Here is your recap of the seventh week of the 2023 legislative session in Georgia.
– Lawmakers are continuing their rush to move legislation as they concluded Day 23 on Thursday, with Crossover Day coming up on Monday, March 6.
– A bill to create a $6,000 scholarship account that could be used for private school tuition or other educational expenses was introduced in the Senate. Senate Bill 233 is sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming.
– The Senate Regulated Industries Committee advanced two bills to reform Certificate of Need laws on Tuesday. Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, would remove CON requirements for rural acute care hospitals. Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson, R-Savannah, would replace the state’s CON requirement for new health facilities and services with a special health care services license. Both bills advanced to the Senate Rules Committee.
– The Foundation’s Chris Denson provided testimony in support of eliminating the state’s certificate of need requirement during the hearing this week.
– House Bill 557, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, would expand prescription authority for physician assistants (PAs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) while also expediting the process to enter into an agreement with a supervising physician.
– Rep. Dale Washburn, R-Macon, introduced two housing bills this week to address issues that were discussed during the House Study Committee on Regulation, Affordability and Access to Housing. House Bill 517 would prohibit local governments from implementing or enforcing aesthetic design standards, while House Bill 514 would reduce bans on local zoning moratoriums for no more than 180 days.
– Sports betting is working its way through the Senate. This week the Senate Economic Development Committee approved Senate Bill 57, sponsored by Sen. Billy Hickman, R-Statesboro, which would allow sports betting both online and in person at kiosks. The Georgia Lottery Corporation would oversee sports betting, and, according to bill supporters, implementing this change would not require a constitutional amendment. The issue of a new constitutional amendment to address this issue has been and remains a sticking point.
– Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, would allow a student to serve as an advisory member of the State Board of Education and local boards. This legislation was approved by the Senate Education and Youth Committee.
– House Bill 445, sponsored by Rep. Karen Mathiak, R-Griffin, would allow certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) to work pursuant to an order from a physician, rather than under direct supervision of a physician. Under current law, surgeons often fulfill the requirement and provide onsite supervision despite a lack of anesthesiology training.
– Senate Bill 102, sponsored by Sen. Larry Walker, R-Perry, which would allow CRNAs to work pursuant to an order from a physician, rather than under direct supervision of a physician, failed to make it out of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
The Babylon Bee’s Seth Dillon will be the keynote speaker for our upcoming Georgia Freedom Dinner on April 25. You don’t want to miss this! Get your tickets now.
