HB 645: Health; COVID-19 testing of staff members in long term-care facilities; repeal certain provisions

Georgia law currently includes a section requiring SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) testing for residents and staff in long-term care facilities, found in O.C.G.A. § 31-7-12.6. This bill repeals that section entirely and reserves the code number, meaning the testing mandate would no longer exist in Georgia law. The bill also changes a separate provision on flu vaccinations in long-term care facilities, O.C.G.A. § 31-7-18. That section currently applies to people age 50 and older; the bill lowers the threshold to age 18, expanding who the influenza vaccination provisions cover. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a specific delayed effective date, so it would take effect under Georgia's standard rules once signed.

• Repeals O.C.G.A. § 31-7-12.6, eliminating the state requirement that long-term care facilities test residents and staff for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2).
• Reserves the repealed code section number rather than deleting it outright, a technical drafting choice that keeps the numbering slot open.
• Amends O.C.G.A. § 31-7-18 by changing the age threshold for influenza vaccination provisions from 50 to 18, broadening the group of people the rule applies to.
• Repeals any other Georgia laws that conflict with these changes.

Long-term care facilities in Georgia, including their residents and staff members, are directly affected since they would no longer be required to conduct COVID-19 testing. Adults age 18 to 49 in these facilities would newly fall under the influenza vaccination provisions that previously applied only to those 50 and older.

Removing the COVID-19 testing mandate means long-term care facilities would no longer be legally required to test residents and staff, changing infection-control practices adopted during the pandemic. Lowering the flu vaccination age threshold to 18 means younger adults in these facilities would be covered by vaccination provisions that previously only applied to those 50 and older.

• Section 1 repeals and reserves Code Section 31-7-12.6, which required SARS-CoV-2 testing for residents and staff in long-term care facilities.
• Section 2 amends Code Section 31-7-18 by replacing the age '50' with '18' in subsection (a), changing who the influenza vaccination provisions cover.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard clause ensuring consistency with the bill's changes.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
2. 2025-05-14Act 275
3. 2025-05-14House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-04House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)
7. 2025-04-02Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• John LaHood (R, HD-175)Primary sponsor
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-45)
• Kasey Carpenter (R, HD-4)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Noel Williams, Jr. (R, HD-148)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-1)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   123 yea, 49 nay (2 not voting, 6 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #259

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   50 yea, 3 nay (3 not voting, 0 excused)

   ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 1ST: Senate Vote #405

3. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 2 nay (2 not voting, 0 excused)

   PASSAGE AS AMENDED: Senate Vote #406

4. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 10 excused)

   Agree to Senate Amendment: House Vote #441

• long-term care facilities
• COVID-19 testing
• influenza vaccination
• health regulations
• nursing homes