Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HR 1674: House Study Committee on State Governance of Emergency Medical Services; create
Last action March 25, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported
A Georgia House resolution would create a study committee to examine how the state governs and administers emergency medical services and to recommend possible changes.
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
Emergency medical services in Georgia are currently overseen by the Department of Public Health as the lead agency, alongside three other health agencies. This resolution creates the House Study Committee on State Governance of Emergency Medical Services to look at how that system is structured and whether the state should change it to make operations more efficient or better serve the public. The committee would have five House members appointed by the Speaker of the House, who would also name a chairperson. The committee can hold meetings as needed, and members would receive standard legislative allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days unless more are approved. Funding comes from the House's existing budget. The committee must file any findings or a report before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Creates a five-member House Study Committee on State Governance of Emergency Medical Services, with members appointed by the Speaker of the House.
- Directs the committee to study how emergency medical services are administered in Georgia and recommend legislation or other action if needed.
- Allows the chairperson to call and organize meetings at any time or place needed to carry out the study.
- Sets legislative travel and per diem allowances for committee members, capped at five days unless additional days are authorized.
- Requires House funds to cover the committee's costs and requires any approved findings or report 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 resolution directly affects the five House members appointed to the committee, the Speaker of the House, and the Department of Public Health and other state health agencies whose oversight of emergency medical services would be studied. Georgians who rely on emergency medical services could see effects if the study leads to future legislation.
Why it matters
The resolution itself does not change how emergency medical services are run in Georgia; it only sets up a committee to study the issue and possibly propose changes. Any real effect on ambulance services, response times, or state oversight would depend on legislation that might follow from the committee's findings.
Key provisions
- Paragraph 1 creates the House Study Committee on State Governance of Emergency Medical Services.
- Paragraph 2 sets the committee at five House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
- Paragraph 3 charges the committee with studying emergency medical services governance and recommending action or legislation.
- Paragraph 5 sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days absent additional authorization, funded from House appropriations.
- Paragraph 6 requires any approved findings or report to be filed with the Clerk of the House before abolishment, or minutes filed if no report is approved.
- Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.
From the bill
“There is created the House Study Committee on State Governance of Emergency Medical Services.”
“The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.”
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 Special Rules Committee, March 23, 2026 (part 1)
From 0:59:05 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HR 1674 would create a study committee on state governance of emergency medical services. The sponsor said an earlier proposal had failed on the House floor and that concerns included moving too quickly in a complex field. The sponsor proposed gathering input from affected groups and examining different state oversight structures, including the earlier proposal to place the state EMS office under a board. The sponsor stressed that the study would not focus on professional licensing or the structure of local EMS programs, and said there was support within the EMS community for some changes. When the chair asked for the main purpose, the sponsor reiterated that the resolution would study state governance options. The committee approved it by voice vote and sent it to Rules.
House Rules Committee, April 2, 2026
From 0:51:51 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A committee member requested favorable consideration of HR 1674, describing it as a resolution to create a study committee on state governance of emergency medical services. No substantive questions or vote were shown.
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-34)
- Martin Momtahan (R, HD-17)
- Matthew Gambill (R, HD-15)
Topics
- emergency medical services
- legislative study committees
- public health governance
- Georgia House of Representatives