CANDIDATE Q&A District 12 What specific issues would you like to focus on in the Georgia General Assembly next year and why do they resonate with you?
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Children throughout the state are our future and it is important that we invest in their well being and education now. Then see to it that every current and future child in Georgia has every advantage and opportunity that they can. We can do so much now to make sure that it happens: whether it be funding for special programs in every county or making sure that each child has a normal lunch prepared each day.
Without using trigger words such as “defund the police” or “back the blue,” explain what the Legislature could do to improve local law enforcement.
I believe that greater training should be implemented inside the police force to better prepare officers on how to diffuse tense situations that could end in force. With that said, I believe there are a multitude of training opportunities for current officers to participate in — continuing education and reevaluations that should be implemented over the course of their tenure.
There should have been a federal standard put in place for opening each state and lifting restrictions, one that is based in science and current and ongoing CDC guidelines. That alone would have given every American the peace of mind to get into a routine and face our new normal. However, since those standards were not put in place, it is the job of the state legislatures to find continued ways to support teachers, students and parents; such as mask mandates and temperature screenings thought the school day.
Eddie Lumsden
State House District 12
Party: Republican Occupation: Retired state trooper, co-owner Teresa Lumsden Insurance Agency www.house.ga.gov
As chairman of the House Insurance Committee, much of my focus will be on legislation that protects consumers. Georgia is No. 2 in the country for insurance fraud, ranking only behind Florida. This fraud costs the average family between $400 and $700 annually. We are constantly looking for ways to tackle fraud across the state. I am working on updating our budget processes to allow us to fully fund the Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division to better tackle insurance fraud across the state. We are also strengthening our relationships with local law enforcement and DAs to better prosecute those individuals who commit fraud.
The Legislature does not interact directly with local law enforcement but we do provide resources through Homeland Security and the GBI Crime Lab. Funding request from DHS affecting local law enforcement is given high priority. Also funding for the GBI Crime Lab has a direct bearing on providing necessary test results for local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute crime. As a retired law enforcement officer I understand the need. As a legislator I will continue working to see that funding for this priority is included in the state budget.
Is there anything the state should do to help students, parents and educators deal more effectively with COVID-19 restrictions?
The challenge we all face in dealing with COVID is finding balance between safety and living life as normally as possible. The governor, acting on recommendations from the CDC, the Department of Public Health and the State Department of Education has issued guidelines that provide the framework for us to do that. The effectiveness of these measures are constantly being evaluated to see if modifications are called for. It is up to us as individuals to put the guideline into practice. Any additional measures would come from recommendations provided by CDC and DPH.