Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 1446: Health; transfer responsibility for oversight of emergency medical services from Department of Public Health to Georgia Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Council
Last action March 6, 2026 · House Reconsidered
HB1446 would move oversight of Georgia's ambulance services, EMS personnel licensing, stroke center certification, and cardiac care designations from the Department of Public Health to a newly structured Georgia Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Council.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Right now the Department of Public Health regulates ambulance providers, certifies EMS personnel like paramedics and cardiac technicians, designates stroke centers, and runs the Office of Cardiac Care. This bill rewrites Chapter 11 of Title 31 of Georgia's code to shift almost all of that authority to the Georgia Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Council, a body made up of regional EMS representatives and gubernatorial and legislative appointees. The council would take over licensing ambulance providers, certifying EMTs and paramedics, designating EMS regions, overseeing regional advisory councils (REMSACs), certifying stroke centers, and absorbing the Office of Cardiac Care and its staff. The bill transfers existing contracts, employees, property, rules, and pending licenses from the Department of Public Health to the new council so nothing lapses during the changeover. It also updates terminology throughout Georgia law, replacing "ambulance service" with "ambulance provider" in multiple code sections, and revises rules on automated external defibrillators and appeals procedures. Most provisions take effect January 1, 2028, except the section establishing the council itself, which takes effect July 1, 2027 so appointments can happen first.
What the bill does
- Creates the Georgia Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Council and transfers the Department of Public Health's authority over ambulance licensing and EMS personnel certification to it, effective January 1, 2028.
- Moves responsibility for designating and certifying stroke centers, and for the Office of Cardiac Care and its staff, from the Department of Public Health to the new council.
- Shifts responsibility for designating and contracting with regional EMS advisory councils (REMSACs) from the Board of Public Health to the Board of Community Health.
- Transfers existing employees, contracts, leases, agreements, and state property related to EMS functions from the Department of Public Health to the council so services continue without interruption.
- Revises rules for automated external defibrillators, including removing outdated department-run training requirements and instead recommending nationally recognized training providers.
- Updates appeal procedures for license suspensions or revocations, directing appeals to superior court under a new Code section instead of the old administrative process.
Who it affects
Ambulance providers and their owners, EMTs, paramedics, cardiac technicians, and first responders; hospitals seeking stroke center or cardiac care center designation; regional EMS advisory councils; the Department of Public Health and Department of Community Health; and patients who rely on 911 ambulance response and stroke or cardiac emergency care.
Why it matters
Georgians who call 911 for an ambulance, stroke, or cardiac emergency would still get the same basic system, but the agency setting rules, issuing licenses, hearing appeals, and certifying hospitals as stroke or cardiac centers would change, potentially altering how quickly rules, complaints, or hospital certifications get handled.
Key provisions
- Section 1-1 repeals and replaces Article 1 of Chapter 11, Title 31 with new definitions, legislative findings, and the council's structure, powers, and meeting requirements (new Code Sections 31-11-1 through 31-11-21).
- New Code Section 31-11-5 sets the council's membership: one member from each REMSAC, one private ambulance provider representative, and three members appointed respectively by the Governor, House Speaker, and Senate President; effective July 1, 2027.
- New Code Section 31-11-9 has the council establish EMS regions succeeding the Department of Public Health's former health districts starting January 1, 2028.
- New Code Section 31-11-14 lets the council impose fines for noncompliance and treats enforcement actions as contested cases under the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.
- New Code Section 31-11-17 creates a unified appeals process to superior court for council decisions, replacing older separate appeal procedures scattered across the chapter.
- Part VI transfers stroke center identification, certification, and grant programs (Code Sections 31-11-112 through 31-11-119) from the department to the council.
- Part VII moves the Office of Cardiac Care and its designation criteria for Level I, II, and III cardiac care centers (Code Section 31-11-132) into the council.
- Section 9-1 sets the Act's effective date as January 1, 2028, except the council's creation under Code Section 31-11-5, which takes effect July 1, 2027.
From the bill
“There is established the Georgia Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Council, which shall be assigned to the department for administrative purposes only, as provided in Code Section 50-4-3.”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Regulated Industries Committee, March 2, 2026
From 0:32:55 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1446 would move state emergency medical services oversight from the Department of Public Health to a new council administratively attached to the Department of Community Health. The council would assume regulatory duties, staff and trauma-center designation, while the trauma commission would remain with Public Health. The sponsor said EMS officials viewed Community Health as a better fit and reported missed opportunities, including grants. The sponsor described Public Health as neutral and acknowledged Community Health's concerns about taking on the work. The sponsor clarified that council-formation provisions would begin July 1, 2027, with duties transferring January 1, 2028. Asked about membership, the sponsor said appointments would draw largely from regional EMS councils, include a private ambulance representative, and include appointments by the House speaker and Senate president. The sponsor was open to more private-provider representation. Members also questioned defibrillator-training language; the sponsor said nationally recognized training was already in law but could not fully explain an adjacent change. The sponsor said the council would follow the Administrative Procedure Act and court appeals would be heard where disputes arose. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote, with no count stated.
House Rules Committee, March 5, 2026
From 0:46:04 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2013
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 1446 on the floor calendar without opposition. There was no presentation or substantive discussion.
House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, AM)
From 2:10:27 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2045
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 1446 would move EMS oversight from the Department of Public Health to a new EMS and Trauma Council, administratively assigned to the Department of Community Health, giving service providers more involvement. The sponsor said it would not change substantive standards or hospital designation processes. Members questioned the speed of consideration and private-provider representation. The sponsor acknowledged unresolved concerns and promised further work. Asked about infant CPR training, the sponsor said the bill did not directly address it. One member said a subcommittee had thoroughly examined the proposal. An opposing member with 40 years of paramedic experience urged delay, citing concerns about service territories, regional governance, accountability and coordination with hospitals. Another member with EMS experience said consultation was insufficient. A supporting member compared the proposal to separate standards bodies for police and firefighters. The sponsor said regional council representatives would provide additional private-provider participation. The House adopted the committee substitute, but passage failed 52 to 114. The House then approved reconsideration 107 to 62. The chair said further work could occur that day, but no second passage vote appears before recess.
Status timeline
- House Reconsidered (House)
- House Third Reading Lost (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
- Bruce Williamson (R, HD-112)
- Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
- Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)
Votes
- House voteMarch 6, 2026
52 yea, 114 nay (4 not voting, 7 excused)
- House voteMarch 6, 2026
107 yea, 62 nay (2 not voting, 6 excused)
Topics
- emergency medical services
- ambulance regulation
- stroke centers
- cardiac care
- state agency reorganization