Senator Charlie Bethel (R- Dalton) has received the highest ranking given on the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Honor Roll. The Chamber’s Honor Roll recognizes legislators that were most supportive of the business community during the 2012 Legislative Session. Bethel was one of only 9 members out of the 236 members of the General Assembly to earn a perfect score in both 2011 and 2012.

“It is vital that we focus our attention to issues that matter to businesses in Georgia in order to grow our economy and create jobs,” said Bethel. “By working to remove the sales tax on energy used in manufacturing, agriculture, and mining, we have increased Georgia’s competitiveness in growing existing industries and attracting new investment. We also took steps to restore our unemployment trust fund to solvency and fix the filing issue with garnishment proceedings, among others. These steps will help Georgia businesses stay focused on the things their customers’ want and need which will help Georgians find and keep jobs. I remain committed to working with legislators and Georgia business leaders to help create and attract jobs here in Georgia. I look forward to continuing working with every organization that wants to grow Georgia’s economy, especially the Georgia chamber.”

Throughout the 2012 Georgia General Assembly session, legislators addressed a number of issues important to the state’s business community. Legislation deemed most important to enhancing Georgia’s economic competitiveness through education, economic development, business and industry, and judicial reform were designated as scorecard issues by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Council and are included in this year’s Legislative Scorecard. Each legislator’s grade, given by the Georgia Chamber, reflects an assessment of his or her support for business community priorities.

“The A+ grade given by the Georgia Chamber to Senator Charlie Bethel reflects an unwavering commitment to bringing jobs, investment, and long-term economic growth to Georgia,” said Georgia Chamber President and CEO Chris Clark. “Without question, he is a true champion of the state’s business community and we are tremendously grateful to have such a strong voice at the Capitol working to strengthen Georgia’s pro-business climate and help companies across the state effectively compete in the global marketplace.”