On Monday, February 9, we returned to the State Capitol to kick off the fifth week of the legislative session. We passed and adopted a total of 23 bills and resolutions. As the legislative session continues, our days on the House floor will get busier and longer as we work toward the critical deadline of Crossover Day, which marks the final opportunity for bills and resolutions to pass out of their originating chamber and remain eligible to be signed into law during this legislative session.
Notable legislation from week five includes:
- House Bill 657 – Certified Peer Specialists and Recovery Community Organizations (Passed by the House)
- Formally defines certified peer specialists in state law as individuals with lived experience who are trained to support those receiving mental health or substance use recovery services.
- Requires certification through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD).
- Establishes standards for recovery community organizations (RCOs), including nonprofit status, recovery-focused mission, majority-recovery governing boards, and employment of certified peer specialists.
- Requires RCOs to support all pathways to recovery, including medication-assisted treatment and harm reduction.
- Standardizes peer support services while protecting the integrity of Georgia’s community-based recovery programs.
- Senate Bill 162 – Medical Licensing and Credentialing Modernization (Passed unanimously by the House)
- Requires the Georgia Composite Medical Board to implement an automated licensing data management system.
- Applies to physicians, physician assistants and anesthesiologist assistants.
- Establishes a single statewide verification process to reduce duplicative credentialing.
- Mirrors a successful one-time credentialing model developed at Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia.
- Aims to reduce administrative backlogs and improve healthcare access, especially in rural communities.
- Would be fully operational by January 1, 2027.
- House Bill 383 – High School NIL Protections (Passed unanimously by the House)
- Regulates Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) compensation for Georgia high school student athletes.
- Provides automatic expiration of NIL contracts upon graduation or withdrawal.
- Allows student athletes to obtain professional representation.
- Requires schools to provide written notice regarding potential impact on collegiate eligibility.
- Prohibits NIL deals used as recruitment incentives, use of school logos, in-game promotions and endorsement of restricted or adult products.
- Establishes guardrails to prevent exploitation while expanding student opportunities.
- House Bill 907 – Completion Special Schools Updates (Passed unanimously by the House)
- Revises procedures under the Completion Special Schools Act.
- Requires updated program descriptions to local school systems twice annually.
- Requires resident school systems to share completion school information with students and parents.
- Allows sharing of contact information for students who withdraw to improve outreach.
- Permits parents or guardians to directly enroll students in credit recovery and intervention programs.
- Establishes transition procedures when new completion special schools open.
- Aligns with funding in House Bill 973 (AFY 2026 budget), including $1.7 million for a new completion special school in the Columbus region.
- Senate Bill 195 – Expanded Access to HIV Prevention Medications (Passed by the House)
- Authorizes pharmacists to dispense PrEP and PEP under specified conditions.
- Allows a 30-day supply, with up to 90 days after completion of required training.
- Requires physician protocol agreements for long-acting injectables.
- Mandates notification to a patient’s primary care provider and documentation of services.
- Establishes oversight safeguards and penalties for noncompliance.
- Expands access to HIV prevention, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
- House Bill 903 – Administrative Procedures Act Clarification (Passed with bipartisan support)
- Clarifies that all executive branch agencies must comply with the Georgia Administrative Procedures Act when adopting certain rules.
- Subjects boards, commissioners, departments and public authorities to consistent rulemaking procedures.
- Reinforces transparency, public notice requirements and legislative oversight.
- House Bill 117 – Imported Shrimp Disclosure (Final passage; sent to governor)
- Requires food service establishments to disclose when serving imported foreign shrimp.
- Supports Georgia’s coastal economy and seafood heritage.
- House Bill 414 – State Ethics Commission Authority (Final passage; sent to governor)
- Authorizes the State Ethics Commission to request documents from individuals located outside Georgia.
- Allows petition to a superior court if a person refuses to comply.
Additional legislation passed during week five includes:
- House Bill 57 – Adds step-grandparent and step-grandchild to prohibited sexual relationship statutes.
- House Bill 632 – Revises disabled veterans’ occupation tax exemptions and updates definitions related to blindness eligibility.
- House Bill 676 – Imposes a $1,500 fine per frivolous mechanics lien filed.
- House Bill 944 – Updates the definition of “present regulations” for motor vehicles to January 1, 2026.
- House Bill 948 – Requires foreclosure notices to inform mortgagors of surplus funds claim rights.
- House Bill 957 – Defines “miniature on-road vehicle” and outlines regulatory standards and emission exemptions.
- House Bill 983 – Revises prescribed burning definitions and allows additional local notice requirements without restricting the practice.
- House Bill 986 – Updates safety standards and speed limits for personal delivery devices.
- House Bill 998 – Extends rate-of-return regulation option for Tier 2 local exchange companies until August 1, 2026.
- House Bill 1015 – Revises funding thresholds for the Georgia Self-Insurers Guaranty Trust Fund.
- House Bill 1215 – Increases superior court judges in the Middle Judicial Circuit from two to three, effective January 1, 2027.
- House Resolution 251 – Proposes a constitutional amendment to require nonpartisan elections for probate judges.
- House Resolution 999 – Urges recognition of America’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.
- House Resolution 1050 – Conveyance resolution for state-owned properties in 11 counties.
- House Resolution 1051 – Authorizes easements over state-owned properties in 22 Georgia counties and one Tennessee county.
In the coming weeks, the House’s work will be fast-paced leading to Crossover Day. Please feel free to reach out to me regarding issues that are being considered under the Gold Dome as we move through the remainder of the 2026 legislative session. You may contact me by email at dale.washburn@house.ga.gov or by phone at 404-656-0152.
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