HR 611: House Study Committee on Abandoned Child Placement Following Hospital Discharge; create

Georgia lawmakers say more information is needed about children, especially those with mental health issues, who are abandoned after leaving psychiatric hospitals or hospital emergency rooms. This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Abandoned Child Placement Following Hospital Discharge to look into that problem. The five-member committee, appointed by the Speaker of the House, will study gaps in community services, the availability of step-down and prevention programs, the responsibilities of the state, hospitals, and health insurers, and ways to prevent parents from disengaging or abandoning children in treatment. The committee can meet as needed, members get standard legislative travel allowances funded through the House budget, and it must file any findings or recommended legislation before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates a five-member House Study Committee on Abandoned Child Placement Following Hospital Discharge, appointed by the Speaker of the House.
• Directs the committee to study challenges faced by children abandoned after discharge from psychiatric hospitalization or other out-of-home care.
• Lets the chairperson call meetings anywhere needed to carry out the study.
• Provides legislative members standard per diem allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to three days unless more are authorized, funded through House appropriations.
• Requires the committee to file a report, including any proposed legislation, with the Clerk of the House before it disbands, if approved by majority vote.
• Sets the committee to automatically end on December 1, 2025.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, children who are abandoned or left without placement after psychiatric hospital discharge, their parents, hospital providers, health insurers, and state agencies involved in child welfare and mental health services.

The study could shape future Georgia legislation on how hospitals, insurers, and the state coordinate care for children abandoned after psychiatric treatment, potentially affecting funding, service availability, and clearer responsibilities for who must step in when a child has nowhere to go.

• Paragraph 1 creates the House Study Committee on Abandoned Child Placement Following Hospital Discharge.
• Paragraph 2 sets committee membership at five House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph 3 defines the committee's task as studying challenges faced by abandoned children after hospital or out-of-home care discharge.
• Paragraph 5 caps standard legislative allowances at three days of meetings unless additional days are authorized, paid from House funds.
• Paragraph 6 requires any approved findings or proposed legislation to be filed with the Clerk of the House before abolishment, or committee meeting minutes if no report is approved.
• Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-27House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
4. 2025-03-21House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-20House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-03-18House Hopper (House)

• Katie Dempsey (R, HD-13)Primary sponsor
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-45)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-27)
• Omari Crawford (D, HD-89)
• Matt Hatchett (R, HD-155)

1. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 9 excused)

   Uncontested House Resolutions: House Vote #444

• child welfare
• mental health services
• hospital discharge
• foster care and out-of-home care
• legislative study committees