HR593: HR593 House Study Committee on Maternal, Prenatal, and Pediatric Care Access and Funding; create

This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Maternal, Prenatal, and Pediatric Care Access and Funding. The preamble notes that Georgia ranks 49th in the nation in maternal deaths and that funding for health care facilities and providers varies significantly by region, affecting access to care for mothers, infants, and children. The five-member committee would be appointed by the Speaker of the House, who also names its chairperson. The committee is directed to study barriers to maternal, prenatal, and pediatric care, look for additional funding sources, identify workforce and infrastructure needs, and recommend solutions or legislation. It must hold at least two meetings in a county with a rural hospital organization. Members can receive standard legislative allowances for up to five days of work, paid from House funds. The committee must file any approved report before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Maternal, Prenatal, and Pediatric Care Access and Funding, made up of five House members appointed by the Speaker.
• Directs the committee to study barriers to maternal, prenatal, and pediatric health care access and explore new funding sources.
• Requires at least two committee meetings to take place in a county with a rural hospital organization as defined in O.C.G.A. § 31-8-9.1.
• Allows legislative members to receive standard daily allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days, funded through the House of Representatives' budget.
• Requires any approved findings or legislative recommendations to be filed as a report with the Clerk of the House before the committee dissolves.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2025.

The resolution affects House members appointed to the study committee, the Speaker of the House who selects them, and indirectly Georgia mothers, infants, children, health care providers, and rural hospitals whose funding and access challenges the committee would examine.

The committee's findings could shape future legislation on funding and access to maternal, prenatal, and pediatric care in Georgia, especially in rural areas where hospital resources are limited. No new laws or funding are created now, only a process for studying the issue.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the House Study Committee on Maternal, Prenatal, and Pediatric Care Access and Funding.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at five House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying access barriers, funding sources, and workforce and infrastructure needs, and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (4) requires at least two meetings in a county with a rural hospital organization, as defined in O.C.G.A. § 31-8-9.1.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless extended, funded from House appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report or recommendations to be filed with the Clerk of the House before abolishment, or meeting minutes if no report is approved.
• Paragraph (7) sets the committee's abolishment date as December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
3. 2025-03-20House Second Readers (House)
4. 2025-03-18House First Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-13House Hopper (House)

• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)Primary sponsor
• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)

• maternal health
• pediatric care
• rural hospitals
• health care funding
• legislative study committee