Dear Bruce,

I write today to ask for your help.

As you may know, there are currently 43 different boards that oversee the licensing process for over 460,000 hardworking professionals in different industries.

In all candor, I have to let you know we have been as innovative and business like as possible to do more with less due to the weak economy and shrinking budgets. We understand that you expect us to be held accountable just like you are with your household budget. Due to this fact we are proposing a change in order to continue to provide an excellent level of service and safety to our customers, the citizens of Georgia. Virtually every week I hear stories like the ones below.

A salon owner had a location in a strip mall, but decided to move to a better suite in the same strip mall when it became available. When a state inspector visited, he noticed the address on the owner’s license was correct, but not the suite number. As Georgia law requires, the inspector issued a cease and desist order that closed the salon until the Board could hear the case. This caused the owner and her employees to be out of work for an extended period.

While it is important that license holders follow the law, it is absurd that a business be shut down for months over a small technical issue that can be easily resolved.

That is why I am proposing legislation to restructure the licensing process in Georgia and why I need your help!

My proposal is simple. Streamline the licensure process by authorizing the Secretary of State’s office to issue licenses to those applicants who have presented the proper credentials – it is important to note that we are currently performing the analysis on the majority of applications at the present time. Individuals that present applications that are in question, for some reason, will be referred to the existing Board to utilize their experience and expertise in providing guidance to the Secretary of State’s staff on whether or not to issue the license.

In regards to the handling of complaints against a licensee, the process would be similar. In cases of routine minor oversights, such as forgetting to renew a license, the Secretary of State could issue an order allowing the licensee to pay the fee and the fine and get back to work, and not have to wait for the Board to meet to get back to earning a living for their family.

Again, cases that are not routine could be referred to the proper Board for their expertise on how to resolve the situation with the licensee that is equitable for all parties.

In order to provide a level of oversight and fairness to the citizens of our state a seven member board will be established to hear appeals from those that feel like the decision reached by the Secretary of State and / or a Policy Board is not proper. The new Board would also hold hearings to approve any rule changes that may be requested from the existing Boards, industry associations, or Georgia citizens. The new duties of this Board, coupled with the administrative authority of the Director of Professional Licensing, located within the Secretary of State’s office, would enable the reduction of meetings of existing Boards by as much as fifty percent, from over 300 meetings last year to around 150 per year going forward.

Most importantly, we can reduce the time it takes to receive a professional license in Georgia from MONTHS to a WEEK.

The bottom line is that we will cut the red tape that is keeping hardworking Georgians from getting a job. The time has come to put an end to this ridiculous government bureaucracy.

The Governor and many legislators strongly support this common sense approach, but that has not stopped some industry insiders and their lobbyists from trying to kill it. Over the last few weeks, legislators have been constantly harassed by these establishment folks making outrageous claims like this legislation will let child molesters get state licenses. These completely false scare tactics have started to have an impact, so I need your help.

I need grassroots conservatives across the state to rise up and tell the entrenched insiders that their time of killing good, conservative, job creating ideas is over!

Will you help me by forwarding this email to your members? Please ask them to call or email their legislators and encourage them to pass Kemp’s licensing bill. If you will personally weigh in with your local legislators and also pass a resolution by your local group supporting this effort, we can win this fight!

As I come to the end of my request to you, I want you to know that I had a fundamental choice to make regarding this issue: I could take the easy way out and just sit here and pass the blame when Georgians call me with problems and complaints or I could produce a plan that will bring about positive results for thousands of our citizens. I did what I have always done since entering public life…stand up and take the heat to do what is right!

Please contact your House and Senate members as soon as you can and ask them to support Kemp’s common sense licensing bill.

Nothing frustrates me more than seeing common sense conservative ideas stalled in the legislative process by those benefiting from the status quo and lobbyists more interested in their own power than what is best for the taxpayers. I know you share my frustration. Your support can help us win this critical battle.

President Reagan once said, “We in government should learn to look at our country with the eyes of the entrepreneur, seeing possibilities where others see only problems.” I believe this plan meets President Reagan’s standard!

Thank you for your continued support of our Party and our conservative values!

Fighting for Georgians,

Brian Kemp

If my previous letters haven’t been enough to get you fired up about working to elect a Republican President this November, the events of the upcoming weeks should help to motivate you. Before I tell you about the exciting news that coincides with the presidential candidates’ activities in Georgia before our March 6 primary, I just want to remind you of some sobering news that will hopefully put our position in perspective. As shocking as it is for those of us who cannot conceive of such things, multiple national polls released this week now put the President’s approval rating at 50% or higher for the first time in months. In addition, a Fox News poll of 10 “swing states” released today shows that the incumbent leads each of the four remaining GOP candidates in those states by at least 8 points. These 10 states (including Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, and others) are critical to defeating the incumbent in the Electoral College vote.

I say all this not to discourage you, but instead to motivate you – winning this election will not be easy. Even here in Georgia, a state the Chicago machine has targeted to win, we will need thousands of you knocking on doors, making phone calls, sending e-mails and postcards, and twisting your neighbor’s arm. And if we don’t need you here in Georgia, we may need you in Florida, North Carolina, or Virginia. We know that in politics, many things can change between now and November, and that the GOP nominee will have a strong campaign that will narrow any gap that may exist today. And we are comforted by that. But I say to you again – PREPARE FOR A HARD-FOUGHT CAMPAIGN. WITH YOUR HELP, WE WILL WIN.

Now for the exciting news. First, we hope you can join us for the Gwinnett GOP Precinct Mass Meetings this Saturday, February 18th at Collins Hill High School (50 Taylor Road, Suwanee). Immediately following these meetings, we will feature two special guests – Presidential Candidate and Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Presidential Candidate and Radio Host Herman Cain. The mass meetings are consolidated for all Gwinnett precincts at this single location, and if you are interested in attending the mass meeting for your precinct, you must be in line for registration no later than 10:00 a.m. (Doors open at 9:00 a.m.) If, however, you would just like to attend the portion of the event featuring candidate speeches, Speaker Gingrich and Mr. Cain are scheduled to appear at approximately 11:30 a.m., and other presidential campaigns have been invited to have a representative speak as well. These mass meetings are the first step in the delegate selection process for the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, so anyone who is interested in serving as a national delegate should make plans to attend.

If ensuring that our great nation is free from four more years of big government liberalism, government-run health care, and skyrocketing debt is not enough to motivate you, I don’t know what else I can say. Join us for these events, and get ready for your deployment on the phones and in the neighborhoods this fall.

Please feel free to contact me anytime with questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Bruce LeVell
Chairman

Voters in House District 107 (PDF map) will select a replacement for Len Walker on Tuesday. Individuals in District 107 will vote in their regular polling place from 7 AM until 7 PM.

We encourage you to get out and vote for one of our Republican candidates, Mark Banks, Tom Kirby or Paul Smith.

Monday, February 6th is the last day to register to vote for the March 7th Presidential Primary election. Voters will also have the opportunity to vote on whether beer and wine will be sold in unincorporated areas of Gwinnett County. If you are not yet registered, you can do so by completing an online voter registration application and mail it in. You may also obtain a voter registration form at many libraries in the county. Remember, if you have moved since the last time you voted, you must update your registration by Monday in order to vote at your new address.

If you will be unable to vote at your precinct for the March 6th Presidential Primary, you can request an absentee ballot be mailed to you. Download the application, then mail or fax it in to the Gwinnett County Department of Elections.

You will be able to vote early at the Gwinnett Elections Office on Grayson Highway between February 13th and March 2nd, or at one of four satellite voting locations between February 27th and March 2nd.

Following on the heels of our hugely successful 2012 Campaign Kickoff Rally with Congressman Joe Wilson, at which over 200 folks affirmed their commitment to elect Republicans from the White House to the State House, we have a packed February calendar that begins with tomorrow’s monthly Breakfast Rally. Please join us at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at 550 Trackside (550 N. Clayton Street, Lawrenceville) for a Gold Dome update from State Sen. David Shafer and State Rep. Donna Sheldon, two of Gwinnett’s most veteran legislators. Doors will open at 7:45 a.m. for this event, where we will learn what our Republican majorities in the state Capitol are prioritizing for the 2012 session. And don’t forget, an outstanding breakfast will be available for only $8!

The process whereby Republicans across the country select our nominee to take on President Obama has been – and will continue to be – good for our party, as we learn more about our potential nominee, and allow that person to become better prepared as we go into November. Georgia’s presidential primary is on Tuesday, March 6th, and our state and county will receive a great deal of attention as that primary draws closer. As the state awarding the largest number of delegates to the Republican National Convention on Super Tuesday, we will be targeted heavily by the remaining candidates. Those of you who are interested in serving as delegates to the national convention in Tampa will want to make plans to attend the Gwinnett GOP’s precinct mass meetings on Saturday, February 18th, at 10:00 a.m. at Collins Hill High School (50 Taylor Road, Suwanee). This is the first step in that process, which will be followed up by the county, district, and state conventions in March, April, and May. With our presidential primary occurring less than three weeks later, who knows who might show up at our mass meetings?

I also want to make you aware of our next County Committee meeting on Thursday, February 9th, at 7:30 p.m. at the county GOP headquarters (46 S. Clayton St., Lawrenceville), where we will vote to adopt the 2012 budget, as well as hold a special election to fill the School District 5 Manager position on the Executive Committee. This election is required due to the fact that the legislature has drawn new school board district lines to be used for the 2012 elections, and the current District 5 manager, Gloria DiMaggio-Tow, does not live in the new district. I would like to personally thank Gloria for her outstanding service on the Executive Committee, and for her many years of serving the GOP, as a leader, party member, and candidate. If you live in the new District 5, and are interested in serving, please let me know.

Finally, I just want to close by saying that it is going to take each and every one of us to elect a Republican President in November, and no matter who we have individually supported through the primary process, it will be critical that we unite behind our nominee and defeat this President. I trust and believe that we will all be together when that time comes.

Thank you all for your service to the GOP. Please feel free to contact me at anytime.

Sincerely,
Bruce LeVell
Chairman

Senator Shafer serves the Duluth area in Gwinnett County, along with a portion of North Fulton County. He is Chairman of the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee and Vice Chairman of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee. He also served as Executive Director of the Georgia GOP in the early 1990s. Representative Sheldon’s House District 105 is based in Dacula. She is chair of the House Majority Caucus and vice-chair of he House Transportation Committee. She is also a member of the Appropriations, Ethics and Rules committees.

Our breakfasts are held at 550 Trackside, 550 North Clayton Street in Lawrenceville. Doors open at 7:45 for networking and breakfast, and the presentation begins at 8:30. Order a delicious breakfast for $8, enjoy coffee and juice for $2, or just stop by to attend the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there.

Here is a map to the meeting location:

All County Committee members are eligible to vote in the First Vice-Chair election. All County Committee members who live in the fifth school district are eligible to vote in the Fifth School District Manager election. Note that because of redistricting, the boundaries of the fifth school district have changed. Check the map to see if you are in the new district, which runs along I-85 between the Dekalb County line and Georgia 316.

According to the rules of the Gwinnett GOP, there are several requirements that must be met in order to be considered a member of the County Committee. The first is that you are registered to vote in Gwinnett County and have paid your 2012 dues to the Gwinnett Republican party. Dues are $25.00 (although you are encouraged to become a member at a higher level). You can pay your dues online, or you can pay at the meeting, if you choose.

The second requirement for being a voting member of the County Committee is that you meet one or more of the following four qualifications:

• You attended the County Convention held in March, 2011 as a delegate or alternate
• You are a precinct chairman selected at a Mass Meeting held in February, 2011
• You have attended at least three County Committee meetings from April, 2011 through March, 2012. These meetings do not include our monthly breakfast meetings.
• You are a Republican elected official representing a portion of Gwinnett County. If you were elected in a non-partisan race, such as Mayor or City Council, and meet the first requirement listed above, you qualify under this provision.

The decision as to whether a person is eligible to vote will be made by a committee consisting of the Second Vice Chairman, the Secretary and the Treasurer of the Gwinnett GOP, and such decision is final.

If you are a qualified County Committee member and cannot attend the meeting, you may complete a proxy (PDF), which can be voted by a committee member of your choice. However, no committee member can carry more than two proxies.

Any member of the Gwinnett County Republican party is eligible to run for the position of First Vice-Chairman, and any member living in the fifth school district is eligible to run for School District 5 Manager. While the Executive Committee is empowered by our bylaws to recommend candidates, it has chosen not to make a recommendation for these races. If you would like to become a candidate, the Executive Committee requests that you notify Bruce LeVell, Chairman at chairman@gwinnettrepublicans.com by Friday, March 2nd so your name can be placed on the pre-printed ballot. Nominations will be accepted from the floor on the date of the election, and qualified voters may also write in the name of a candidate, if they choose.

On the date of the election, each candidate will be entitled to a three minute nomination speech by the person of his or her choice, and a five minute speech by the candidate. The election will be held by secret ballot, and the results will be counted by the Second Vice Chairman. Each candidate may select a member to observe the counting of the ballots.

In the case that no candidate wins a majority vote on the first ballot, a second ballot will be held between the two candidates with the most votes.

The requirements listed above for membership in the County Committee are taken from the Rules of the Gwinnett County Republican Party.

Precinct Mass Meetings

Precinct mass meetings will be held on February 18th, 2012, beginning at 10 AM, sharp. Registration opens at 9 AM, and prospective attendees are encouraged to arrive early in order to be seated by the beginning of the mass meetings. In Gwinnett County, we’ll hold combined mass meetings for all precincts at Collins Hill High School, 50 Taylor Road in Suwanee.

Precinct mass meetings in Presidential election years are held to select delegates and alternates to the County Convention in March. Each precinct is assigned a number of delegates to the County Convention, based on the percentage of the vote in that precinct for the Republican presidential candidate in the previous election. An equal number of alternates may be selected. Only those delegates selected at the mass meeting are eligible to vote at the County Convention. In addition, county convention delegates are the only ones eligible to attend the district and state conventions.

Mass Meetings FAQ

What should I bring to the Mass Meeting?

To speed registration, please bring photo ID. If you registered to vote or changed your registration after January 1, 2012, bring your voter registration card showing the precinct in which you are registered. If you don’t have your voter registration card, bring a printout of the information from the Secretary of State’s website showing your precinct.

What if I can’t attend the Mass Meeting but still want to be a delegate at the convention?

You may have someone else who is attending your precinct’s Mass Meeting nominate you as a delegate, however those attending the meeting have first priority over those not in attendance. If someone else will be representing you at your precinct’s mass meeting, make sure that person brings your contact information to the meeting so you will be properly registered.

What happens if no one shows up from my precinct?

In that case, no one representing that precinct will be eligible to vote at the convention.

My precinct has more delegate and alternate seats at the convention than attended the mass meeting. What should I do?

In many cases, there will not be enough people attending from your precinct to completely fill the number of delegate and alternate openings. If someone from your precinct has asked to be a delegate, you can add them to the list. In the past, mass meeting attendees have added additional names to the delegate list who they think ‘might’ want to attend the county convention. However, past experience shows that many of these added names are not qualified to attend the county convention because the person is not registered to vote, or does not live in the same precinct. In general, it’s probably better not to add someone as a delegate unless they have indicated a desire to attend the convention.

We used to have Mass Meetings by School Board Districts. What happened this year?

Following the 2010 census, new election districts are being established for Congressional, State House and Senate, County Commission and School Board. Because of State Party rules, we will use these new district maps to allocate delegates to the District and State conventions this spring. Due to filing deadlines and uncertainty about the new district boundaries, we elected to consolidate all mass meetings at a single location.

I’ve moved recently. Which precinct should I go to?

You must attend the mass meeting of the precinct in which you are registered to vote, even if you no longer live there. If you sign up with a different precinct, you will not be permitted to be a delegate at the convention.

Are there any other requirements in order to become a delegate?

You must be a registered voter in Gwinnett County.

I heard Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich will be speaking at the Mass Meetings. What if I want to see Newt, but don’t want to participate in the Meetings?

Speaker Gingrich is planning to speak around 11:30 AM. We have also invited representatives from the other Presidential campaigns. We expect to finish Mass Meeting business shortly after 11 AM, and people not attending the Mass Meetings are welcome to attend the candidate speeches.

The County Convention

The County Convention will be held on Saturday, March 10th, 2012, beginning at 10 AM, sharp. Delegates should plan on arriving at the convention location early enough to register and be in their seat by 10 AM. At the County Convention, delegates will select delegates to the District and State Conventions and consider any other business that may be proposed.

County Convention FAQ

Where will the County Convention be held?

The county convention will be at Central Gwinnett High School, 564 West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville.

Is there a charge to attend the convention?

Each delegate and alternate will be charged a $20 facilities fee to help defray the cost of renting the convention hall.

If I’m not a delegate, can I still attend the convention?

The convention is open to the public, however only delegates selected at the mass meetings are eligible to vote.

How will delegates to the District and State conventions be selected?

The Georgia GOP has determined the number of delegates the Gwinnett GOP can send to the 4th, 7th and 10th District Conventions based on the number of votes for John McCain in the 2008 Presidential election. The Gwinnett GOP has determined the number of delegates each School Board district can send to the State Convention based on the same criteria. If the number of people from a school board or congressional district wanting to attend a convention is greater than the number of delegates, members of that district will caucus at the County Convention to select delegates and alternates.

How will delegates to the National Convention in Tampa be selected?

Attendees at each Congressional District Convention will select three delegates to the National Convention. State Convention delegates will select additional National Convention delegates. Those selected as delegates will be pledged to vote for one of the candidates based on the outcome of the Georgia Presidential Primary on March 6th. For a much more detailed explanation, please refer to 7th District GOP Chair Jason Thompson’s excellent letter on delegate allocation.

Whom do I call if I have a question about the Mass Meetings or County Convention?

Call Chairman Bruce LeVell at 404-409-5400, or chairman@GwinnettRepublicans.com.

Mary’s volunteer spirit was evident in 2011 was evident when she took responsibility for organizing the Gwinnett GOP’s presence at the Gwinnett County Fair in September. She planned the booth, obtained materials, recruited booth workers, and put in considerable time working at the fair.

Mary is a regular attendee at GOP breakfasts and meetings. In addition to her work for the Party, Mary also devoted time to 9/12 and Tea Party events, and was a volunteer for the Herman Cain presidential campaign. In fact, Chairman LeVell had planned to present the award to her at the party’s Christmas Brunch in December but could not, due to Mary’s volunteer work on the Cain campaign.

Be sure to join the Executive Committee in congratulating Mary the next time you see her at one of our GOP events.

The January County Committee meeting will be held at 7 PM on Thursday, January 12th at 550 Trackside, 550 North Clayton Street, Lawrenceville, Georgia. Doors will open at 6:30 PM.

Remember, you must have paid your 2012 dues in order to be able to vote at the County Committee meeting.

Bruce LeVell, Chairman
Travis Bowden, Secretary

Our guest speakers are Rep. David Casas of Lilburn, who serves on the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee, and Nick Masino, Vice-President of Economic Development & Partnership Gwinnett at the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce.

Rep. Casas is serving his fifth term in the Georgia House. In addition to his work on the Economic Development committee, he serves as vice-chair of the House Education Committee, and is a member of the Appropriations and Rules committees. Masino is the former Mayor of Suwanee. In his role with the Chamber, he oversees the Partnership Gwinnett initiative. In its first five years, the program has facilitated the relocation of NCR, FedEx and other companies to the county.

Doors open at 7:45 for breakfast, and the meeting begins at 8:30 AM. Breakfast is $8, or if you prefer, coffee and juice is $2. There is no charge to attend the meeting.

This month’s breakfast rally is sponsored by Planet Smoothie Duluth.

Here is a map to the meeting location: