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House · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session

HB 185: Professions and businesses; repeal and reenact Chapter 11A, the Dietetics Practice Act

Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date

House Bill 185 rewrites Georgia's dietitian licensing law to create a new, separate license for nutritionists, sets detailed education and supervised-practice rules for both, and lets Georgia join a multistate dietitian licensing compact.

Read the full bill text

These buttons carry the bill's own text, not the summaries below. Copy for LLM, View as markdown, and Send to AI use the Markdown version: the text as filed, then the summaries under a heading that names them as ours. View raw is the text alone.

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 Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.

In plain language

Georgia currently licenses dietitians under the Dietetics Practice Act. This bill repeals that law and replaces it with the Dietetics and Nutrition Practices Act, which keeps licensed dietitians but adds a new, separate license for nutritionists who work with less complex medical conditions. It renames the licensing board the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians and Licensed Nutritionists, spells out detailed education, degree, supervised-practice-hour, and exam requirements for each license, and lays out grounds for discipline, protected professional titles, and exemptions (such as health coaches, religious counselors, and health food store employees) who can give general nutrition advice without a license. The bill also has Georgia join the multistate Dietitian Licensure Compact, letting dietitians licensed in other member states practice across state lines under certain conditions. It updates references to dietitians in several other Georgia laws (on malpractice affidavits, background checks, insurance, and torts) to also cover licensed nutritionists. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

What the bill does

  • Repeals and replaces Georgia's Dietetics Practice Act with a new law creating two license types: licensed dietitian and licensed nutritionist, each with different scopes of practice.
  • Renames the licensing board the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians and Licensed Nutritionists and sets its nine-member composition, including six dietitians, one public member, one nutritionist, and one physician.
  • Sets detailed education, degree, supervised-practice-hour (1,000 hours minimum), and examination requirements separately for dietitian and nutritionist licenses.
  • Authorizes the board to require criminal background checks, including fingerprinting through the Georgia Crime Information Center, for license applicants.
  • Lists grounds for refusing, suspending, or revoking a license and allows fines up to $500 per violation, plus creates a misdemeanor penalty for practicing or using protected titles without a license.
  • Enters Georgia into the interstate Dietitian Licensure Compact, letting dietitians licensed in other member states practice in Georgia under a compact privilege, and updates several other Georgia code sections to add 'licensed nutritionist' alongside 'dietitian.'

Who it affects

Licensed dietitians and the newly created licensed nutritionists in Georgia, applicants seeking either license, the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians and Licensed Nutritionists, hospitals and nursing homes, health food stores, health coaches and wellness educators who rely on the licensing exemptions, and other states participating in the interstate compact.

Why it matters

Georgians seeking nutrition guidance would see a new licensed nutritionist category alongside dietitians, with different scopes for treating complex versus noncomplex medical conditions. The compact could make it easier for out-of-state dietitians to practice in Georgia, while new licensing rules, background checks, and misdemeanor penalties for unlicensed practice affect who can legally call themselves a dietitian or nutritionist.

Key provisions

  • Code Section 43-11A-3 defines key terms including 'complex medical condition,' 'noncomplex medical condition,' 'medical nutrition therapy,' and distinguishes the practice of dietetics from the practice of nutrition.
  • Code Section 43-11A-10 sets licensure requirements: dietitians need a master's or doctoral degree, 1,000 supervised hours, and the registered dietitian exam; nutritionists need a related master's or doctoral degree, specific coursework, 1,000 supervised hours split across practice areas, and a certified nutrition specialist exam.
  • Code Section 43-11A-11 allows one-year, non-renewable provisional licenses for applicants who have completed education and supervised practice but not yet full licensure.
  • Code Section 43-11A-15 lets the board fine violators up to $500 per violation and suspend, revoke, or restrict licenses for offenses including fraud, felony convictions, or unprofessional conduct.
  • Code Section 43-11A-16 makes it a misdemeanor to use protected titles like 'licensed dietitian' or 'licensed nutritionist' without holding the corresponding license.
  • Code Section 43-11A-18 exempts certain people from licensure, including supervised students, military dietitians, other licensed healthcare providers doing nutrition therapy incidental to their practice, and health food store employees giving general nonmedical nutrition information.
  • Article 2 (Code Sections 43-11A-30 and 43-11A-31) enacts the Dietitian Licensure Compact, creating a multistate Compact Commission and letting Georgia-licensed dietitians and dietitians from other member states practice across state lines under a 'compact privilege.'
  • Part II amends Titles 9, 31, 33, 43, and 51 to add 'licensed nutritionist' next to existing references to dietitians in malpractice, background check, insurance, and tort statutes; Part III makes the Act effective upon the Governor's signature.

From the bill

“It is declared, therefore, to be the purpose of this chapter to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public by providing for the licensure of individuals engaged in the practices of dietetics and nutrition, including the provision of medical nutrition therapy.”

States the bill's stated purpose for licensing dietitians and nutritionists.

“Any individual violating the provisions of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Sets the criminal penalty for practicing or using protected titles without the required license.

“The purpose of this Compact is to facilitate interstate Practice of Dietetics with the goal of improving public access to dietetics services.”

Explains why Georgia is joining the multistate dietitian licensing compact.

Discussed in meetings (6)

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.

  1. Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee, February 5, 2026

    From 0:22:25 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would modernize a law that had not been updated in 32 years, add licensing pathways for qualified nutrition professionals, and limit required licensing to medical nutrition therapy. The sponsor said exemptions would allow coaches and trainers to give general healthy-eating advice without a license. The sponsor also said an interstate compact would help relocating professionals, particularly military spouses, work sooner while remaining subject to Georgia's practice rules. One committee member questioned naming a specific accrediting organization in law, arguing that other qualified organizations might emerge. A Georgia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics witness said the named organization was the only accreditor for dietetic internship programs. Discussion distinguished the compact's accreditation language from Georgia's licensing provisions. The witness said 11 states had joined the compact and 15 were proposing legislation that year. The witness also explained that the substitute replaced references to chronic and acute conditions with complex and non-complex care to clarify treatment boundaries. The committee approved the substitute with one member opposed.

  2. Senate Rules Committee, March 9, 2026

    From 0:19:05 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair said the bill would establish licensing for dietitians and nutritionists and that work on the proposal had been underway for about three years. The discussion also addressed who would carry the bill in the Senate. No vote was recorded.

  3. Senate Rules Committee, March 10, 2026

    From 0:10:07 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 185 would replace Georgia's older dietetics law and establish separate licenses for dietitians and nutritionists treating medical conditions. The sponsor distinguished that work from general wellness advice provided by coaches or personal trainers. The sponsor said the bill would also allow Georgia to join the dietitian licensure compact and update and expand the licensing board. The sponsor argued that these changes would protect patients, strengthen professional standards and improve access to nutrition care. No substantive questions were asked. The committee later unanimously approved including the bill on the floor calendar.

  4. Senate floor session, March 12, 2026 (legislative day 31)

    From 2:04:50 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 185 would modernize dietitian and nutritionist licensing, streamline applications and allow Georgia to join a nationwide licensing compact. The sponsor said the law had not been updated since 1994 and distinguished licensed medical nutrition therapy from general nutrition counseling that would not require a license. Another senator raised questions about administering telehealth provisions and dietitians’ work with pharmacists amid increased use of weight-loss drugs. Those concerns received no substantive answer in the discussion. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill 42 to 3.

  5. House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33)

    From 2:54:00 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor asked the House to agree to the Senate substitute for HB 185. The sponsor said Georgia’s dietetics licensing law had not been updated in more than 30 years and that the bill added licensing pathways for qualified nutrition therapists while narrowing licensing requirements to medical nutrition therapy used to treat chronic conditions. The sponsor said the Senate added language allowing Georgia to join an interstate compact, improving license portability and continuity of care and helping military families who move between states. With no questions, the House agreed to the Senate substitute, 155 to 8.

Status timeline

  1. 2026-05-11Effective Date
  2. 2026-05-11Act 436
  3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
  4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
  5. 2026-03-18House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
  6. 2026-03-12Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
  7. 2026-03-12Senate Third Read (Senate)
  8. 2026-02-06Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
Show full history (22 actions)
  1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
  2. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
  3. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)
  4. 2025-03-21Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
  5. 2025-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
  6. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
  7. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
  8. 2025-03-06House Third Readers (House)
  9. 2025-03-04House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
  10. 2025-02-27House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
  11. 2025-02-11House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
  12. 2025-02-03House Second Readers (House)
  13. 2025-01-30House First Readers (House)
  14. 2025-01-29House Hopper (House)

Sponsors

  • Ginny Ehrhart (R, HD-36)Primary sponsor
  • Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
  • Matt Brass (R, SD-6)

Votes

  1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

    171 yea, 2 nay (2 not voting, 5 excused)

    PASSAGE: House Vote #199

  2. PassedSenate voteMarch 12, 2026

    42 yea, 3 nay (4 not voting, 6 excused)

    PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #710

  3. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

    155 yea, 8 nay (4 not voting, 9 excused)

    Agree to Senate Substitute: House Vote #718

Topics

  • dietitian licensing
  • nutritionist licensing
  • medical nutrition therapy
  • interstate licensing compact
  • healthcare professional regulation

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