--- title: SR 746. Self-Direction Day; recognize March 18, 2026 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr746 cite_as: SR 746, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr746 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr746.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr746/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73049 date: 2026-02-11 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr745.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr747.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr746.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 746 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-11 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Matt Brass - Ben Watson - Kay Kirkpatrick - Mike Hodges - Ed Setzler - Sally Harrell - Randy Robertson - Chuck Hufstetler - Frank Ginn - Ricky Williams - Clint Dixon - Bo Hatchett - Randal Mangham - Chuck Payne - Brian Strickland - Drew Echols - Jason T. Dickerson - Max Burns - RaShaun Kemp text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR746/2025 upstream_id: 2113597 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - disability services - home care - Medicaid waivers - elder care - commemorative resolution --- # SR 746. Self-Direction Day; recognize March 18, 2026 ## Text Senate Resolution 746 By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Watson of the 1st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hodges of the 3rd, Setzler of the 37th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing March 18, 2026, as Self-Direction Day; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, self-direction is an optional model of home and community-based service (HCBS) delivery that enables individuals of all ages, with all types of disabilities, to maintain their independence at home in their local community; and WHEREAS, when an individual chooses to self-direct, they decide how, when, and from whom their services and paid supports will be delivered; self-direction gives individuals the freedom of choice and self-determination about their services and supports to live independently in their own homes and communities; and WHEREAS, the central goal of self-direction is to maximize an individual's opportunities to live independently in the most integrated community-based setting of his or her choice; and WHEREAS, self-direction strategies shift control over resources and staffing to the individual, allowing each person to determine the role that service providers will play in his or her life; and WHEREAS, a range of benefits have been noted when individuals participate in self-directed services, including improved satisfaction with support services, better quality of life, reduced costs compared to provider-directed services, and less institutional stays; and WHEREAS, the program also empowers individuals participating in public programs and their families by expanding their degree of choice and control over their long-term services and supports; and WHEREAS, self-direction further provides attractive alternatives to individuals who find the traditional services system inflexible, as well as those who have been unable to receive all the services they need; and WHEREAS, self-direction was implemented in Georgia beginning with a small number of participants in the Independent Care Waiver Program in April 2005; and WHEREAS, to date, the self-direction model is available in Georgia in five different Home and Community-Based Waiver Programs, which provide the elderly and disabled with necessary medical care and services. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize March 18, 2026, as Self-Direction Day. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate resolution designates March 18, 2026 as Self-Direction Day, honoring a program that lets elderly and disabled Georgians choose and direct their own home care services. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally recognizes March 18, 2026 as Self-Direction Day in honor of a service model called self-direction, which lets people with disabilities and older adults control how, when, and from whom they receive home and community based care. The resolution explains that self-direction began in Georgia in 2005 through the Independent Care Waiver Program and is now available through five different Home and Community-Based Waiver Programs. It states that self-direction can improve satisfaction, quality of life, and reduce costs compared to traditional provider-directed care. The Senate directs its Secretary to make copies available to the public and press. ### What it does - Formally recognizes March 18, 2026 as Self-Direction Day in the Georgia Senate. - States the Senate's support for the self-direction model of home and community-based care for elderly and disabled Georgians. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. - Creates no new funding, program, or legal requirement; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change to Georgia law. ### Who it affects Elderly and disabled Georgians who use self-directed home and community-based services, their families, and the state agencies and waiver programs that administer these Medicaid-funded services. ### Why it matters While the resolution does not alter any program or funding, it publicly highlights a care option that lets people manage their own home-based services instead of relying solely on traditional providers, raising awareness of self-direction as an alternative for long-term care. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe self-direction as letting individuals choose how, when, and from whom their services are delivered. - It notes self-direction began in Georgia in April 2005 through the Independent Care Waiver Program. - It states self-direction is currently available in five Home and Community-Based Waiver Programs in Georgia. - The resolving clause designates March 18, 2026 as Self-Direction Day. - A further resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-11) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-11) - Sponsors: Matt Brass, Ben Watson, Kay Kirkpatrick, Mike Hodges, Ed Setzler, Sally Harrell, Randy Robertson, Chuck Hufstetler, Frank Ginn, Ricky Williams, Clint Dixon, Bo Hatchett, Randal Mangham, Chuck Payne, Brian Strickland, Drew Echols, Jason T. Dickerson, Max Burns, RaShaun Kemp - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73049 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr746.md?full=1