SB307: SB307 Physicians, Assistants; continuing education requirements for all physicians to include one hour on maternal health; provide

Georgia law already requires physicians to complete continuing education and training to keep their medical licenses current. This bill adds a new specific requirement to that existing law: physicians must spend at least one hour of their continuing education on maternal health. The bill amends O.C.G.A. § 43-34-11, the section of Georgia law covering physician continuing education and required training, by adding a new paragraph. That paragraph says that starting January 1, 2026, all physicians must receive one hour of education covering preventive and emergency care for pregnant and postpartum mothers as part of their existing continuing education obligations. The bill does not create a new licensing board process or separate certification; it folds the requirement into the continuing education physicians already have to complete.

• Adds a new maternal health training requirement to Georgia's physician continuing education law (O.C.G.A. § 43-34-11).
• Requires all physicians, not just obstetricians, to complete one hour of education on maternal health as part of their existing continuing education.
• Specifies the training must cover preventive and emergency care for pregnant and postpartum mothers.
• Sets the requirement to begin on and after January 1, 2026.
• Repeals any conflicting Georgia laws so this requirement takes precedence over inconsistent existing rules.

All physicians licensed in Georgia, regardless of specialty, since the requirement applies broadly rather than only to obstetricians or gynecologists. The Georgia Composite Medical Board, which oversees physician licensing and continuing education compliance, would also be affected in enforcing the new requirement.

Physicians across all specialties, including those who rarely treat pregnant patients, would need to build one hour of maternal health training into their existing continuing education schedule. This could mean more physicians recognize warning signs of pregnancy-related complications in patients they encounter.

• Section 1 amends Code Section 43-34-11 by adding paragraph (7) to subsection (a), creating the new maternal health training requirement.
• The new requirement covers 'preventive and emergency care of pregnant and postpartum mothers' as the required training content.
• The requirement applies to 'all physicians,' not a subset defined by specialty.
• The requirement takes effect 'on and after January 1, 2026.'
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard clause ensuring this provision overrides inconsistent existing statutes.

1. 2025-02-28Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-02-27Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)Primary sponsor
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)

• maternal health
• physician licensing
• continuing education
• medical training