SR 393: Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services; create

This resolution sets up the Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services. It responds to concerns about the more than 1 million Georgians who serve as family caregivers, providing over 1 billion hours of unpaid care each year for loved ones, often while also juggling jobs, medical tasks, and complicated health insurance issues. The committee would have five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, one of whom would serve as chairperson and call all meetings. The committee's job is to study caregiving conditions and problems and recommend legislation if it sees fit. Members would receive standard legislative allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 for up to five days unless more are authorized, funded through existing Senate appropriations. The committee must file any approved report before it is automatically abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services, made up of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Directs the committee to study problems facing family caregivers and recommend possible legislation.
• Lets the chairperson call meetings anywhere needed to carry out the committee's work.
• Authorizes standard legislative per diem allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for committee members, capped at five days unless extended, paid from Senate funds.
• Requires the committee to file an approved report or, if none is approved, meeting minutes with the Secretary of the Senate before it disbands.
• Sets the committee to automatically dissolve on December 1, 2025.

Family caregivers across Georgia, the senators appointed to the committee, and indirectly employers who face staffing effects when employees take on caregiving duties. The resolution does not create binding rules but could shape future legislation affecting caregivers and the health system.

The resolution itself does not change any caregiving laws or provide new services; it only sets up a temporary group to study the issue. Any real-world impact on caregivers, employers, or state policy would depend on what the committee recommends and whether lawmakers later act on it.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying caregiver conditions and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) ties member pay to existing legislative allowance rules (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) and caps paid days at five unless extended, funded by Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) lays out reporting rules, requiring majority committee approval before any report or, alternatively, meeting minutes are filed with the Secretary of the Senate.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-28Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2025-03-25Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
5. 2025-03-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2025-03-13Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Harold Jones II (D, SD-22)Primary sponsor
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-34)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-17)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-43)
• Donzella James (D, SD-28)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 excused)

   CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SENATE STUDY COMMITTEES: Senate Vote #380

• family caregivers
• senior care
• Senate study committee
• caregiver support