANTA, OBVIOUSLY, I WAS PLANNING ON GOING IF MY BELOVED DOGS WERE GOING TO BE THERE.

BUT IT DID NOT HAPPEN.

IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HOSTING THE VERY FIRST EXPANDED PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HERE IN MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM.

>> Reporter: ATLANTA HOSTED ITS FIRST PLAYOFF GAME IN 2018.

BIG GAMES LIKE THIS ARE A GREAT ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE REGION.

MONDAY'S GAME WILL FEATURE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AND NOTRE DAME.

>> THE STATE IS USED TO WINNING.

THE STATE IS USED TO BEING NUMBER ONE AND USED TO BEING IN FIRST PLACE AND BEING THE FIRST TO DO A LOT OF THINGS.

AND THIS STATE IS THE FIRST STATE TO HOST THIS GREAT EVENT A SECOND TIME.

THIS IS EASILY THE SECOND MOST POPULAR SPORTING EVENT IN THE UNITED STATES, NEXT TO THE SUPER BOWL, WHICH WE HAVE COMING IN 2028, FOLLOWED BY A MEN'S FINAL FOUR IN 2031.

FOR ATLANTA TO BE CALLED A HOME FOR A SECOND TIME IS A TREMENDOUS HONOR.

>> Reporter: THE HOUSE RECOGNIZED UTILITY WORKERS FOR THEIR ESSENTIAL ROLE IN HURRICANE HELENE RECOVERY LAST FALL AND LAST WEEK'S WINTER STORM.

>> THESE PEOPLE WERE DOING HARD WORK OUTSIDE, IN THE ELEMENTS, ON THESE VERY DANGEROUS JOBS.

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME, THERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE WITH THOSE COMPANIES WORKING OTHER PLACES VERY HARD, TOO, BUT IN PARTICULAR, I THINK ABOUT THOSE LINEMEN AND PEOPLE OUT THERE WORKING ON THE POLES A AND IN THE BUCKET TRUCKS, AND MR. SPEAKER, I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE --I HOPE I'VE ADEQUATELY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR THANKS TO THEM AND APPRECIATION FOR ALL THAT THEY DO FOR ALL OF US IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

>> Reporter: MEMBERS ALSO COMMEMORATED DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 96th BIRTHDAY.

>> WE RISE TO HONOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 96th BIRTHDAY.

WE KNOW HIS STORY, BUT WHAT IS EVEN MORE PERTINENT IS TO KNOW HIS MESSAGE.

HIS DREAM EXTENDED BEYOND RACIAL HARMONY BUT ALSO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND EMPOWERMENT, SOCIAL ABILITY AND WHAT HE CALLED THAT MORE BELOVED COMMUNITY, WHERE NONVIOLENCE WAS NOT ONLY PRACTICED BUT THE MANTRA OF THE LAND.

>> Reporter: LATER IN THE DAY, THE GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED HIS HEALTH PRIORITIES FOR THE SESSION.

>> THIS SESSION, I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE THAT IMPORTANT PROGRESS, AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT COMMITMENT WILL START WITH MY BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2026.

THAT INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION TO EXPAND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

MY BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES AN ADDITIONAL $778,000 TO EXPAND CARDIOVASCULAR SERVICES AND HIGH-RISK CARE AT DESIGNATED CENTERS.

>> Reporter: DEMOCRATS PRESENTED THEIR IDEAS REGARDING HEALTH CARE IN A SEPARATE EVENT THIS MORNING.

>> THE CONVERSATION IS MUCH BIGGER THAN MEDICAID EXPANSION.

WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, AND WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY URGED FOR THAT, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE SUPPORT POLICIES THAT ALLOW DOCTORS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PATIENTS WITHOUT FEAR OR RETRIBUTION.

>> Reporter: TOMORROW, THE HOUSE AND SENATE WILL UNITE IN A HOUSE CHAMBER WHERE THEY'LL HEAR THE GOVERNOR'S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

BACK TO YOU, DONNA.

>> Reporter: THANKS, SARA.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH HEALTH CARE, THE TOPIC OF THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS CONFERENCE.

JOINING ME IS THE REPUBLICAN CHAIR OF THE SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE, SENATOR BEN WATSON, WHO IS A PHYSICIAN FROM SA SAVANNAH.

AND PATTY STENSON OF BUTLER WHO WILL CONTINUE TO SEVEN ON THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.

WELCOME TO "LAWMAKERS. "

APPRECIATE HAVING YOU HERE.

WE PLANNED ON HAVING YOU HERE, SO IT WORKS OUT PERFECTLY.

SO I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF YOU SOME OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNOR DISCUSSED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE.

CHAIRMAN WATSON, THE GOVERNOR HAD GOOD NEWS WHEN IT CAME TO THE GEORGIA PATHWAYS AND GEORGIA ACCESS PLANS.

AND ANOTHER 200,000 NEW ENROLLEES?

>> WOW, THAT'S BIG.

FROM 100% UP TO 138% IS WHAT ACCESS IS.

BUT FOR THE TOTAL ON THE STATE BASE EXCHANGE IS 1.

5 MILLION NOW, VERSUS 1.

3 LAST YEAR.

THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE FOR THOSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY MEDICAID EXPANSION, OURS IS REALLY FABULOUS.

WE'RE OF 800,000 OF THAT 1.

5 MILLION.

>> IT'S STARTING TO CATCH ON.

DO YOU THINK THE WORD IS GETTING OUT IS PART OF IT?

>> YES, I THINK THE JOHN KING INSURANCE HAS DONE A GOOD JOB WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING, AND YES, PEOPLE ARE HEARING ABOUT IT.

LISTEN, PEOPLE ARE GETTING PRIVATE INSURANCE FOR FREE, AND THAT 100% UP TO 138%.

EVEN IF THEY REVERSE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $10 A MONTH.

I THINK THE PRICE IS RIGHT, NUMBER ONE.

AND I THINK IT'S PRIVATE INSURANCE VERSUS MEDICAID.

I THINK THAT'S THE BIG SELL.

>> AND THEN HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT EXPANDING IT A LITTLE BIT FOR A NEW QUALIFYING OPTION FOR PARENTS AND LEGAL GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN UNDER 6 YEARS OLD.

EXPLAIN WHAT THAT'S ALL ABOUT.

>> WELL, IT'S ABOUT FOSTER CHILDREN.

IT'S ABOUT TAKING CARE OF THEM, PUTTING THEM IN THAT PROGRAM, SO THEY WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLED.

SO THEY SHOULD.

HAVE BE --BEING FOSTER KIDS AND GUARDIANS, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR HEALTH CARE IN THIS SITUATION.

THEY HAVE ENOUGH TO WORRY ABOUT ALREADY.

IF THEY'RE FOSTER KIDS, THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, WARDS OF THE STATE AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM.

SO THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I DON'T THINK YOU'LL GET ANY PUSHBACK.

>> I WANT TO TURN TO YOU, REPRESENTATIVE STENSON.

YOU ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL STORY.

>> YES.

>> YOU'VE HAD A HEALTH JOURNEY RECENTLY.

>> YES.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I JUST WANTED TO SHARE MY STORY.

BACK IN MAY, I UNFORTUNATELY MISSED MY MAMMOGRAM APPOINTMENT, AND AUGUST, I STARTED EXPERIENCING PAIN IN MY RIGHT BREAST.

ENOUGH THAT IT CAUSED ME TO TAKE TYLENOL, AND IT CONTINUED UNTIL I REACHED OUT TO MY PHYSICIAN AT EMERY HEALTH CARE.

SHE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD SCHEDULE A MAMMOGRAM.

UNFORTUNATELY, IMAGERY WAS BOOKED UP UNTIL NOVEMBER.

SO I TOOK IT UPON MYSELF TO TAKE CONTROL OF MY HEALTH AND REACHED OUT TO A FACILITY DOWN NEAR MY DISTRICT, AND SCHEDULED A MAMMOGRAM.

AND IT WAS SCHEDULED ON MY BIRTHDAY, WHICH WAS ALSO MY FIRST ANNIVERSARY, WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, SEPTEMBER 20th.

AND ON THAT DAY, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY DID FIND A LUMP.

OCTOBER 13th, I HAD A BIOPSY AT EMERY.

OCTOBER 14th, I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS CANCER.

OCTOBER 23rd, I MET WITH A TEAM OF ONCOLOGISTS, AND NOVEMBER 25th, I HAD SURGERY.

IT WAS STAGE ONE, AND NO SPREADING.

EARLY DETECTION IS WHAT I REALLY WANT EVERYONE WATCHING TO BE MINDFUL OF.

>> I'M GLAD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THE CURIOUS THING IS YOU FELT PAIN.

A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T FEEL ANYTHING.

>> THEY DON'T FEEL ANYTHING, BUT I DID.

I FELT PAIN.

AS I STATED, ENOUGH TO TAKE TYLENOL, AND SURE ENOUGH, THAT'S WHAT IT ENDED UP BEING, A LUCH THAT WAS CANCEROUS.

AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT TIMELINE SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HAD I WAITED UNTIL NOVEMBER JUST TO HAVE THE MAMMOGRAM, YOU KNOW, THIS COULD BE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

BUT ON NOVEMBER 25th WAS THE SURGERY AND THEY DETERMINED THAT IT WAS STAGE ONE, NO SPREADING, AND, AGAIN, EARLY DETECTION.

I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE THAT'S WATCHING TO PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY.

IT WILL GIVE YOU SIGNALS THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.

SO SLOW DOWN.

I'M CERTAINLY ONE TO TALK, BUT SLOW DOWN AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY AND REACT IMMEDIATELY.

>> YEAH.

>> EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES.

>> THE OTHER THING YOU SAID THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS YOU TOOK CONTROL.

>> YES.

>> AND YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE I GET THIS MAMMOGRAM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BECAUSE I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T RIGHT.

SO I DIDN'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL NOVEMBER JUST TO HAVE A MAMMOGRAM, AND JUST TO NOTE THAT THE TEAM AT EMERY HAS BEEN AWESOME.

THEY'VE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF ME AND MY FAMILY.

I WANT TO SEE ALL OF GEORGIA HAVE THAT TYPE OF CARE.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

AS A PHYSICIAN, YOU WOULD SAY, TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN HEALTH CARE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YOU WANT TO DO YOUR MAMMOGRAMS, ALL THE PREVENTATIVE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES.

AND I'M GLAD YOU FOLLOWED UP ON THAT MAMMOGRAM AND GOT IT DOWN.

STAIN STAGE ONE, THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

>> LET'S GET BACK TO THE GOVERNOR.

WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT A LOT MORE WITH HEALTH CARE.

THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING $3 MILLION TO EXPAND A PILOT PROGRAM THAT DEALT WITH PRENATAL CARE WHERE NURSES ACTUALLY WENT INTO HOMES.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

IT WAS A PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH, DR. KATHLEEN TOOMEY.

HE WAS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE ALSO.

HE TOLD THE ANECDOTE OF A STORY OF SOMEONE COMING INTO A HOME CHECKING ON A MOTHER WHO HAD MINOR COMPLICATIONS AND NOTICED THE CHILD DID NOT LOOK RIGHT TO THE POINT THAT THEY RUSHED THE CHILD TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THEY MADE A DIAGNOSIS OF A RARE GENETIC DISORDER LATER DOWN THE LINE AND SAVED THE CHILD'S LIFE.

THAT'S AN ANECDOTE, BUT IT SHOWS WHEN YOU COME INTO THE HOME AND FOLLOW UP AND YOU SEE, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE PATIENTS IN FOLLOWUP, YOU CAN PICK UP ON THINGS THAT ARE EXTRAORDINARY.

AND THIS WAS ONE OF THOSE CASES.

I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT NUMBER, MAYBE 70 COUNTIES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THROUGHOUT THE STATE RATHER THAN JUST A PIE NOT PROGRAM.

>> SO IT WAS DEFINITELY SUCCESSFUL.

THE THING WE WOULD THINK ABOUT IS, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND TO HAVE THE NURSE COME INTO THE HOME, THOUGH 'TIS THAT THE MOM IS STRUGGLING AND THAT THE CHILD HAS AN ISSUE.

>> RIGHT.

THAT'S EVER SO IMPORTANT.

>> SO $3 MILLION HE WANTS TO ADD TO THAT.

SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER TOPIC, AND MAYBE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

SPEAKER JOHN BURNS SAYS HE'S CONTINUE AN EFFORT TO PASS A RESOLUTION AFFIRMING PROTECTIONS FOR IN VITRO FERTILIZATION.

>> YEAH, I DON'T THINK HE'LL GET ANY PUSHBACK.

ABOUT 2300 IN VITRO FERTILIZATION BIRTHS IN 2021, THAT'S SIGNIFICANT.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

THAT'S A WONDERFUL GIFT THAT YOU'RE GIVING TO A FAMILY.

I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CODEIFIED, BUT IN THIS DAY AND TIME, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO DO.

SPEAKER BURNS IS RIGHT ON TARGET AND WE'LL GET THAT DONE THIS SESSION.

>> ANY THOUGHTS?

>> I JUST LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE BILL AND WORKING WITH THE SPEAKER AND OTHER MEMBERS TO GET IT DONE THIS SESSION.

>> OKAY.

WHILE WE HAVE YOU HERE, YOUR COMMITTEE, WHAT OTHER THINGS DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE DISCUSSING THIS SESSION?

>> HEALTH IS AN ISSUE.

WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO FIX THINGS.

I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON PBMs.

THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS THAT SERVES A PURPOSE, BUT I THINK THEY PROBABLY NEED TO BE REINED IN A LITTLE BIT.

AND TRYING TO MAKE LESS REGULATIONS AND MAKING INSURANCE MORE FRIENDLY WHEN IT COMES TO TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS AND ALLOWING PHYSICIANS TO DO THEIR JOB.

I THINK PRIOR AUTHORIZATION NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THAT.

>> OKAY, THEN.

WE'LL KEEP UP TO DATE ON THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR STORY.

WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.

I KNOW YOU HAVE HELPED OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE.

>> YES.

>> WHO HEARD YOU AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE LISTENING TO THEIR BODIES.

>>> NOW COMING UP, HURRICANE HELENE'S IMPACT ON THE STATE.

WE'LL TALK TO TWO LAWMAKERS WHO LIVED THROUGH THE STORM ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES AND THE AFTERMATH.

AND WHAT LEGISLATION WE MIGHT SEE THIS SESSION.

THIS IS "LAWMAKERS" ON GPB.

>>> WELCOME BACK TO "LAWMAKERS. "

I'M DONNA LOWRY.

HURRICANE HELENE REEKED DESTRUCTION, CAUSING $5.

5 BILLION IN AGRICULTURE AND TIMBER LOSSES.

FROM PECANS, THE WINDS SWEPT THROUGH APPROXIMATELY A THIRD OF THE STATE'S PECAN PRODUCTION, WITH 75% CROP LOSS OR MORE THAN 36 MILLION POUNDS OF PECANS.

THE HURRICANE HIT JUST AT HARVEST TIME FOR COTTON.

IT DESTROYED MORE THAN 500,000 BAILS OF COTTON WITH AN IMPACT OF $207 MILLION AND RAVAGED 8.

8 MILLION TIMBER ACRES WITH A $2.

7 BILLION LOSS.

JOINING US TO DISCUSS THE DEVASTATION ARE TWO LEGISLATORS THAT LIVE IN PART OF HELEN 'PATH.

FIRST IS REPUBLICAN SENATOR LEE ANDERSON, CHAIR OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT AND VICE CHAIR OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS.

AND ALSO HERE IS DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE BRIAN PRINCE OF AUGUSTA.

IT WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY HE WILL CONTINUE AS CHAIR OF THE HOUSE URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND WILL CONTINUE ON THE HOUSE DEFENSE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

HE IS A RETIRED ARMY OFFICER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR THIS WAS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE.

SO CHAIRMAN ANDERSON, YOU ARE A BUSINESS OWNER.

YOU ARE ALSO A FARMER.

YOU FARM ON THE SAME LAND, YOUR FAMILY HAS FARMED ON SINCE THE EARLY 1900s.

>> YES.

>> SO TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH HURRICANE HELENE.

>> FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.

THAT DAY WAS A -- PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA SAW SOMETHING THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, THAT TYPE OF DISASTER.

WE GOT UP THAT MORNING.

FINALLY GOT DAYLIGHT TO WHERE WE COULD GO OUT AND SEE, AND REALLY MADE ME PROUD OF THE GEORGIAN PEOPLE IS COMMUNITIES AND PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.

AND NEIGHBORS HELPING EACH OTHER.

IT TOOK US ON MY OWN ROAD THAT I LIVE ON, IT TOOK US ABOUT --TILL 1:00 OR 2:00 THAT AFTERNOON JUST TO GET THE ROAD CLEARED THAT WE COULD TRAVEL ON THE ROAD THAT WE LIVE ON.

AND THEN I HAD TO GO TAKE CARE --TRY TO SEE IF ALL THE BEEF CATTLE WAS OKAY ON THE FARM.

SO I MEAN, IT WAS -- WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS DISASTER EVER SINCE DAY ONE.

>> WOW.

HAS YOUR FAMILY EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE?

>> I DON'T THINK NOBODY IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA HAS EVER SEEN NOTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

>> OKAY.

REPRESENTATIVE PRINCE, TELL US ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU.

>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, I AGREE, DONNA, WITH THE SENATOR.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN HERE.

AS HE MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M RETIRED MILITARY, AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD TO GO OFF TO WAR AND COME BACK ANDAND I SAW IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA THAT DAY IS SOMETHING THAT REMINDS YOU OF A WAR ZONE, WITHOUT THE WEAPONS AND ALL THE BANGING GOING ON, BUT YOU HEARD TREES, CARS, JUST THE DEVASTATION THAT HELENE DID IS SOMETHING THAT IS HARD TO DESCRIBE.

AND EVEN TO THIS DAY, WE'RE STILL RECOVERING, AND WE WILL BE FOR A WHILE.

IT'S BEEN AN EFFORT IN WHICH, AS THE SENATOR MENTIONED, THE COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER, FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE GOVERNOR HERE HAS DONE JUST AN OUTSTANDING JOB MAKING SURE WE GET WHATEVER EQUIPMENT OR ANYTHING THAT WE NEEDED.

BUT ALSO AS HE MENTIONED, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER IN TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU DON'T KNOW -- AND YOU NEED SUPPORT.

YOU KNOW, SO IT'S HARD TO LOOK AND SAY HEY, I NEED HELP AT MY HOUSE, BUT I NEED TO GO HELP MY NEIGHBOR FIRST, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A WORSE SITUATION.

>> SO ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IS THAT REMEMBER WHEN THE FORECAST WAS STARTING, IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS COMING YOUR WAY.

I THINK -- WASN'T IT THE SHOCK OF ALL OF IT THAT WAS PART OF ALL OF THIS?

>> THAT'S THE THING, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST SOMETHING YOU CAN'T PREPARE FOR.

YES, WE HAD NO IDEA.

I WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT, THERE WAS NO WORRIES ABOUT ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

MAYBE A LITTLE RAIN.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE NIGHT, YOU HEAR THE WIND BLOWING AND, AGAIN, YOU STILL DIDN'T --WHEN YOU START HEARING TREES HIT HOUSES AND THINGS FALLING DOWN, YOU WAKE UP ABOUT 5:00 OR 6:00 IN THE MORNING AND AS THE SENATOR SAID, WHEN YOU GET DAYLIGHT IS WHEN YOU CAN REALLY SAY WHAT THE -- MAN, WHAT HAPPENED?

>> RIGHT, >> IS THIS REAL?

>> SO THAT WAS THAT SHIFT OF THE STORM.

SO DID YOU DO ANY PREPARATIONS AHEAD OF TIME WHEN IT CAME TO YOUR CATTLE OR ANYTHING?

>> WELL, YOU DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THIS STORM WAS BEFORE THE STORM EVEN GOT HERE, WE HAD OVER 12 TO 18 INCHES OF RAIN, AND THAT MADE THE SOIL REAL MOIST AND MADE IT TO WHERE THE TREES WOULD BLOW OVER MUCH EASIER THAN NORMAL.

BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, THOUGH, OUR GOVERNOR HAS DONE AN AWESOME JOB TRYING TO HELP THE FARMERS AND WE ALREADY HAVE --HE COMMITTED $100 MILLION, AND $75 MILLION TO CROPPERS TO FARMERS, FOR LOW-INTEREST LOANS.

AND THEN ALSO $25 MILLION TO TIMBER FORESTRY, AND $3 MILLION OF THAT $25 MILLION WILL GO TO GEORGIA FORESTRY FOR FIREBREAKS.

AND WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SEEING SOME SUPPORT AND HELP THERE AND OUR GOVERNOR IS DOING AN AWESOME JOB.

>> THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN HOUSING RECOVERY AND THEN CRISIS RECOVERY.

AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, TOO.

BECAUSE PEOPLE --I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE WERE SHELL SHOCKED.

YOU TALK ABOUT WAR, BUT I'M SURE THERE'S SOME PTSD.

>> NO DOUBT, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME PTSD GOING ON.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS, WHEN YOUR POWER GOES OUT, AND SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THIS AS CIVILIANS, NOT HAVING THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT BEING ABLE TO JUST TURN ON YOUR TV, CUT ON THE LIGHTS AND RUN YOUR WATER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHEN THOSE THINGS GO OUT AND PEOPLE BEGIN TO PANIC.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU, KUDOS GOES TO THE GEORGIA POWER TEAM.

THE THINGS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH, TO BRING TOGETHER THE TEAM THAT THEY BROUGHT, AND NOT JUST FROM GEORGIA, THEY HAD ALABAMA POWER, MISSISSIPPI POWER, PEOPLE FROM CALIFORNIA, COMING INTO AUGUSTA TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

AGAIN, HAT GOES OFF NOT JUST TO GEORGIA POWER, BUT AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY, THE COLLEGE THERE.

THEY CAME TOGETHER HELPING THE STUDENTS AND THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SYSTEM WE HAD TO MOVE STUDENTS FROM DALTON STATE TO HOUSE THEM FOR A WHILE.

SO ONE THING ABOUT THE HURRICANE, I'LL TELL YOU, IT SHOWED ME THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WHEN WE HAVE TO.

AND SOMETIME IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO COME TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT WHEN WE CAME TOGETHER, WE DID SOME GOOD THINGS.

>> PEOPLE ARE PRETTY RESILIENT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE.

SO DURING THIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WHAT ELSE IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN?

>> WELL, I THINK ONE THING THAT WE'VE LEARNED, I DID A REAL SHORT STUDY COMMITTEE OFF-SEASON ON HOW WE CAN IMPROVE ON DISASTERS.

AND THE DAY -- TWO DAYS BEFORE THE DISASTER WAS GOING TO BE MY FIRST MEETING.

BUT NATURALLY, I CANCELED BECAUSE BECAUSE GIMA AND EVERYBODY WAS GETTING PREPARED FOR THE STORM.

BUT WE DID MEET ONE MEETING, AND THE LARGEST THING THAT WE SEE WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON IS COMMUNICATION.

SOME WAY TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE, BECAUSE WE LOST --WE BASICALLY LOST ALL COMMUNICATION THERE FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE WE COULD REALLY GET BACK TO KNOWING WHERE EVERYBODY WAS GOING AND WHICH DIRECTION TO HELP.

>> FAMILIES LOST CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER.

>> YES.

>> THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER A FAMILY MEMBER WAS OKAY.

>> THIS HAPPENED IN 96 COUNTIES OF 159 COUNTIES.

SO IT DOES FROM --ALL THE WAY FROM THE TOP OF GEORGIA ALL THE WAY TO THE GEORGIA LINE.

LIKE I SAY, WE'VE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE.

BUT WE ARE LEARNING A LOT IN WAYS TO IMPROVE, AND THANKFUL THAT GIMA HAS DONE AN AWESOME JOB.

DNR PITCHED IN AND HELPED CLEAN UP AREAS, THE STATE PARKS.

YOU KNOW, D.O.T., THEY'VE DONE AN AWESOME JOB.

AND THEN --BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU DON'T WANT TO BRING THIS UP, BUT IT IS -- IT'S LIFE, BUT WE LOST 34 GEORGIANS THROUGH THIS STORM.

FOUR OF THEM CHILDREN.

AND WE NEED TO SOMEHOW MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN IMPROVE ON THE NEXT STORM TO TRY TO BE IN BETTER SHAPE, BETTER PREPARED FOR IT.

>> IT'S HARD TO THINK WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER ONE, BECAUSE THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING.

WE HAD THEM BACK-TO-BACK WHEN HELENE WAS THE SECOND.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION?

>> SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO START LOOKING AT NOW, WE'RE SEEING IT PARTICULARLY IN AUGUSTA, THE INSURANCE.

HOME INSURANCE FOR HOMEOWNERS, WE'RE FINDING OUT THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERINSURED, SOME WITH NO INSURANCE AT ALL.

AS YOU GO THROUGH OUR TOWN NOW, YOU WILL STILL SEE, YOU KNOW, HOUSES WITH TREES ON THEM AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND YOU WONDER WHY.

BECAUSE THE CLEANUP IS GOING ON, AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF DOING THAT, WHICH TAKES TIME.

BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD THINK --AND WHAT WE ARE FINDING OUT IS SOME OF THESE HOMES ARE EITHER UNDERINSURED OR NOT INSURED AT ALL.

SO WE NEED TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF GUARD RAIL SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE COVERED.

>> PEOPLE THAT'S UNINSURED, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO GEMA AND QUALIFY FOR I THINK IT'S $43,600.

AND GEMA HAS PURCHASED 50 MOBILE HOMES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN WHILE THEIR HOME IS BEING PREPARED.

>> OKAY.

I HATE TO CUT YOU OFF.

WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING.

THAT DOES IT FOR "LAWMAKERS" TODAY.

WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW WITH A SPECIAL ONE HOUR SHOW.

WE'LL HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR AND HAVE THE DEMOCRATIC RESPONSE.

PLUS, WE'LL HAVE GUESTS THAT WILL PROVIDE ANALYSIS OF THE SPEECHES.

HAVE A GOOD EVENING.