Keeping Current at the Capitol – Week of February 17, 2020
Legislative Budget Update
The Georgia General Assembly took time off to continue working through the budget from February 10-14. Read more on the process here. Overviews of state agency budgets conducted by the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute can be found for Department of Community Health and the Department of Public Health.
The link above will take you to our official 2020 legislative agenda. The items below are bills we are monitoring throughout the session. Legislation on this list is not necessarily endorsed by HMHBGA.
House Legislation
HB 693- Expanding Medicaid to Improve Health Outcomes for New Mothers Act(Renitta Shannon, D-Decatur)Would allow the Department of Community Health to extend Pregnancy Medicaid coverage to new mothers from 60 days postpartum to one full year postpartum from the date of delivery. [House Appropriations Committee] No Action HB 717 - Georgia License Midwife Act(Karen Mathiak, R-Griffin) Would create an Advisory Board for Licensed Midwives which would issue licenses to eligible applicants possessing national certification by the North American Registry of Midwives as a certified professional midwife. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action HB 719 - Modernization of HIV Laws(Deborah Silcox, R-Sandy Springs) Would update the current crimes and offenses statutes related to HIV transmission. Specifically decriminalizes the unintentional transmission of HIV. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action HB 731 - Increase Excise Tax on Tobacco Products(Ron Stephens, R-Savannah) Would raise the tax on full-sized cigars from 23% of the wholesale cost price to 42%. Would raise the tax on a 20-pack of cigarettes from $0.37 cents per pack to $1.87 per pack. Would raise the tax on loose or smokeless tobacco from 10% of the wholesale cost price to 42%. [House Ways & Means Committee] No Action HB 745 - Georgia Dignity in Pregnancy and Childbirth Act("Able" Mable Thomas, D-Atlanta) Would mandate that every perinatal facility in Georgia implement an evidence based implicit bias program for all health care professionals involved in the perinatal care of patients. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action HB 746 - Women's Right to Immediate Access Act(Dar'shun Kendrick, D-Lithonia) Would amend the "Woman's Right to Know Act," by allowing a pregnant woman to decide not to review the materials provided by said Act, or to review the heartbeat or fetal monitoring as prescribed by the Act. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action HB 789 - Surprise Bill Rating System(Mark Newton, R-Augusta) Would provide for the creation of a surprise bill rating system and require insurers include hospital surprise bill ratings online and in print. [House Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care] No Action HB 800 - Out of State OBGyn Reimbursement (Sandra Scott, D-Rex) Would allow OBGyn providers in border states (within 50 miles) to be reimbursed by Medicaid at the same rate as in-state providers. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action HB 801 - Safe Patient Limits Act(Sandra Scott, D-Rex) Would limit the number of patients that may be assigned to a registered professional nurse in specified situations in hospitals. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action HB 809 - Prohibit Sale of Tobacco Products to Minors (Angelika Kausche, D-Johns Creek) Would prohibit the sale of tobacco products and tobacco related objects (i.e. vaping) to persons under 21 years of age. [House Regulated Industries Committee] No Action HB 813 - Medicaid Expansion Program(Donna McLeod, D-Lawrenceville) Would establish a Medicaid expansion program to provide health care coverage to uninsured individuals and allow for submission of a federal waiver request. [House Special Committee On Access to Quality Health Care] No Action HB 864 - Vaping Excise Tax (Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee) Would apply an excise tax on the sale of sale of vapor devices and consumable vapor products and would require licensure for persons dealing with vapor devices.[House Ways & Means] No Action HB 888 - Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act HB 909 - Age Increase on Cigarettes & Vaping Products(Sharon Cooper, R-Marietta) Would increase the age of the sale and distribution of tobacco and vaping products. Would also prohibit marijuana flavored products. No Action. HB 910 - Georgia Licensed Midwife Act(Karen Mathiak, R-Griffin) Would provide for the licensure and regulation of midwives and create Advisory Group for Licensed Midwives. Would also provide exceptions to the operation of "Georgia Registered Professional Nurse Practice Act" to allow for the practice of midwifery. No Action. HR 1083 - "Maternal Mortality in Georgia: An Epidemic for Black Women" ("Able" Mable Thomas, D-Atlanta) Would recognize the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys and the Georgia Association for Women Lawyers Legislative Day, "Maternal Mortality in Georgia: An Epidemic for Black Women," on February 6, 2020. House Read and Adopted
HB 577 - Working for Two (Park Cannon, D-Atlanta) Would require certain accommodations in the workplace for pregnant and postpartum women, including, but not be limited to, more frequent or longer breaks, time off to recover from childbirth, acquisition or modification of equipment, seating, temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position, job restructuring, light duty, break time and private non-bathroom space for expressing breast milk, assistance with manual labor, or modified work schedules. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No Action
(Lee Hawkins, R-Gainesville) Would provide protection for consumers from surprise medical bills. [House Special Committee On Access to Quality Health Care] No Action
Senate Legislation
SR 263 - Senate Emergency Medical Services Study Committee(Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga) Would establish a Senate study committee to conduct a review of emergency medical services safety standards, accreditation requirements, zoning for 9-1-1 response, and updates to the regulations and Title 31, relating to Georgia Code requirements for emergency medical services. [Senate Rules Committee] No Action SB 298 - Protections and Education for Minors Regarding Smoking & Vaping SB 303 - Georgia Right to Shop Act(Ben Watson, R-Savannah) Would provide for the disclosure of certain pricing information through insurer websites to allow consumers to compare prices on non-emergency healthcare services. [Senate Insurance & Labor Committee] No Action SB 307 - The Living Hope Home Act(Renee Unterman, R-Buford) Would provide supportive housing for pregnant and postpartum women up to 18 months after delivery. [Senate Health & Human Services Committee] No Action SB 324 - Pregnancy Medicaid Coverage to One Year(Jennifer Jordan, D-Atlanta) Would provide Medicaid coverage for pregnant women for a period of not less than 12 months after delivery. [Senate Appropriations Committee] No Action SB 327 - Workplace Break Time to Express Breast Milk(Zahra Karinshak, D-Duluth) Would require employers to provide reasonable break time to an employee who needs to express breast milk for her nursing child. [Senate Insurance & Labor Committee] No Action SB 330 - Peachcare Public Option Program(Sally Harrell, D-Atlanta) Would establish a Medicaid public option program to provide healthcare coverage to individuals not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or the PeachCare for Kids Program. [Senate Appropriations Committee] No Action SB 334 - Certified Community Midwife Act SB 339 - Medicaid Public Option Network(Sally Harrell, D-Atlanta) Would establish a Medicaid public option program to provide healthcare coverage to individuals not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or the PeachCare for Kids Program. [Senate Appropriations Committee] No Action SB 359 - Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act(Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome) Would provide for certain consumer protections against surprise billing and mechanisms to resolve payment disputes between insurers and out-of-network providers. [Senate Health & Human Services] No Action SB 372 - Public Health Updates(Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia) Would modernize, clarify, and update provisions relating to public health. For example, updating terminology related to sexually transmitted diseases and create an Office of Women's Health. No Action SR 545 - Birth Safety Awareness Day(Elena Parent, D-Atlanta) Would recognize March 16, 2020, as Birth Safety Awareness Day at the state capitol in recognition of Kason Choice and Robin Rohe-Oji, two children in recovery from severe birth injuries, and their families. Senate Read and Adopted
SB 4 - Lactation Room in Capitol Buildings(Jennifer Jordan, D-Atlanta) Would provide private lactation rooms in the Capitol building and Paul D. Coverdell Legislative Office Building. [SenateState Institutions and Property Committee] No Action
(Renee Unterman, R-Buford) Would increase penalties for selling vaping products to minors, set the age of purchase for all tobacco and vaping products to 21, and restrict certain flavors and marketing imagery as it pertains to the sale of tobacco and vaping products. [Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee] No Action
(Lester Jackson, D-Savannah) Would provide for the licensure and regulation of certified community midwives and create a Certified Community Midwife Board. [Senate Health & Human Services] No Action
SB 375 - Cigarettes and Tobacco Products Relating to Minors(Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga) Would provide penalties for people under the age of 21 for selling and distribution of vaping and nicotine products for people under the age of 21. Would also define vapor products. No Action
Helpful Reminder: 'No Action' means there has been no update since the last newsletter. 'SB' or 'HB' refer to Senate and House BILLS. 'SR' or 'HR' refer to Senate and House RESOLUTIONS. Bills are used to propose changes or additions to existing statutory law, while resolutions usually express legislative opinion or recognition on some matter and do not have the effect of law.