State Legislature Update
February 20, 2025

Today the Georgia General Assembly reached the halfway mark of its 40 day session with adjournment “sine die” set for Friday, April 4.

As usual, we are watching the bills at the Capitol which impact pediatrics—both our members’ and their practices and the children and adolescents you care for. The Chapter Legislative committee will meet regularly during the session to monitor these bills, and our lobbyists will be in the building every day. The Chapter legislative committee is chaired by Melinda Willingham, MD and is open to any Chapter member.

Here are the Chapter’s Legislative priorities for the 2025 session:

1. Protect current laws on childhood immunizations, including requirement for school attendance.
2. Strengthen the Georgia Medicaid program, and advocate for increased payment of 99213 & 99214 codes (with PCP Coalition).
3. Support injury prevention legislation, especially on gun safety to protect children & youth.
4. Protect the Medical Home and oppose unwise scope expansion efforts by non-physicians.
5. Improve the availability & accessibility of mental health services for children & youth.

Here are the issues and bills we’re watching closely now & the Chapter position on them:

1. Gun Safety: Rep. Michelle Au and Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver have introduced several position bills on gun safety (e.g. requiring safe storage) but none have been granted a hearing this far. (HB 1, HB 3, HB 79, and others.)
2. Medicaid rate increase: Together with our colleagues in the PCP Coalition (FM, IM, OB/Gyn and DO’s) we have advocating for a Medicaid rate increase in the 99213 and 99214 to 100% of 2024 Medicare. That would be about an 11% increase. HB 68 is the FY2026 budget bill. This bill is now in the House Appropriations Sub-committee on Health, chaired by Rep. Darlene Taylor of Thomasville.
3. Tort Reform: Gov. Brian Kemp has made this his #1 issue this session and we are very supportive of these efforts. SB 68 and SB 69 are the bills to accomplish this and SB 68 is slated to be on the Senate floor tomorrow.
4. Protecting State Immunization laws: At this point, no anti-vax bills have been introduced, but we are watchful. On the positive side, two pro-immunization bills have been introduced by two legislative leaders in the House. HB 173 & HB 218.
5. Other: Two bills have drawn our attention recently:
   1. Portable airway clearance devices (PACD), require in daycare facilities. HB 118. We oppose this requirement as CPR done by a certified person is the gold standard for assisting a child who is choking. While these devices may be useful in some situations, they are not FDA certified nor endorsed by the American Heart Association, “owners” of CPR. In House Education Committee.
   2. Medical cannabis for children with Autism: This bill seeks to rename “low THC oil” to “medical cannabis” but also strikes the provision in the current law that says that low THC oil can only be prescribed for children with autism over the age of 18. We oppose this bill as unduly expansive and unwise.

The Chapter’s Legislative Committee meets regularly during the session. To join, contact Joanna Caceres-Aponte at the Chapter office jcaceres-aponte@gaaap.org. If members have any policy or other questions, please contact the Chapter executive director, Rick Ward at rward@gaaap.org.

On the calendar…

June 12-15 | Pediatrics By the Sea; Amelia Island, Fl.