Red Coats flooded the Governor’s mansion where we met with Sandra Deal, First Lady of Georgia. There could not have been more Southern hospitality than displayed by the First Lady with a private tour and history of the Governor’s Mansion. Flash bulbs of cameras went flashing as she graciously posed with everyone followed by refreshments in the press room.

From the Governor’s Mansion the bus tour whisked us away to the State Capitol for a photo op on the rotunda stairs and a meeting with Senators Judson Hill and Renee Unterman. Then away the crowd went to the Agricultural Building where a wonderful lunch was prepared by Mary Mac’s Tea Room and where we listened to several State Representatives.

The ladies then worked their way to the Judicial Building where we sat in the Supreme Court Chambers and listened to three of the judges as well as our State Attorney General, Sam Olens.

The day was topped off with a ride back on the bus to the Swan Coach House for High Tea. The company and food was amazing and the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Thursday, February 14 we will be having Training Classes from 2:00-5:00. They are all very good classes. There will be training classes for Presidents including a Calendar Update and Bylaws. We have several new club Presidents coming into office, so this Program will be helpful. It is good for Presidents heading into their second year too. There will be training for Achievement Awards to advise you of deadlines and ideas for fulfilling your points for your club. There will be sharing of ideas in this meeting. The third class is about Membership Outreach and will be conducted by Lisa Roper, 4th NFRW Vice President, and Kim Chambers, NFRW Membership Outreach Chairman.

Friday is Red Coat Day and we will head to the Gold Dome. Continental Breakfast will be provided at the hotel. We will then go the Governor’s Mansion for a tour and then head straight to the Capitol . Lunch will be in the Agriculture Building that will be catered by Mary Mac’s. After lunch we will go the Georgia Supreme and the visit with the Women Coalition. Then we head to the House and Senate. We will be visited by and have time for you to speak with your State Representatives and Senators. Please feel free to invite your local Representative and Senator to the Breakfast and/or Lunch However we will need to know if they are attending by February 11 if they are eating Lunch with us. We will have a special tea Friday afternoon, following Red Coat Day at the Swan House. Also, Friday night at the hotel will be a reception for Reagan Club members.Saturday is the Board Meeting and it is a very important meeting. This is the meeting at which members of the Nominating Committee are chosen to select a slate of officers for election at the 2013 GFRW Convention in the fall. Also, two Republican Women’s Clubs are receiving their charters, Central Savannah River Area and Foothills Republican Women.

Another exciting part of our training, Red Coat Day and Board Meeting – we are being filmed by NFRW for their Public Relations, Training and Distributions. Isaac Rodriguez will be doing the filming for NFRW. This is a golden opportunity for GFRW to shine and to show that Georgia is the strong red state it is. Looking forward to seeing you and . . . don’t forget to wear your Red Coat!

Rose Wing, GFRW President

You are invited to a Dessert Reception given by the

Georgia Federation of Republican Women

In Suite 204

Columbus Convention and Trade Center

The Iron Works, 801 Front Street, Columbus, GA 31901

From 9 PM to Midnight

Cash Bar Available

Please stop by and enjoy the Republican Fellowship.

The club will be officially chartered at the June GFRW Board Meeting at Calloway Gardens. They can be found on Facebook for information on their upcoming events.

GFRW Empowers Republican Women by informing them of the Principles of the Republican Party which are:

As Republicans, we believe in upholding the U.S. Constitution, fiscal responsibility, and accountability in all levels of government, as well as strong family values. We further believe . . .

•  The source of our Nation’s strength is in the right of the    individual to achieve their best.
•  Government exists to protect the freedom of opportunity for its citizens where individuals’ creative abilities can flourish.
•  Government activities should be limited to those critical functions that people cannot perform for themselves, such as our infrastructure, security, and national defense.
•  The most effective government is government closest to the people.
•  Equal rights, justice, and opportunity belong to all American citizens, regardless of race, creed, age, sex or national origin.
•  We are a Nation based on the rule of law, and it is the responsibility of everyone to respect these laws.
•  Government is accountable for maintaining sound financial policies and a responsible economy.
•  Only a strong America can remain a free America. It is essential to be in the position to negotiate for world peace from a posture of a strong national defense.
• We believe quality education is vital to individual success and to   a successful, economically competitive America.

We Empower Republican Women by sharing with them accurate political facts and what is taking place in local, state, and federal governments.

We Empower women through local club meetings — where the grass roots begin. By growing clubs and memberships, we provide Republican Women with the tools to Educate others about Republican Principles.

GFRW Empowers Republican Women through Education and training.  As a member of a local club, you automatically become a member of the National Federation of Republican Women and the Georgia Federation of Republican Women. Through NFRW, you receive a magazine that informs you on the issues, and emails about National issues and membership growth. The NFRW website alone is a wealth of information on Educating our Republican women to Empower them to Educate others about our Republican Principles, www.nfrw.org.

GFRW also Educates to Empower by our magazine VOICES.  VOICES Magazine is nationally recognized for its informative articles. Numerous Republican organizations and Republican clubs throughout the country are on the email list to receive it. You can also find it by going to the GFRW website – www.gfrw.org.

Upon Empowering Republican Women, we are then able to Educate others about the Republican philosophy through political events, forums, outreach, newspaper, and brochures.  NFRW and GFRW also provide campaign schools for training to run a political campaign.

Through Empowerment and Education we are able to Elect good Republican men and women to office. This process of Empowering, Educating, and Electing enables us to obtain and maintain the Republican Principles.

Because GFRW and local clubs are so good at Empowering, Educating, and Electing through grassroots efforts, elected Republican officials turn to us for support.

We must keep up the good work and carry our “3 Es” into this election year of 2012.  Keep Republicans in office and get Democrats out of office, particularly the one sitting in the White House.

I also want to thank all the women who helped produce this VOICES Magazine and to Sue Everhart for her guidance in the Georgia GOP.

Thank you for Empowering, Educating, and Electing Republicans.

Rose Wing
President of GFRW

 Senate Bill 292, by Sen. John Albers, requires recipients of public assistance to pass a drug test, passed the Senate.

Senate Bill 312, by Sen. William Ligon, will requires recipients of food stamps to engage in “personal growth activities” like adult literacy or GED classes.

Senate Bill 438 prohibits state employee health benefit plans from paying for abortions. Passage of the measure caused some of the Democratic women in the Senate to walk out of the chamber in protest.

Senate Bill 459, by Sen. David Shafer, allows homeowners to opt out of “smart meter” installations by electrical utilities.

Senate Bill 460, by Sen. Josh McKoon, provides an exemption for religious employers from the state’s mandate that any health benefit policy sold in Georgia include coverage for contraceptives.

Senate Bill 471, by Sen. Judson Hill, will allow Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner to join other states to create a streamlined approval process for major medical insurance plans in the hope of fostering a broader market and lowering prices for consumers.

Senate Bill 473, by Sen. Ed Harbison, extends eligibility for the Purple Heart license plate to recipients still on active duty.

House Bill 685, by Rep. Gene Maddox revamps the way dangerous dogs are defined and handled, and passed the house yesterday. Under the bill, a second attack on a human may lead to a prison term up to a year for the owner.

House Bill 797, by Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, is a companion bill to the act allowing Georgians to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow the state board of education to issue charters to new schools if the local school board has refused to do so. This bill allows state funding to those schools and passed the house 115-49.

House Bill 822 by Rep. Ed Lindsey seeks to protect taxpayers by reducing fraudulent Medicare claims.

House Bill 861, by Rep. Michael Harden, would require drug testing for recipients of public benefits and passed the state house by a 114-59 vote.

House Bill 872, by Rep. Jason Shaw, is designed to curb metal theft by regulating the purchase of non-ferrous metals and passed the state house.

House Bill 1114 by Rep.Ed Setzler, criminalizes assisting someone to commit suicide, with a prison sentence up to ten years.

 HR1151, introduced by Buzz Brockway would create a study committee to look at the system of care we provide for victims of human trafficking, passed out of Senator Unterman’s Health and Human Services Committee and was sent to the Senate Rules committee.

House Bill 954 by Doug McKillip is the ”The Fetal Pain Bill” which protects from abortion after the 20^th week of pregnancy.

House Bill 742 is introduced by David Ralston.  It makes and provides the appropriations for the State Budget from July 2012 to June 2013.

       A wonderful prolife measure has passed the Georgia House, but now it is under assault and in jeopardy of being drastically altered or killed in the Senate.  It is the “Pain Capable Child Protection Act,” commonly known as the “Fetal Pain Bill.”  It would ban abortions after 20 weeks gestation, since there is credible scientific evidence that preborn infants can feel pain by that time in their development.  (more info below)

      A Senate Committee hearing will be held Monday afternoon. Your calls TODAY or by 11 a.m. Monday morning and/or your emails over the weekend can make a huge difference. (If you can only do a few emails or calls, pick from the starred ones below.)

         Ask members to: “Please pass HB 954, The Fetal Pain Bill, with no amendments.”

       *Sen Renee Unterman, Chairman     renee.unterman@senate.ga.gov    404-463-1368

Sen Buddy Carter                              bcarter331@aol.com    404-656-5109

*Sen Greg Goggans                          goggins@vzw.blackberry.net    404-463-5263

Sen Johnny Grant                              johnny.grant@senate.ga.gov    404-656-0082

*Sen Judson Hill                                judson@judsonhill.com    404-656-0150

Sen Steve Henson                             stevehenson@mindspring.com    404-656-0085

Sen Lester Jackson                            lester.jackson@senate.ga.gov    404-463-5261

*Sen William Ligon                           william.ligon@senate.ga.gov    404-656-0045

*Sen Tommie Williams                    tommie.williams@senate.ga.gov    404-656-0089

*Sen David Shafer                             david.shafer@senate.ga.gov    404-656-0048

Sen John Wilkerson                          john.wilkinson@senate.ga.gov    404-463-5257

*Sen Fran Millar                                fran.millar@senate.ga.gov    404-463-5257