Ed Harbison, of Columbus, was first elected to the Senate from the 15th District in 1992. Senator Harbison represents the citizens of Macon, Marion, Talbot, Taylor, and Schley counties as well as portions of Chattahoochee County and Muscogee County.
Sen. Harbison is currently Chairman of the State Property and Institutions Senate Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Senate Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security Committee. He is the ranking member of the Banking and Financial Institutions, Insurance and Labor, Interstate Cooperation, Reapportionment and Redistricting, and Ethics committees. Sen. Harbison is a former Chairman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.
During the 2008 General Assembly, Sen. Harbison successfully sponsored a bill to ease barriers and alleviate bureaucratic “red tape” for children of military officers who transfer from one state to another while in service.
Sen. Harbison is also responsible for legislation which successfully led to the installation of Emergency Call Boxes in the state along Interstate I-85 from LaGrange to Columbus. He chaired the Senate Eviction Law Study Committee and served on the Joint Senate-House Study Committee on Certificate of Need Health Care Facilities. He also serves on the Policy Committee of the Senate Democratic Caucus.
During the 1994 General Assembly, Sen. Harbison successfully steered legislation through the Senate to give the Governor the authority to order the Georgia National Guard to assist state law enforcement agencies in anti-drug efforts.
Sen. Harbison has received a number of awards for his professional accomplishments and his community service including:
- James Costen Government Services Award
- National Infantry Association’s Order of Saint Maurice for distinguished and gallant support of the Infantry
- Dr. John W. Townsend Award for Broadcast Excellence
- Associated Press Annual Award for Best Regularly Scheduled TV Newscast
- PUSH Excellence Award for the Communications Field
- Bambino League Award of Support
- Jack T. Brinkley Sr. Service Award
He was recently honored as one of the 50 Most Influential African Americans of Columbus. He has also been honored by Alpha Kappa Alpha for his support of the Heritage Program and cited by the NAACP for a 1989 Radio-Thon.
He received the Columbus Times Newspaper Award for Outstanding Contributions to African-Americans, the Alabama Disabled American Veterans Certificate of Appreciation and the U.S. Marine Corps Appreciation Award. He also received the UPI Pacemaker Award for writing, editing and narrating “The Dreamer’s Dream: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Sen. Harbison was honored as Legislator of the Year for 1994 by the Georgia Pharmacy Association for his efforts to improve the quality of health care in the state. He is also the recipient of the Progressive Men’s Club’s prestigious Man of the Year Award for 1994.