Randall era in Georgia House ending

ATLANTA -- When Nikki Randall was sworn into the Legislature in 1999, it was a different place.

Women make up about a quarter of representatives now. Back then, female legislators were even less numerous. The 1956 state flag, the one dominated by Confederate stars and bars, fluttered outside. Her Democratic Party was solidly in power.

It was a place the Macon native knew well. Randall had been a lobbyist, but first and foremost, she was the daughter of state Rep. William C. "Billy" Randall, who had been elected in 1974. He is now a Macon-Bibb County Civil Court judge and chief magistrate. When he left the House, she won his seat.

"I feel like I grew up under this dome," Randall, now 43, told her state House colleagues last week in a speech to mark her retirement from the state House effective at the end of the year. Her successor will be elected in November.

"I have no regrets, no apologies," she said a few days later after finishing lunch with some colleagues in a Capitol meeting room.

One of her first challenges in office was not so much opposing that Confederate-based flag in 2001, but dealing with some of the people who didn't want to see it gone.

"That was a scary time. We had all kinds of threats, phone calls, horrible letters. Somebody sent me a rubber snake in the mail with white powder in the bottom of the envelope to make me think that it was anthrax," she said.

Five years into the Legislature, her status rose with a chairmanship, albeit of the rather obscure Interstate Cooperation Committee, which handles bills that deal with Georgia's relationship with other states. But Randall joked that she's the shortest-serving chairwoman in the history of the Legislature.

The appointment had come just before a new Republican majority took over the state House. With that, the GOP also took committee appointment power. The Democrats' ability to shape policy declined sharply.

Some of her closest colleagues, however, say Randall has remained active in ways that do not necessary bring headline attention.

Long-serving state Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, met Randall when she was a toddler, arriving at the Capitol with her father. Smyre said he advises new lawmakers to focus on a policy area and become an expert, and he said she has done well by following that advice.

"I've leaned on her in the area of health care," Smyre said.

Through her legislative career, she has spoken out or filed bills on health issues such as broadening access to medical treatment for obesity, tracking the sale of legal drugs that are used to make methamphetamine, opposing new limits on abortions, and perhaps most prominently, dealing with insurance coverage.

Almost 10 years ago, during a federal funding squeeze, some lawmakers moved to limit access to PeachCare, which is health insurance for children from poor families. Randall and others railed against limiting the program, saying Georgia needed to insure children who might otherwise fall into a gap where their families make too much money to be eligible for assistance but not enough to afford private insurance.

Randall said her parting advice to the Legislature is something similar: Expand Medicaid to people who make too much money to qualify for it now but who cannot afford other options.

Republicans have condemned that idea as too costly.

Another colleague, Carolyn Hugley of Columbus, who has worked with Randall in the Women's Caucus and the Democratic Caucus, said there are more ways than legislation for a person to be influential. She said Randall can work across the aisle and is one of the most-liked members of the Legislature for her concern and generosity.

Hugley said she has sometimes urged Randall to reach out with help or advice to the folks who were like the Macon legislator was 17 years ago -- new and not sure what to expect.

"She's a great role model, particularly for young lawmakers," Hugley said.

This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Randall era in Georgia House ending ."