HB471: HB471 Health; licensed general hospitals and birthing centers make available a water safety education video to parents or guardians of newborn infants; require

Georgia hospitals and birthing centers that deliver babies do not currently have a state requirement to educate new parents about water safety, such as drowning prevention. HB471 would add a new section to Georgia's hospital regulation law (O.C.G.A. § 31-7-24) requiring licensed general hospitals and birthing centers to show parents or guardians a water safety education video before the newborn is discharged. The video must be viewed onsite at the facility. Hospitals and birthing centers would also have to give parents a water safety education form, which the Department of Community Health will design. The bill borrows its definition of 'water safety education' from an existing Georgia education law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4). The Department of Community Health is directed to write the rules needed to carry out the requirement, and the bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new section to Georgia's hospital licensing law (O.C.G.A. § 31-7-24) requiring hospitals and birthing centers to show parents a water safety video before a newborn is discharged.
• Requires the video to be viewed onsite at the hospital or birthing center rather than at home or online only.
• Requires hospitals and birthing centers to give parents a water safety education form created by the Department of Community Health.
• Directs the Department of Community Health to adopt rules and regulations to implement the new requirement.
• Defines 'water safety education' by referencing the meaning already used in Georgia's school code (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4).
• Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with this new requirement.

Parents and guardians of newborn infants, licensed general hospitals, birthing centers, and the Department of Community Health, which must create the required form and write implementing rules.

New parents leaving the hospital would receive a short water safety video and a related form before taking their newborn home, adding a brief education step to discharge that hospitals and birthing centers must build into their routines statewide.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 31-7-24 to Georgia's hospital regulation law, covering licensed general hospitals and birthing centers.
• Subsection (a) defines 'water safety education' by cross-referencing the definition already used in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4.
• Subsection (b)(1) requires the water safety video to be shown onsite to a newborn's parent or guardian before hospital discharge.
• Subsection (b)(2) requires hospitals and birthing centers to give parents a water safety education form developed by the Department of Community Health.
• Subsection (c) directs the Department of Community Health to create rules and regulations to implement the requirement.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-19Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
3. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
4. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)
5. 2025-03-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2025-03-21Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)

• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)Primary sponsor
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-024)
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #262

• hospital regulations
• newborn health
• water safety
• child drowning prevention
• birthing centers