Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HR 1522: House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health; create
Last action March 16, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House resolution would create a five-member study committee to examine the Department of Community Health's operations, funding, and Medicaid programs, reporting findings by December 2026.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This resolution sets up the House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health to look closely at the Department of Community Health (DCH), the state agency that runs Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, the State Health Benefit Plan, and other health programs affecting about one in four Georgians. The committee would review DCH's structure, operations, funding, and staffing, with special attention to Medicaid and other medical assistance programs, and decide whether the state should take any action or pass new legislation. The Speaker of the House would appoint five House members to the committee and name one as chairperson. The chairperson would call meetings, and members would receive standard legislative allowances for up to five days unless more are approved. The committee must file any findings or recommendations, or at least meeting minutes, before it automatically shuts down on December 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Establishes the House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health to review DCH's operations, funding, and Medicaid programs.
- Directs the Speaker of the House to appoint five House members to the committee and designate a chairperson.
- Authorizes the committee to hold meetings, investigate DCH issues, and recommend legislation or state action.
- Sets legislative expense allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five paid days unless extended.
- Requires a report or meeting minutes to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee ends.
- Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026.
Who it affects
The Department of Community Health and its employees, Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids recipients, the State Health Benefit Plan, the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division, the State Office of Rural Health, and House members appointed to the new study committee.
Why it matters
Georgians who rely on Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, or other DCH-administered health programs could eventually see changes if the committee's findings lead to new legislation affecting how the agency is funded, staffed, or structured.
Key provisions
- Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health.
- Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at five House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
- Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying DCH's operations and recommending legislation or state action.
- Paragraph (5) limits paid allowances to five days unless additional days are authorized, funded through House appropriations.
- Paragraph (6) requires filing a report or, absent one, meeting minutes with the Clerk of the House.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.
From the bill
“it would be beneficial to study the structure of Georgia's community health system and to evaluate DCH's current operations, functions, services, and funding”
“The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.”
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.
House Special Rules Committee, March 12, 2026
From 0:11:07 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HR 1522 would create a House study committee to review the Department of Community Health's functions and identify ways to improve services. The sponsor described a broad review covering healthcare facilities, rural health, professional boards, medical education, residency slots and Medicaid, citing growing needs as Georgia's population grows. The sponsor also pointed to a previous public health study as a model. With no substantive questions, the committee approved the resolution by voice vote.
House Rules Committee, March 17, 2026
From 0:42:14 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A committee member presented HR 1522 to create a House study committee reviewing the Department of Community Health. The presenter cited the department's broad responsibilities, including health facility regulation, medical boards, medical education and Medicaid, and said its budget exceeds $25 billion. The presenter said a review could help the department handle growing demands. No questions or decision were announced.
House Rules Committee, April 2, 2026
From 0:50:54 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A committee member said HR 1522 would create a House study committee to review the Department of Community Health. The member said the department had grown with Georgia's population and touched many areas of health care, making a review timely. The member pointed to a similar review of public health as a successful model. No questions or vote were shown.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)
- Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
- Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
- Lee Hawkins (R, HD-27)
- Sharon Cooper (R, HD-45)
Topics
- Medicaid
- public health policy
- Department of Community Health
- state government study committees
- healthcare funding