SB131: SB131 Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce; Georgia Health Care Professionals Data System; establishment

Georgia law already requires health insurers and certain state health care entities to cover mental health and substance use treatment on par with physical health care. This bill sets up a new parity compliance review panel, housed within the existing Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, to collect and evaluate reports of possible violations of those parity requirements. The panel would include four state commissioners or their designees, two mental health clinicians, two senior executives from mental health facilities, and two mental health advocates appointed by legislative leaders. Health care providers would be required to report parity concerns using forms the panel develops, though the panel could not fine providers for failing to report. After reviewing complaints, the panel would recommend possible punitive action to the Insurance Commissioner or the commissioner of community health, depending on who is accused of violating the law. The bill also adds the panel as an advisory function tied to the coordinating council and repeals conflicting laws.

• Creates a new parity compliance review panel under O.C.G.A. § 37-2-12 to review complaints about mental health parity violations by insurers and state health care entities.
• Requires health care providers, including licensed professionals and hospitals, to report parity concerns using forms and schedules the panel develops.
• Bars the panel from imposing financial penalties on providers who fail to report a parity concern.
• Directs the panel to recommend punitive actions to the Insurance Commissioner for insurer violations and to the commissioner of community health for state entity violations.
• Adds the parity panel's oversight role to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council's duties and revises the council's membership and delegate rules under O.C.G.A. § 37-2-4.
• Authorizes the panel to create educational materials on mental health parity rights and complaint processes for consumers and providers.

Health insurers, state health care entities, mental health clinicians, hospitals and psychiatric or residential treatment facilities, the Insurance Commissioner's office, the Department of Community Health, and mental health advocates and executives appointed to the new panel.

Georgians who rely on mental health or substance use coverage would gain a formal channel, run through health care providers, to flag suspected parity violations by insurers or state programs, potentially leading to state-recommended penalties, though the bill creates no new fines for providers themselves.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 37-2-4 to add a member to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council and gives the council an advisory role over the new parity panel.
• Section 2 creates O.C.G.A. § 37-2-12, defining 'health care provider,' 'health insurer,' 'parity concerns,' and 'state health care entity' for purposes of the panel's work.
• Section 2 establishes the panel's membership: four state commissioners or designees plus eight appointed members including clinicians, facility executives, and advocates.
• Section 2 requires health care providers to report parity concerns and directs the panel to build a simple reporting process and evaluate submitted concerns.
• Section 2 directs the panel to recommend punitive action to the Insurance Commissioner or the commissioner of community health depending on who is accused of a violation.
• Section 2 authorizes the panel to create consumer and provider education materials on mental health parity rights, available in multiple languages and formats.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate)
2. 2025-04-02House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-04-02House Third Readers (House)
4. 2025-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
5. 2025-03-03House Second Readers (House)
6. 2025-02-28House First Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-27Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2025-02-27Senate Third Read (Senate)

• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)Primary sponsor
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 27, 2025

   49 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #102

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2025

   166 yea, 3 nay (2 not voting, 9 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #381

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 11 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute As Amended: Senate Vote #922

• mental health parity
• health insurance regulation
• behavioral health
• health care providers
• state health policy