SR344: SR344 Senate Study Committee on a Single-payer Healthcare Program; create

Georgia has not expanded Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, and this resolution notes that leaves nearly 300,000 Georgians uninsured. Rather than changing any law directly, the resolution sets up a study group, the Senate Study Committee on a Single-payer Healthcare Program, to look into whether Georgia should adopt a single-payer healthcare system, in which one entity (typically government) pays for most or all healthcare costs instead of private insurers. The committee would include five senators appointed by the President of the Senate plus the commissioners of public health, community health, and behavioral health and developmental disabilities (or their designees). It can meet as needed, and legislative members get standard travel allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8. The committee must file a report of any findings or proposed legislation before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on a Single-payer Healthcare Program to study the idea rather than enacting any healthcare program itself.
• Sets the committee's membership at five senators plus three state health commissioners or their designees, with the Senate President choosing the chairperson.
• Directs the committee to study healthcare conditions and needs and recommend any legislation it thinks is necessary.
• Provides legislative members standard per diem and travel allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five paid days unless extended.
• Requires the committee to file a report or, if none is approved, meeting minutes with the Secretary of the Senate before it disbands.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2025.

The resolution affects the five senators and three state health commissioners (or designees) who would serve on the committee, and indirectly Georgians without health insurance, whose situation the committee would study as it considers single-payer healthcare proposals.

No law changes immediately; the resolution only sets up a group to study single-payer healthcare and report findings. Any real change to how Georgians get or pay for healthcare would depend on legislation the committee might recommend after its study ends in December 2025.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Study Committee on a Single-payer Healthcare Program.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership: five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, plus the commissioners of public health, community health, and behavioral health and developmental disabilities or their designees.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study healthcare issues and recommend any needed action or legislation.
• Paragraph (4) lets the chairperson call meetings at any time or place needed to carry out the study.
• Paragraph (5) sets pay and reimbursement rules, funded through Senate appropriations, and caps paid allowance days at five unless extended.
• Paragraph (6) requires a report (or minutes if no report is approved) to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-03-04Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)Primary sponsor
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)

• single-payer healthcare
• Medicaid expansion
• health insurance
• legislative study committee
• healthcare policy