This Week’s Legislative Actions
The General Assembly gaveled back in to session Monday following last week’s Joint Appropriations committee budget hearings. Legislation began moving through committees this week, and new bills were introduced that are on our radar. Floor votes will begin to pick up next week once legislation has had time to process through regular order. Here is this week’s recap of new legislation introduced, as well as bills of interest that were considered by committees this week:
New legislation of interest introduced this week:
- HB 945: In-network treatment of SHBP and BOR plan members when hospitals are terminated outside of Open Enrollment.
- Introduced by Chairman Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), the bill seeks to establish consumer protections that would require contractors administering the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) and Board of Regents health plan to continue to “treat” hospitals that are terminated from an insurer’s network outside of the annual Open Enrollment Period as in-network through the remainder of the calendar year.The bill was assigned to the House Insurance and Labor Committee and is scheduled to be heard in the Life and Health subcommittee next Monday, January 29th at 2:00 p.m. Click here to view the livestream.
- SB 357: Limb salvage protocol requirements of hospitals and ASCs.
- Introduced by Senator Donzella James (D-Atlanta). Among its provisions, the bill mandates hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt limb salvage protocols and requires coverage of podiatric services related to limb salvage. Additionally, it addresses insurance coverage, the role of the State Board of Podiatry Examiners, and the state health benefit plan’s coverage of healthcare services related to limb salvage protocols. The effective date for this bill would be January 1, 2025. The bill was assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
- HB 973: Retirement tax exclusion for specified public service professionals.
- Introduced by Representative Beth Camp (R-Concord). The bill would provide a tax exclusion for retirement income of up to $17,500.00 for individuals under 62 years of age who have served at least 25 years in public service as specified professionals. The exclusion applies to various public service roles, including law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and communications officers. HB 973 was assigned to the House Ways & Means Committee
- HB 982: State Workforce Development Board “High Demand Career List”
- Introduced by Representative Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville). The bill would require the State Workforce Development Board to develop and approve a “High-demand Career List” that identifies careers critical to the state’s current and future workforce needs. The High-demand Career List must include skills, certificates, licenses, diplomas, degrees, or other credentials required for the identified high-demand careers and should be published annually on the State Workforce Development Board’s public website on or before December 31. HB 982 was assigned to the House Higher Education Committee.
- SB 373: Expedited licensing of out of state LMFTs in good standing
- Introduced by Senator Larry Walker (R-Perry). The bill aims to streamline the licensure process for marriage and family therapists by introducing an expedited license by endorsement for qualified individuals from other states who are in good standing and do not have a disqualifying criminal record. SB 373 was assigned to the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee.
- SB 377: Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) licensure
- Introduced by Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia). The bill is intended to provide a clear definition of Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTP) in Georgia law, aligning it with federal standards. The bill was assigned to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
- HB 991: Hospital “bed tax” reauthorization
- Introduced by Representative Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire).The bill would extend the sunset for the Hospital Medical Financing Program from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2030, unless reauthorized by the General Assembly prior to that date. HB 991 was assigned to the House Appropriations Committee.
- This is an administration bill and is part of DCH’s legislative agenda this session
- SB 395: Opioid antagonists in schools
- introduced by Senator Clint Dixon (R-Gwinnett), attempts to address opioid overdoses in schools by allowing the possession and administration of opioid antagonists by school personnel, ensuring the maintenance of a stock supply in schools, and providing immunity to school personnel involved in administering these antidotes. SB 395 was assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee.
- HB 1028: Department of Public Health bill related to PEP for HIV prevention; definition of STDs; and for other purposes
- Introduced by Representative John LaHood (R-Valdosta). The bill would repeal the requirement for screening public school children for scoliosis. This bill would also empower state health officers to issue a standing order for post-exposure prophylaxis drugs for the prevention of HIV on a statewide basis in the same way as is currently allowed for opioid antagonists. Additionally, this bill allows the Department of Public Health to determine which diseases should be classified as “sexually transmitted diseases” through rules and regulations. Sanitation and inspection requirements for transporting law enforcement agencies would then apply to any new diseases added to this definition by the Department. HB 1028 was assigned to the House Public Health Committee.
- HB 1029: Newborn screening protocol
- introduced by Representative Karen Mathiak (R-Griffin). The bill would enhance the newborn screening system by adding Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to the screening protocol, grant the Department of Public Health the authority to consider recommendations from the Newborn Screening and Genetics Advisory Committee, allowing the inclusion of disorders added to the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel in the future. HB 1029 was assigned to the House Public Health Committee.
Bills under committee consideration this week:
- SB 348: Notification of death unattended by a physician
- Introduced by Senator Rick Williams (R-Milledgeville). The bill addresses notifications of suspicious or unusual deaths, and revises the criteria for considering a death as unattended by increasing the period during which an individual had not been seen by a physician prior to death. The bill reduces this period from 180 to 60 days. The bill also details the circumstances under which law enforcement or other individuals must notify the coroner or county medical examiner about a death. This bill passed out of committee with a unanimous vote.
- HB 451: Illness-specific coverage for first responders diagnosed with PTSD
- Introduced by Representative Devan Seabaugh (R-Marietta). The bill would require the provision of supplemental, illness-specific insurance to certain first responders diagnosed with occupational post-traumatic stress disorder and provide a tax exemption for benefits received from such insurance coverage for first responders. This bill would include the following professions as first responders: communications officers, correctional officers, emergency medical professionals, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, highway emergency response operators, jail officers, juvenile correctional officers, peace officers, and probation officers. This bill passed unanimously out of committee.
- HB 738: Task Force on Workforce and Safety Net Integration
- Introduced by Representative Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners). The bill would establish the Task Force on Workforce and Safety Net Integration within the Department of Labor, consisting of nine members appointed by various authorities, including the Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President of the Senate. The task force would explore how state agencies administering workforce development and safety net programs can best serve residents, considering potential benefits of merging certain agencies, and developing strategies for integrated program delivery. An amendment was adopted to adjust the dates to be current to 2024. The bill passed out of committee unanimously.
- HB 343: The “Low Prescription Drug Costs for Patients Act”
- introduced by Representative Mark Newton (R-Augusta). This bill contains several provisions designed to ensure consumer pass-through of pharmaceutical rebates by PBMs, increases PBM reporting requirements to the Department of Insurance, and other purposes. The bill failed by a 5-8 vote.