HR 847: House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health; create

This resolution sets up the House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health. The resolution's preamble notes that public health has historically received less state funding than health care generally, citing that less than one in ten state general fund dollars spent on Georgia's three main health agencies goes to the Department of Public Health. The committee will have five House members appointed by the Speaker of the House, who also names the chairperson. The committee is directed to study how Georgia's public health system is organized and funded, what services it provides, and whether the state should take action, and to recommend legislation if it sees fit. Members can receive standard legislative allowances for up to three meeting days unless more are approved, paid from House funds. The committee must stand abolished by December 1, 2025, and any approved findings or recommendations must be filed as a report before then.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health, made up of five House members chosen by the Speaker of the House.
• Directs the committee to study how Georgia's public health system is structured and funded and what services it currently provides.
• Authorizes the committee to recommend legislation or other action based on its findings.
• Allows legislative members to receive standard travel and meeting allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to three days unless additional days are approved.
• Funds the committee's work through money already appropriated to the House of Representatives.
• Sets December 1, 2025 as the date the committee automatically ends, requiring any report to be filed before then.

This mainly affects members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, the Georgia Department of Public Health, and local public health agencies whose funding and structure the committee will examine. It could indirectly affect Georgians who rely on public health services.

The study itself changes no laws or funding levels, but it could lead to future legislation on how Georgia pays for public health services like disease prevention and community health programs. Its findings may shape budget decisions affecting local health departments statewide.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health.
• 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 public health funding and structure and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) limits paid allowances to three meeting days unless more are authorized, funded through the House's existing budget.
• Paragraph (6) requires any adopted findings or legislative recommendations to be filed as a report before the committee ends, approved by majority vote of a quorum.
• 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. 2025-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2025-03-31House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-28House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-03-28House Hopper (House)

• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)Primary sponsor
• Matt Hatchett (R, HD-155)
• Katie Dempsey (R, HD-13)
• Butch Parrish (R, HD-158)
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-27)

1. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

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

   Uncontested House Resolutions: House Vote #444

• public health funding
• state budget
• health policy
• legislative study committee