Keeping Current @ the Capitol - Week of February 15, 2021
Parental Leave Bill Passes Committee
House Bill 146, sponsored by Representative Houston Gaines (R - Athens), passed the House Health & Human Services (HHS) Committee last week. This bill would provide three weeks of paid parental leave to state employees for the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child. The bill is now expected to move on to the full House for a vote before being sent to the Senate for consideration. HMHBGA is in full support of this bill and will continue to monitor its progress.
To watch the committee hearing visit here (begins at 53:46).
Legislative Calendar Set Through March 1
The Legislative Calendar has been set through March 1 and is as follows:
- Tuesday, February 16: Legislative Day 17
- Wednesday, February 17: Legislative Day 18
- Thursday, February 18: Legislative Day 19
- Monday, February 22: Legislative Day 20
- Tuesday, February 23: Legislative Day 21
- Wednesday, February 24: Legislative Day 22
- Thursday, February 25: Legislative Day 23
- Friday, February 26: Legislative Day 24
- Monday March 1: Legislative Day 25
You can read the adjournment resolution here. Barring a suspension due to COVID-19, the Legislature is expected to continue through the regular 40-day session.
Advocacy in a Virtual World & Beyond
Join us on February 18 from 11AM-12:30PM. HMHBGA, in partnership with the March of Dimes, will hold an educational session (via Zoom) on how to advocate for maternal and infant health policies in a virtual age. Things may look different this year and we want to make sure advocates’ voices are being heard! Attendees will be equipped with the tools to uplift policy priorities that are important to them throughout the session.
You will also hear from legislators (pre-recorded) describing how they plan to address maternal and infant healthcare issues in 2021 and how these issues may impact Georgia’s families. Winners of the Charlotte Wilen Advocates of the Year Award will also be honored. This award is presented to legislators who made a tremendous difference in the lives of Georgia's mothers and infants through their efforts during the 2020 legislative session.
Panelists
Charlotte Wilen Advocates of the Year
Legislation to Watch
The items below are bills we are monitoring throughout the session related to maternal, infant, child, and general health. Legislation on this list is not necessarily endorsed by HMHBGA.
House Legislation
HB 9 - Telehealth Services in Schools
(Sandra Scott, D - Rex) Would require the Department of Education to develop guidelines for the use of telehealth services in public schools for mental health and behavioral health services. [House Education Committee] No update
HB 11 - 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 update
HB 38 - Repeal Sterilization Procedures
(Kim Schofield, D - Atlanta) Would repeal certain provisions related to the performance of reproductive sterilization procedures. No update
HB 41 - Health Benefit Plan Network Access and Adequacy Act
(Kim Schofield, D - Atlanta) Would increase consumer access to health care by improving network adequacy and under certain circumstances charge out-of-network services at in-network rates. No update
HB 49 - Mental Health Parity Act
(Shelly Hutchinson, D - Snellville) Would require mental health substance use services to be treated in line with other health insurance claims. [House Insurance Committee] No update
HB 54 - Menstrual Hygiene Education
(Debra Bazemore, D - South Fulton) Would provide instruction on best practices and risks associated with tampons during sex education and AIDS prevention instruction in core curriculum. [House Education Committee] No update
HB 57 - Breastfeeding in Penal Institutions
(Sandra Scott, D - Rex) Would provide policies for breast milk storage and the breastfeeding of a newborn, require prenatal and postpartum care, and require the provision of breast pumps in penal institutions. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No update
HB 58 - Georgia Women's Care Act
(Kim Schofield, D - Atlanta) Would revise provisions related to the arrests of pregnant women, require pregnancy testing upon detention, and enact delayed sentencing for postpartum female inmates. Now HB 377 (see below)
HB 72 - New Mothers Medicaid Expansion Act
(Carolyn Hugley, D - Columbus) Would extend Pregnancy Medicaid to 12 months after delivery. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No update
HB 96 - Presumption in Child Custody Cases
(Jasmine Clark, D - Lilburn) Would revise presumption in cases in which the custody of any child is at issue. [House Juvenile Justice Committee] No update
HB 146 - Paid Parental Leave for State Employees
(Houston Gaines, R - Athens) Would provide for three weeks of paid parental leave for eligible state employees and eligible local board of education employees following the birth, adoption or foster placement of a child. [House Health & Human Services Committee] Favorably Passed Committee
HB 154 - Protection of Children
(Bert Reeves, R - Marietta) Would strengthen, clarify, and update provisions relating to the protection of children, including foster children and adopted children. [House Juvenile Justice Committee] Favorably Passed Committee by Substitute
HB 163 - Medicaid Express Lane Eligibility
(Sharon Cooper, R - Marietta) Would implement express lane enrollment, which would automatically enroll and renew eligible children in Medicaid based on SNAP data. [House Health & Human Services Committee] Favorably Passed Committee by Substitute
HB 197 - Family Care Act Extension
(Regina Lewis-Ward, D - McDonough) Would extend the Family Care Act, which allows employees to use sick time to care for immediate family members, to 2025. [House Industry & Labor Committee] No update
HB 209 - Medicaid Expansion Program
(Donna McLeod, D - Lawrenceville) Would expand Medicaid coverage to eligible people up to 150% of the federal poverty line. [House Health & Human Services] No update
HB 215 - Telehealth Options Under Medicaid
(Mary Robichaux, D - Roswell) Would extend the use of temporary Medicaid telehealth options during the pandemic emergency to a permanent status. Would also provide certification and training to providers through telehealth options. [House Health & Human Services Committee] No update
HB 257 - Maternity Supportive Housing Act
(Ed Setzler, R - Acworth) Would provide registration of maternity supportive housing for pregnant women. [Health & Human Services Committee] No update
HB 287 - Tobacco and Vaping Education
(Bonnie Rich, R - Suwanee) Would include tobacco and vapor products in the course of instruction regarding alcohol and drugs required each year for all students in grades kindergarten through 12. [House Education Committee] Favorably Passed Committee
HB 307 - Georgia Telehealth Act
(Sharon Cooper, R - Marietta) Would authorize health care providers to provide telemedicine services from home and allows patients to receive telehealth services from home, work, or school. Introduced and assigned to House Health & Human Services Committee
HB 381 - Expanding Medicaid to Improve Health Outcomes for New Mothers Act
(Renitta Shannon, D - Decatur) Would extend Pregnancy Medicaid to 12 months after delivery. Introduced and assigned to House Health & Human Services Committee
HB 382 - Positive Alternatives for Pregnancy and Parenting Grant Program Repeal
(Renitta Shannon, D - Decatur) Would redirect public health funds from the Positive Alternatives for Pregnancy and Parenting Grant Program (Crisis Pregnancy Centers) to evidence-based programs. Introduced and assigned to House Health & Human Services Committee
HB 394 - Tobacco & Vaping Tax
(Ron Stephens, R - Savannah) Would raise the tobacco tax to $1.87 per pack and tax vaping products at 39% of the wholesale cost. Introduced and assigned to House Ways & Means Committee
HB 377 - Georgia Women's Care Act
(Kim Schofield, D - Atlanta) Would revise provisions related to the arrests of pregnant women, require pregnancy testing upon detention, and enact delayed sentencing for postpartum female inmates. Introduced and assigned to House Public Safety & Homeland Security Committee
HR 52 - Joint Study Committee on Lead Exposure
(Katie Dempsey, R - Rome) Would create a Joint Study Committee to study prevention of childhood lead exposure. Introduced and assigned to House Health & Human Services Committee
HR 78 - Racism Public Health Crisis
(Sandra Scott, D - Rex) Would declare racism a public health crisis in Georgia. Introduced and assigned to House Human Relations & Aging Committee
HR 131 - House Study Committee on Health in Georgia
(Karen Bennett, D - Stone Mountain) Would create a House Study Committee on Health, which will study various health conditions impacting Georgians. Introduced and assigned to House Health & Human Services Committee
Senate Legislation
SB 20 - Child Advocate Advisory Committee
(Chuck Payne, R - Dalton) Would revise the composition of the Child Advocate Advisory Committee to include a foster parent, a former foster child, and a court appointment special advocate (CASA). [Senate Education & Youth Committee; House Juvenile Justice Committee] Passed full Senate (48-0)
SB 55 - Georgia Family Medical Leave Act
(Gloria Butler, D - Stone Mountain) Would create a program to compensate wage loss sustained by any individual who is unable to work due to such individual's own sickness or injury, the sickness or injury of a family member, or the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a new child. [Senate Insurance & Labor Committee] No update
SB 83 - Medicaid Public Option
(Sally Harrell, D - Atlanta) Would provide for a Medicaid public option program to provide healthcare coverage to individuals not eligible for Medicare, Medicaid, or the PeachCare for Kids Program. Assigned to Senate Appropriations Committee
SB 91 - Feminine Hygiene Products to Students
(Donzella James, D - Atlanta) Would require boards of education to provide free feminine hygiene products to students. [Senate Education & Youth Committee] No update
SB 111 - Georgia Community Midwife Act
(Lester Jackson, D - Savannah) Would provide for the licensure and regulation of community midwives. Introduced and assigned to Senate Health & Human Services Committee
SB 116 - Maternity Supportive Housing Residences
(Randy Robertson, R - Cataula) Would provide for registration of maternity 3 supportive housing residences to provide housing for pregnant women. Introduced and assigned to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee
SB 170 - Home Childbirth
(Lester Jackson, D - Savannah) Would require health benefit policies to provide coverage for expenses incurred in home childbirth. Introduced
SR 42 - Family Medical Leave Fund
(Gloria Butler, D - Stone Mountain) Would create a Family Medical Leave Fund as a trust fund from which funds can be used to provide a program for individuals who need to take leave from work due to their own sickness or nonwork related injury, the sickness or injury of a family member, or the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Introduced and assigned to Senate Insurance & Labor Committee
Helpful Reminder
Red text notes any updates that have occurred since the last newsletter.
'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.
Project 236
Project 236 is an advocacy tool that can be used to understand the state of maternal and infant health in your legislative district! Outcomes include rates of preterm birth, low birthweight, infant mortality, and prenatal care inadequacy. In this age of virtual advocacy, we hope that this can be used as a way to advocate for improved maternal and infant health in your own backyard.
We encourage you to engage with your legislators on why investment in maternal and infant health is necessary for the health of Georgia's families. You can access the fact sheet for your district below.