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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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| <- |
2006-01-01 |
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| Name | Jim Martin |
| Address |
Atlanta, Georgia , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
August 22, 1945
(78 years)
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| Contributor | Thomas Walker |
| Last Modifed | Rob Ritchie
Dec 27, 2017 11:24pm |
| Tags |
Caucasian - Married - Army - Presbyterian - Straight -
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| Info | A lifelong Georgian, Jim Martin grew up in a family of six boys – Joe, Jim, Jack, Jere, Julian and Jeffrey. At the age of eight, Jim contracted polio. After years of intense physical therapy, he overcame the disease with the help and support of those around him. This experience inspired Jim to become a champion for quality healthcare for all Georgians later in his life.
After attending the Atlanta Public Schools, Jim enrolled in the University of Georgia. On December 4, 1963, he was elected freshman class president. That same day, Vince Dooley was named head football coach. A self-described “Triple Dawg”, Jim spent the better part of a decade in Athens, earning three degrees (a bachelor’s degree and two law degrees). Interrupted only by two years of service in the Army, including a tour of duty in Vietnam, Jim has spent his entire life in Georgia.
Jim started his professional career drafting legislation for the state legislature and advocating for working people and children. In 1983 he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. During 18 years of service in the House, Jim authored and passed more than 60 major pieces of reform legislation in the areas of healthcare, family law, civil and criminal justice, education, probate, business law, environmental law, labor law and tax policy.
Jim served as Chairman of a number of important committees, including the Judiciary Committee and the Human Services Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee. He also served as an active member of the Industrial Relations, Special Judiciary and Children and Youth Committees.
Because of Jim’s legislative success and commitment in the areas of healthcare and human services, Governor Roy Barnes appointed him to serve as Commissioner of Human Resources, overseeing a department that employs over 18,000 people and manages over 100 programs in 1,000 locations in all 159 Georgia counties. Jim's service as Commissioner continued under both Democratic and Republican administrations.
A lawyer in private practice for over 20 years, Jim has dedicated his career to ensuring that all Georgians have access to high-quality legal services. In his early career, he served as a staff attorney and legislative advocate for the Legal Aid Society and the Legal Services Program. Most recently, Jim served as the chief legal officer for the Georgia Indigent Defense Standards Council. His work with the Council was instrumental in the creation of this new state agency - Georgia now has a nationally recognized public defender system that ensures effective and cost-efficient representation of indigent defendants.
Jim and his wife Joan have been married for 35 years. They have four children, Morgan, Becky, Jay and Frank and two grandsons, Quinn and Grant. Jim is also an Elder in the Presbyterian Church.
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