Georgia CommonsSenate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 307: Physicians, Assistants; continuing education requirements for all physicians to include one hour on maternal health; provide
Last action February 28, 2025 · Senate Read and Referred
A Georgia Senate bill would require all physicians licensed in the state to complete one hour of continuing education on maternal health, starting January 1, 2026.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill 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
Georgia law already requires physicians to complete continuing education as part of keeping their medical license, under O.C.G.A. § 43-34-11. This bill adds a new specific requirement within that existing framework: physicians would have to spend at least one hour of their continuing education time learning about maternal health. The training must cover preventive and emergency care for pregnant and postpartum mothers. The requirement would start on January 1, 2026, meaning physicians would need to include this one hour in their continuing education activities from that date forward. The bill does not change any other part of the physician licensing or continuing education system, and it repeals any conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Adds a new requirement to Georgia's physician continuing education law (O.C.G.A. § 43-34-11) requiring one hour of maternal health training.
- Specifies that the training must cover preventive and emergency care of pregnant and postpartum mothers.
- Sets the requirement to begin on January 1, 2026, applying to all physicians in Georgia.
- Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new requirement.
Who it affects
All physicians licensed to practice in Georgia, who would need to fit this one-hour maternal health training into their existing continuing education requirements. The Georgia Composite Medical Board, which oversees physician licensing and continuing education compliance, is also implicated.
Why it matters
Physicians across Georgia would need to devote part of their required continuing education time specifically to maternal health topics, potentially improving their preparedness to recognize and respond to pregnancy and postpartum complications, an area of ongoing public concern in the state.
Key provisions
- Section 1 amends Code Section 43-34-11 by adding a new paragraph (7) to subsection (a), which lists continuing education requirements for physicians.
- The new requirement mandates one hour of education on maternal health, covering preventive and emergency care of pregnant and postpartum mothers.
- The requirement takes effect January 1, 2026.
- Section 2 repeals any laws that conflict with the new requirement.
From the bill
“all physicians shall be required to receive one hour of education and training regarding maternal health, including preventive and emergency care of pregnant and postpartum mothers as part of their continuing education requirement.”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Nabilah Parkes (D, SD-7)
- Nikki Merritt (D, SD-9)
- Randal Mangham (D, SD-55)
- Nan Orrock (D, SD-36)
- Sonya Halpern (D, SD-39)
- Derek Mallow (D, SD-2)
- RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-38)
- Tonya Anderson (D, SD-43)
- David Lucas (D, SD-26)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
- Jason Esteves (D, SD-35)
- Michael 'Doc' Rhett (D, SD-33)
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-17)
- Donzella James (D, SD-28)
Topics
- maternal health
- physician licensing
- continuing education
- medical training