Madden, a Democrat, is chairman of the Insurance and Labor committee and secretary of the Natural Resources committee . He also serves on the powerful Appropriations committee and is a member of the Ethics, Reapportionment and Health and Human Services committees.

With six standing committee assignments, Madden is one of the Senate's busiest members. Senators are customarily limited to service on four committees.

In addition to his permanent committee appointments, Madden is a member of the Educators Technology Training Commission and has served on a number of interim study panels including the Senate Biomedical Technology Study Committee, the Senate Water Quality and Supply Alternative Study Committee, and the Senate Study Committee on Children at Risk. He has also represented Georgia on the Health Committee of the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL).

Madden successfully steered legislation through the Senate during the 1993 session which sets minimum state-funded salaries for local school superintendents, helping to ease the local property tax burden.

He is the cosponsor of the 1996 "Mother-Newborn Protection Act" which requires insurance companies to provide coverage for at least two days of hospitalization for mothers and newborns following normal deliveries and four days following Caesarian births. He has also worked for passage of a law to allow the death penalty in fatal child abuse cases.

Senator Madden was born August 6, 1948 in Elberton, and graduated from Elbert County High School and earned an associate of science degree from Middle Georgia College. He graduated from the University of Georgia School of Pharmacy in 1971 and currently owns Madden's Pharmacy Inc. and Madden's One-Stop Convenience Store.

Active in business and civic affairs, Madden has served as president of a number of organizations including the Elberton Kiwanis Club, the Elbert County Chamber of Commerce, the Elberton Merchants Association, and the Falling Creek PTA. He is a former director of the Elberton Rotary Club.

Madden is a 1991 graduate of Leadership Georgia and recently served a term as chairman of the Elberton Main Street Committee.

Madden has spearheaded industrial recruitment efforts through the Chamber of Commerce and directed a community pride program resulting in new landscaping and beautification projects. He also directed the successful effort to have Elberton designated as a Main Street community. He was honored for that effort with the Chamber's Distinguished Service Award. Madden has also been honored by the Georgia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers for his legislative efforts.

Madden is married to the former Judy Hemphill and they are the parents of a daughter, Ashley. Madden is also the father of two sons. He is an active member of the First Baptist Church of Elberton.

The 47th Senate District includes: Elbert, Hart, Madison, Franklin, Banks and Jackson Counties.

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November 1998