Ashe appointed to arts funding panel
House Study Committee named

Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson (R-Hiram) has appointed state Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta) to the House Study Committee for Funding for the Arts.

The committee was created as a result of the General Assembly's approval of House Resolution 1921 during the 2006 legislative session. Tourism is Georgia'́s second largest industry, and cultural heritage tourism is the fastest growing industry segment. The arts surpass professional sports in attendance and are ranked as one of the top 10 reasons for corporate relocations. The arts also preserve history and heritage for Georgians and enhance education success for our children through the teaching of complex and abstract ideas; the nurturing of the development of cognitive, social, and personal competencies; and the reaching of otherwise unreachable students.

The study committee will undertake a study of arts funding issues and recommend any appropriate actions or legislation before the 2007 legislative session. Ashe is the only Democrat named to the five-member panel.

"I am pleased that Speaker Richardson has appointed me to this important committee," Ashe said. "I have worked to enhance recognition at the state level that the arts are important to the quality of life here in Georgia in so many ways. I look forward to being a part of this committee and the results of our findings."