COLUMBUS – State Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) has been named the 2004 Legislator of the Year by the Georgia Republican Party.  Sen. Smith received the original hand-blown crystal eagle created by a local glass sculptor from Gov. Sonny Perdue and Senate Majority Leader Bill Stephens (R-Canton) during the Governor’s Dinner at the Georgia Republican Party State Convention held in Columbus last week.

During the ceremony, Gov. Perdue and Sen. Stephens highlighted Sen. Smith’s significant contributions and accomplishments to the General Assembly during the previous year – hailing his influence, leadership and effectiveness as a legislator.  Sen. Smith, who is in his first term of office of the Georgia General Assembly, serves as the Governor’s administration floor leader and as Counsel to the Senate majority party. 

He is a strong advocate for his Northwest Georgia district, and this year led the debate on several complex issues before the legislature, including education, ethics, and tort reform.  He also authored legislation that recently was signed into law by Gov. Perdue to prevent school truancy by revoking a student’s driver’s license or work permit if a student is not attending school on a regular basis.

Sen. Smith also authored the sportsmen’s voter legislation which allows Georgia citizens to register to vote when they purchase their hunting and fishing licenses; and an important homeland security bill that will qualify Georgia for over $60 million in federal funding.

The freshman Senator also was named to Georgia Trend magazine’s annual list of the most influential Georgians in the state under the age of 40.

The Georgia Republican Party held it’s state convention last weekend to elect delegates to the Republican National Convention slated for New York City later this year.  U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and U.S. Sen. Zell Miller (D-GA), as well as several members of the state’s Congressional Delegation, and many of Georgia’s state wide elected officials, including State School Superintendent Kathy Cox and State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine attended the Convention.