SB233: SB233 Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission; revise the subcommittees

The Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission is a state body created in Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 37-1-112) to study and shape behavioral health policy. This bill grows the commission from 24 to 30 members by adding new appointees focused on addiction recovery and intellectual and developmental disabilities, including a certified addiction recovery specialist, a family member of someone lost to overdose or fentanyl poisoning, a nonprofit addiction and recovery executive director, and representatives connected to intellectual and developmental disabilities. The bill also rewrites the commission's subcommittee structure (O.C.G.A. § 37-1-115), replacing the old Workforce and System Development subcommittee with one focused on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, while letting the chairperson add other subcommittees as needed. It extends the commission's scheduled repeal date from June 30, 2025 to December 31, 2026. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law.

• Increases the commission's membership from 24 to 30 people, adding new appointee categories for addiction recovery and intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Adds a certified addiction recovery specialist and an intellectual and developmental disabilities provider to the Governor's list of appointees.
• Adds a family member of a fentanyl or overdose victim and an intellectual and developmental disabilities advocacy leader to the Senate President's appointees.
• Adds an addiction and recovery nonprofit executive director and a parent or self-advocate for intellectual and developmental disabilities to the House Speaker's appointees.
• Replaces the Workforce and System Development subcommittee with an Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities subcommittee among the commission's five standing subcommittees.
• Extends the commission's automatic repeal date from June 30, 2025 to December 31, 2026, keeping it operating longer.

The change affects the members and future appointees of the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission, including the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, and Chief Justice who make appointments, as well as advocacy groups for addiction recovery and intellectual and developmental disabilities that gain new seats.

By adding voices from addiction recovery and intellectual and developmental disabilities communities and extending its life to December 2026, the commission continues shaping behavioral health policy recommendations that could later influence state laws, programs, and funding affecting Georgians with mental illness, addiction, or disabilities.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 37-1-112(a) to expand the commission from 24 to 30 members and specifies new appointee categories from the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 37-1-115 to restructure the five subcommittees, swapping Workforce and System Development for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and lets the chairperson appoint additional subcommittees.
• Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 37-1-116 to move the commission's automatic repeal date from June 30, 2025 to December 31, 2026.
• Section 4 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date 2025-05-14
2. 2025-05-14Act 294
3. 2025-05-14Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-07Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2025-03-27House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-03-20House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2025-03-11House Second Readers (House)

• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)Primary sponsor
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2025

   51 yea, 4 nay (1 not voting, 0 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #184

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   164 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 11 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #321

• behavioral health policy
• addiction recovery
• intellectual and developmental disabilities
• state commissions
• mental health