Georgia Chamber Of Commercefoundation Inc

Programs: In 2014, the georgia chamber (foundation) center for competitiveness accomplished a substantial amount of success. The law and judiciary policy committee worked diligently on a hallmark legal issue which is important to all georgians: electronic discovery reform. After abundant research was performed and educational white papers were created, the committee was able to successfully educate georgians on the hurdles of the discovery process and the costs associated with it. In addition, the center filed amicus briefs in the united states and georgia supreme courts and georgia court of appeals in four cases where business was directly impacted. Of the four cases, the center was successful 50% of the time, with one case having settled before the court reached a decision and the other currently pending before the court. In education, center staff served as the business representative on the georgia department of education ad-hoc committee which undertook a comprehensive review of the state's common core georgia performance standards. Center staff also participated in a department of education committee working to develop standards which would authorize computer science and technology classes to be used as core curriculum in k-12 education. The center has also assisted in the development of georgialeads, a new statewide leadership training organization in partnership with the uga fanning institute. Center has continued to work with the governor's office for a comprehensive overhaul of the state's qbe funding formula, which will be addressed in 2015 through a study commission with recommendations for 2016 legislative action. The business and industry committee had several successes in 2014 with regard to long-term goals. Under legislation that the chamber supported in 2012, georgia was successfully able to fully repay its loan to the federal government for unemployment claims obligations. Repaying this loan allowed georgia to reduce future unemployment taxes going forward, resulting in a direct benefit to georgia employers. The committee also weighed in on federal regulations regarding federal labor relations and trade promotion authority, both of which have potential to impact employers nationwide. Both of those issues are still being resolved in congress and through federal agencies, but center staff and committee members continue to be active in the discussions. The committee and staff also worked closely with the government affairs team to analyze significant aspects of religious freedom legislation in georgia and other states to determine its potential legal ramifications in georgia. This analysis was used to develop overall strategy for the chamber. The center and the health and wellness committee continues their commitment to health care accessibility, researching alternatives to broaden health insurance coverage, and providing educational seminars on the affordable care act (aca). In 2014, the center partnered with local chambers to inform its community businesses on aca changes and how to implement the requirements. The health and wellness committee participated in the governor's rural hospital stabilization committee. The georgia chamber invited arkansas' state senator david sanders to speak on the state's alternative medicaid expansion program.