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

25 LC 46 1235S The House Committee on Health offers the following substitute to HR 512: A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic an d Solutions for1 Recovery; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, millions of Americans, including both adults and child ren, are impacted by3 addiction to alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs, sex, gamb ling, and the internet and4 modern technology; and5 WHEREAS, there are three main addiction types: physical addiction, behavioral addiction,6 and impulse control disorders; and7 WHEREAS, there are two main groups of addiction: substance addi ctions (substance use8 disorders) and nonsubstance addictions (behavioral addictions); and9 WHEREAS, there are six major stages of addiction: initial use o r exposure, misuse,10 tolerance, dependence, addiction, and setbacks; and11 WHEREAS, addiction costs business owners over $750 billion each year in lost revenue,12 profits, productivity, and healthcare costs; and13 H. R. 512 (SUB) - 1 - 25 LC 46 1235S WHEREAS, over 7 percent of divorces in the United States result from addiction; and14 WHEREAS, the rate of drug overdose deaths is 28.6 per 100,000 s tandard population in15 urban counties and 26.2 per 100,000 standard population in rural counties; and16 WHEREAS, every community in Georgia is experiencing rising costs, academic challenges,17 threats to law enforcement officers and first responders, impac ts on marriages, and18 challenges for business owners and the workforce arising from the addiction epidemic; and19 WHEREAS, Georgia should promote programs and protocols for healthcare providers, law20 enforcement officers and first responders, education leaders, faith leaders, business leaders,21 and local governments to better address the addiction epidemic; and22 WHEREAS, it would be beneficial for policymakers to study the c urrent addiction23 challenges and the potential sources of help for addiction in Georgia, anticipate challenges24 and needs policymakers should reasonably expect Georgians to face in the future, improve25 educational programs for both professional and volunteer groups and agencies to better26 address the addiction epidemic, to enhance collaboration and in tegration between27 professional and volunteer groups and agencies, and ensure that Georgians who face28 addiction now and in the future have access to necessary and effective resources to support29 recovery.30 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:31 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee32 on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery.33 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of 13 members to be34 appointed as follows:35 H. R. 512 (SUB) - 2 - 25 LC 46 1235S (A) Eight members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the36 House of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a legisla tive member of the37 committee as chairperson of the committee.38 (B) Five nonlegislative members appointed by the Speaker of th e House of39 Representatives, which shall include:40 (i) A citizen representative from the Georgia Council for Recovery;41 (ii) A citizen representative who practices medicine as an ind ependent physician42 whose specialty includes the treatment of addiction and dual diagnosis;43 (iii) A citizen representative who has lost a family member to an overdose; 44 (iv) A citizen representative who serves as a staff member of a recovery community45 organization in Georgia; and46 (v) A citizen who is a peer certified specialist.47 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,48 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or49 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.50 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee51 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or52 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and53 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.54 (5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.55 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided56 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.57 (B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,58 or who are state employees, shall receive no compensation for t heir services on the59 committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the60 performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they61 are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.62 H. R. 512 (SUB) - 3 - 25 LC 46 1235S (C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state of ficials, or state63 employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that64 specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Offi cial Code of Georgia65 Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance a uthorized for state66 employees.67 (D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member68 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds69 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds70 appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement71 of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative memb ers, and for the72 reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated73 to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.74 (6) Report.75 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that76 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the77 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to78 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.79 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for80 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)81 of this paragraph.82 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of83 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.84 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with85 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.86 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the87 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu88 thereof.89 H. R. 512 (SUB) - 4 - 25 LC 46 1235S (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.90 H. R. 512 (SUB) - 5 -