HR512: HR512 House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery; create

This resolution creates the House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery. Its preamble describes addiction as a widespread problem affecting families, workplaces, law enforcement, and communities across Georgia, citing costs to businesses and rising overdose death rates in both urban and rural counties. The committee would have 13 members: eight state representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House, plus five nonlegislative members including a representative from the Georgia Council for Recovery, a physician specializing in addiction treatment, someone who lost a family member to an overdose, a recovery organization staff member, and a certified peer specialist. The committee would study addiction conditions and needs in Georgia and recommend legislation or action. It can meet as needed, members receive standard state expense allowances, and the committee would be abolished on December 1, 2025, after filing a report with the Clerk of the House.

• Creates the House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery, made up of 13 members.
• Assigns the Speaker of the House to appoint eight legislative members and five nonlegislative citizen members with specific backgrounds in addiction and recovery.
• Directs the committee to study addiction-related conditions, needs, and problems in Georgia and recommend legislation or action.
• Sets expense allowances for legislative, state employee, and citizen members under existing Georgia code provisions, capped at five days unless extended.
• Requires the committee to file a report with the Clerk of the House before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, the five nonlegislative citizen appointees (including a physician, a recovery organization staffer, and a peer specialist), and more broadly Georgians affected by addiction, healthcare providers, law enforcement, educators, and business owners referenced in the resolution's findings.

The committee would give lawmakers a formal venue to gather input from doctors, recovery organizations, and families affected by overdose deaths, potentially shaping future addiction and recovery legislation in Georgia, though the resolution itself creates no new programs or funding beyond the study.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at 13: eight legislators and five specified nonlegislative citizen members, all appointed by the Speaker.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study addiction issues and recommend action or legislation it deems necessary.
• Paragraph (4) lets the chairperson call and schedule meetings as needed.
• Paragraph (5) sets member expense allowances under O.C.G.A. §§ 28-1-8 and 45-7-21, capped at five days unless extended, funded through House appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved findings or report to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee's abolishment date.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-03-10House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-03-06House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-04House Hopper (House)

• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)Primary sponsor
• Matthew Gambill (R, HD-015)
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-024)

• addiction recovery
• substance abuse
• public health
• legislative study committee
• overdose deaths