--- title: HB 885. Public Health, Department of; establish program to assist certain pregnant women who reside in low access to maternity care areas and maternity care deserts in obtaining obstetric care collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb885 cite_as: HB 885, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb885 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb885.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb885/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71891 date: 2025-04-04 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb884.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb886.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb885.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 885 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-03-31 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Park Cannon - Kim Schofield - Samuel Park - Omari Crawford - Tyler Smith text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB885/2025 upstream_id: 2017608 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - maternal health - obstetric care - rural health care - public health funding - health insurance access --- # HB 885. Public Health, Department of; establish program to assist certain pregnant women who reside in low access to maternity care areas and maternity care deserts in obtaining obstetric care ## Text 25 LC 52 0823 House Bill 885 By: Representatives Cannon of the 58th, Schofield of the 63rd, Park of the 107th, Crawford of the 89th, 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 program to assist certain pregnant women2 who reside in low access to maternity care areas and maternity care desserts in obtaining3 obstetric care; to provide for definitions; to provide for appr opriations and funding; to4 provide for reporting; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to5 provide 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. 885 - 1 - 25 LC 52 0823 (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 care provided throughout pregnancy and during labor, delivery,22 and the postpartum period.23 (5) 'Obstetric provider' means a licensed obstetrician-gynecol ogist, a licensed family24 physician who delivers babies, a certified nurse midwife, or a licensed nurse practitioner25 who delivers babies.26 31-2A-71.27 (a) The department, in coordination with the Department of Com munity Health and the28 office of the Commissioner of Insurance, shall establish a prog ram to assist pregnant29 women who reside in low access to maternity care areas and mate rnity care deserts and30 who are uninsured or underinsured in obtaining obstetric care a nd other related medical31 services.32 (b) The department shall establish criteria and standards for services and implement an33 application process for pregnant women to apply for assistance and an approval process for34 services consistent with the provisions of this Code section.35 (c) The department shall be authorized to arrange, provide, pa y in part or whole, or36 reimburse in part or whole for:37 (1) Obstetric care in a low access to maternity care area or maternity care desert;38 (2) Mental health services during pregnancy and the postpartum period;39 (3) Telehealth services for obstetric care or other related medical appointments;40 H. B. 885 - 2 - 25 LC 52 0823 (4) Transportation to and from appointments for obstetric care or other related medical41 appointments; and42 (5) Child care for when a pregnant woman is receiving obstetri c care, mental health 43 services, or telehealth services or attending other related medical appointments.44 (d) The department shall provide on its public website informa tion about the program45 provided for in this article.46 (e) The program established pursuant to this article shall be contingent upon the47 appropriation of funds by the General Assembly for the purposes of this article in annual48 appropriations Acts of the General Assembly.49 31-2A-72.50 (a) The department shall be authorized to accept donations, contributions, and gifts and to51 receive, hold, and use grants, devises, and bequests of real, personal, and mixed property52 on behalf of the state to enable the department to carry out the functions and purposes of53 this article.54 (b) The department shall be authorized to pursue federal fundi ng opportunities and55 collaborations with private entities, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic56 organizations to fund the program established pursuant to this article.57 31-2A-73.58 (a) The department shall prepare and submit an annual report t o the Governor, the59 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairpersons60 of the House Committee on Public Health and the Senate Health a nd Human Services61 Committee for distribution to its committee members. Such repo rt shall evaluate the62 effectiveness of the program established pursuant to this article, including indicating the63 total number of pregnant women who sought and obtained assistan ce through such64 program, the total number of obstetric providers who participated in such program, the type65 H. B. 885 - 3 - 25 LC 52 0823 of assistance provided through such program, and the amount of money used for such66 assistance.67 (b) The department shall biennially make recommendations to the General Assembly on68 the continuation or discontinuation of or improvements to the program established pursuant69 to this article in the annual report provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section.70 31-2A-74.71 The department shall adopt such rules and regulations as are reasonable and necessary to72 implement the provisions of this article."73 SECTION 2.74 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law75 without such approval.76 SECTION 3.77 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.78 H. B. 885 - 4 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House bill would create a state program to help uninsured and underinsured pregnant women in counties with little or no maternity care get obstetric services, mental health care, telehealth, transportation, and child care. ### Plain-language summary Some Georgia counties have very few or no hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers offering pregnancy care. This bill defines those areas as 'low access to maternity care areas' and 'maternity care deserts' and directs the Department of Public Health, working with the Department of Community Health and the Commissioner of Insurance, to set up a program helping pregnant women who live there and lack adequate insurance get obstetric care and related services. The department would create application and approval rules and could pay for or reimburse obstetric care, mental health services during pregnancy and after birth, telehealth visits, transportation to appointments, and child care during appointments. The program depends on the General Assembly actually funding it in future budgets. The department could also accept donations and pursue federal or private grants, and must report annually on the program's results and make recommendations every two years. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it. ### What it does - Creates a new program inside the Department of Public Health to help uninsured or underinsured pregnant women in defined low-access counties obtain obstetric care. - Defines 'low access to maternity care area' and 'maternity care desert' based on the number of hospitals, birth centers, and obstetric providers in a county. - Authorizes the department to pay for or reimburse obstetric care, mental health services, telehealth visits, transportation, and child care tied to pregnancy appointments. - Makes the program's operation contingent on the General Assembly actually appropriating (setting aside) money for it each year. - Allows the department to accept private donations and pursue federal or philanthropic funding for the program. - Requires an annual report to state leaders and biennial recommendations on whether to continue, end, or improve the program. ### Who it affects Pregnant women living in Georgia counties with very few or no obstetric providers, especially those who are uninsured or underinsured. It also affects the Department of Public Health, the Department of Community Health, the Commissioner of Insurance, obstetric providers, and lawmakers who would need to fund the program each year. ### Why it matters Women in rural or underserved Georgia counties often have to travel far for pregnancy care, which can raise health risks for mother and baby. If funded, this program could pay for care, transportation, and child care that currently create barriers, though nothing happens unless the General Assembly sets aside the money. ### Key provisions - Section 1 adds a new Article 4 to Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Georgia code (O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-70 et seq.) covering the Department of Public Health. - O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-70 defines key terms, including 'low access to maternity care area' (one hospital/birth center, fewer than 60 obstetric providers per 10,000 births, or 10 percent or more uninsured reproductive-age women) and 'maternity care desert' (no hospitals, birth centers, or obstetric providers). - O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-71 directs the department to run the assistance program and lists five categories of services it can pay for or reimburse, including obstetric care, mental health services, telehealth, transportation, and child care. - O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-71(e) makes the whole program contingent on the General Assembly appropriating funds for it in annual budget bills. - O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-72 lets the department accept donations, grants, and gifts and pursue federal or private funding for the program. - O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-73 requires an annual report on program results to the Governor, legislative leaders, and relevant committees, plus biennial recommendations on the program's future. - O.C.G.A. § 31-2A-74 directs the department to adopt rules and regulations needed to carry out the program. - Section 2 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without a signature. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-03-31) - Last action: House Second Readers (2025-04-04) - Sponsors: Park Cannon, Kim Schofield, Samuel Park, Omari Crawford, Tyler Smith - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71891 > The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb885.md?full=1