HB884: HB884 Public Health, Department of; establish grant program for perinatal facilities to increase availability of obstetric care in low access maternity care areas and deserts

25 LC 52 0822 House Bill 884 By: Representatives Cannon of the 58th, Schofield of the 63rd, Hugley of the 141st, Bennett of the 94th, and Smith of the 18th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the1 Department of Public Health, so as to establish a grant program for perinatal facilities to2 increase the availability of obstetric care in low access to maternity care areas and maternity3 care deserts; to provide for definitions; to provide for appropriations and funding; to provide4 for reporting; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to provide5 for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department9 of Public Health, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:10 "ARTICLE 411 31-2A-70.12 As used in this article, the term:13 (1) 'Department' means the Department of Public Health.14 H. B. 884 - 1 - 25 LC 52 0822 (2) 'Low access to maternity care area' means a county in this state that has limited15 access to maternity care services, as evidenced by having only one hospital or birth16 center offering obstetric care, fewer than 60 obstetric providers per 10,000 births, or 1017 percent or more reproductive aged women without health insurance.18 (3) 'Maternity care desert' means a county in this state that has no hospitals or birth19 centers offering obstetric care or no obstetric providers.20 (4) 'Obstetric care' means the management of low-risk, moderat e-risk, and high-risk21 pregnancies, including labor, delivery, and the postpartum period.22 (5) 'Obstetric provider' means a licensed obstetrician-gynecol ogist, a licensed family23 physician who delivers babies, a certified nurse midwife, or a licensed nurse practitioner24 who delivers babies.25 (6) 'Perinatal facility' means a hospital, clinic, or birthing center that provides maternal26 or neonatal healthcare services.27 31-2A-71.28 (a) The department shall establish a grant program for perinatal facilities in low access to29 maternity care areas and maternity care deserts to use for:30 (1) The recruitment and retention of obstetric providers;31 (2) Facility upgrades of obstetric units that are related to o bstetric care, equipment32 purchases that are related to obstetric care, and the establishment of obstetric units; and33 (3) Partnerships with larger medical centers to offer training, resources, and support for34 obstetric care and obstetric providers.35 (b) The department shall establish criteria, implement an application process, and award36 grants consistent with the provisions of this Code section.37 (c) The grant program established pursuant to this article sha ll be contingent upon the38 appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for the purposes of this article in annual39 appropriations Acts of the General Assembly.40 H. B. 884 - 2 - 25 LC 52 0822 31-2A-72.41 (a) The department shall be authorized to accept donations, contributions, and gifts and to42 receive, hold, and use grants, devises, and bequests of real, personal, and mixed property43 on behalf of the state to enable the department to carry out the functions and purposes of44 this article.45 (b) The department shall be authorized to pursue federal fundi ng opportunities and46 collaborations with private entities, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic47 organizations to fund the grant program established pursuant to this article.48 31-2A-73.49 (a) The department shall prepare and submit an annual report t o the Governor, the50 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons51 of the House Committee on Public Health and the Senate Committee on Health and Human52 Services for distribution to its committee members. Such repor t shall evaluate the53 effectiveness of the grant program established pursuant to this article, including indicating54 the total number of perinatal facilities that applied for the grant program, the total number55 of such facilities that were awarded grants, and the amount of each grant awarded to each56 perinatal facility.57 (b) The department shall biennially make recommendations to the General Assembly on58 the continuation or discontinuation of the grant program established pursuant to this article59 and improvements to such program in the annual report provided for in subsection (a) of60 this Code section.61 31-2A-74.62 The department shall adopt such rules and regulations as are reasonable and necessary to63 implement the provisions of this article."64 H. B. 884 - 3 - 25 LC 52 0822 SECTION 2.65 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law66 without such approval.67 SECTION 3.68 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.69 H. B. 884 - 4 -