Governor Signs Bill to Help Fund Trauma Care, Discourage Dangerous Driving
Tuesday, May 5, 2009 |
Contact: Office of Communications 404-651-7774
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“This is a simple, straightforward attempt to slow high-speed drivers and reduce high-speed crashes and trauma injuries,” Governor Perdue said. “I believe we can not only help fund trauma care through increased fines, but we can also reduce the heavy burden on our state’s emergency rooms.”
André Benjamin of the Atlanta-based musical group OutKast joined Governor Perdue at today’s bill signing ceremony at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Scottish Rite campus. The musician, clothing designer, television/film producer and actor was recently ticketed for excessive speeding, and joined the Governor today for a tour of the trauma center at Children’s at Scottish Rite and to support efforts to reduce dangerous driving behaviors. Benjamin has a heightened awareness of the perils of excessive speeding and is very pleased to see corrective measures in place. Children’s managed more than 170,000 emergency department visits in 2008, making it a critical link in
Each year, traffic crashes on
“This bill sends a strong message that
The legislation adds an additional $200 fine for driving over 85 mph anywhere in the state and for driving 75 mph or more on a two lane road. Super Speeders will also increase driver’s license reinstatement fees for drivers committing a second and third offense for violations that result in a suspended license and for other negligent behaviors.
Senator Bill Heath, the Governor’s Senior Administration Floor Leader, carried HB 160 in the Senate.
“This legislation will slow down reckless drivers and prevent life-threatening crashes, while providing additional funding for trauma care,” said Sen. Heath. “Simply put, this bill saves lives.”
“For too long, too many
Governor Perdue today also signed Senate Bill 201, which gives more flexibility in the use of funds raised by a check-off option on yearly income tax forms. The bill expands the types of cancer research to which tax-deductible funds can be donated, deleting specific references to prostate, breast and ovarian cancer. This will allow research on all types of cancers to be funded through the donations made by Georgians on their annual tax forms. With the signing of this bill into law, Children’s will be able to compete for grants to conduct pediatric brain cancer research.
Representatives of the Georgia Cancer Coalition joined the Governor today for the bill signing. A total of $2.5 million has been donated since the check-off program began. The funds are matched by the receiving institution and often used for pilot studies, which are used to attract larger NIH grants. Thus far, this investment has resulted in $14 million in cancer research grants in
Children’s Healthcare of
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a not-for-profit organization, is committed to enhancing the lives of children through excellence in patient care, research and education. Managing more than half a million patient visits annually at three hospitals and 16 neighborhood locations, Children’s is one of the largest clinical care providers for children in the country. Children’s offers access to more than 30 pediatric specialties and is ranked among the top children’s hospitals by Parents magazine and U.S.News & World Report. With generous philanthropic and volunteer support, Children’s has made an impact in the lives of children in
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