HB717: HB717 Medical Practice Act; regulation of the administration of psychedelic-assisted treatment and therapy; provide

Georgia currently has no specific licensing or safety rules for clinics that provide psychedelic-assisted treatment and therapy, such as ketamine infusions, beyond general medical practice law. This bill adds a new section to the Medical Practice Act (O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 34) that directs the Georgia Composite Medical Board to write detailed rules for these clinics by December 31, 2026, covering facility standards, provider competency, emergency protocols, recordkeeping, and advertising. Starting July 1, 2027, every clinic offering this treatment must be licensed by the board and renew that license every two years. The bill limits who can administer the treatment to certain licensed physicians, nurse anesthetists, anesthesiologist assistants, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants with specific training. Clinics must have hospital transfer arrangements and check the state's prescription drug monitoring database before treatment. Operating an unlicensed clinic becomes a felony punishable by one to five years in prison and a $1,000 to $5,000 fine.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 43-34-49) requiring the Georgia Composite Medical Board to write rules for psychedelic-assisted treatment clinics by December 31, 2026.
• Requires all such clinics to be licensed by the board starting July 1, 2027 and renew that license every two years.
• Limits who may administer the treatment to specific licensed providers, such as physicians, certified registered nurse anesthetists, anesthesiologist assistants, and certain nurse practitioners and physician assistants with airway management training.
• Requires clinics to have hospital transfer agreements and the ability to move a patient to emergency care quickly.
• Requires a check of the state's prescription drug monitoring database before treatment and reporting of the treatment to that database.
• Makes operating an unlicensed clinic a felony punishable by one to five years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $5,000.

Clinics and physicians offering psychedelic-assisted treatments like ketamine infusions, certified registered nurse anesthetists, anesthesiologist assistants, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who administer such treatment, hospitals asked to provide transfer agreements, and patients receiving this type of therapy in Georgia.

Patients seeking treatments like ketamine infusion therapy would gain new safety protections, including required emergency backup plans and provider training standards, while clinics would face licensing costs and rules for the first time, and unlicensed operation would carry serious criminal penalties.

• Subsection (a) defines 'clinic' and 'psychedelic-assisted treatment and therapy,' covering substances like ketamine that can cause hallucinations or altered perception.
• Subsection (b) requires the board to adopt rules by December 31, 2026 covering facility standards, provider competency, prescribing, recordkeeping, adverse event reporting, and advertising truthfulness.
• Subsection (d) requires clinic licensing starting July 1, 2027, with biennial renewal, background checks for new applicants, and denial of licenses not in the public interest.
• Subsection (e) requires clinics to have hospital affiliation or transfer agreements and immediate transfer capability for emergencies, and bars hospitals from unreasonably denying such agreements.
• Subsection (f) restricts who may administer the treatment to specific licensed and trained medical professionals.
• Subsection (g) requires checking and reporting to the state prescription drug monitoring database for every patient.
• Subsections (i) through (k) clarify the law does not authorize non-FDA-approved drugs and does not apply to hospital-affiliated clinics, approved clinical trials, or on-label FDA-approved drug use.
• Subsection (l) makes operating an unlicensed clinic a felony with one to five years imprisonment and a $1,000 to $5,000 fine.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-12Act 634
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-27House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-23Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-23Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-03-20Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)Primary sponsor
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)
• Karla Drenner (D, HD-085)
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)

1. FailedHouse voteMarch 3, 2026

   73 yea, 88 nay (4 not voting, 12 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #586

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2026

   159 yea, 8 nay (9 not voting, 1 absent)

   Reconsider: House Vote #601

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   155 yea, 8 nay (8 not voting, 6 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #650

4. PassedSenate voteMarch 23, 2026

   50 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #790

5. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2026

   153 yea, 3 nay (7 not voting, 13 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #776

• psychedelic therapy
• ketamine clinics
• medical licensing
• healthcare regulation
• Medical Practice Act