SB440: SB440 Department of Public Health; provisions relative to duties or functions; modernize and update

This wide-ranging bill rewrites parts of five different titles of Georgia law to update and simplify what the Department of Public Health and related agencies are required to do. It eliminates or 'reserves' (repeals but keeps the numbering of) several boards and programs that have gone dormant, including the Electronic Database Review Advisory Committee for the prescription drug monitoring database, the Cancer Advisory Committee, the cancer control officer position, the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Education Act, the Georgia Commission for Saving the Cure, and the Arthritis Prevention and Control Program. It also drops several routine reporting requirements, including ones tied to newborn epinephrine access, neonatal abstinence syndrome, and a home visitation pilot program, and makes some remaining reports contingent on the legislature actually funding them. The bill also makes ivermectin available from pharmacists as a behind-the-counter drug for adults after a screening, without a prescription. It adds a new requirement in Title 33 forcing health insurers to use a standardized credentialing application and approve complete applications within 45 days. In Title 37 it adds a member to the state's Behavioral Health Coordinating Council and creates a new parity compliance review panel to investigate mental health insurance violations. The changes take effect July 1, 2026.

• Repeals or reserves several dormant Department of Public Health boards and programs, including the Cancer Advisory Committee, the cancer control officer job, the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Education Act, the Georgia Commission for Saving the Cure, and the Arthritis Prevention and Control Program.
• Allows pharmacists to dispense ivermectin to adults 18 and older as a behind-the-counter drug (not self-service) after a screening for interactions, without requiring a doctor's prescription.
• Removes the Department of Public Health's old duty to test and certify the prescription drug monitoring database and eliminates the Electronic Database Review Advisory Committee that advised on it.
• Drops or narrows several state reporting requirements, on newborn epinephrine access, neonatal abstinence syndrome, home visitation pilots, stroke centers, and cardiac care, making some conditional on the General Assembly actually appropriating money for them.
• Requires every health insurer in Georgia to adopt a standardized credentialing application and approve complete applications from healthcare providers within 45 days.
• Creates a parity compliance review panel under the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council to investigate reports that health insurers are violating mental health parity laws.

The bill touches the Department of Public Health and its advisory boards, pharmacists and pharmacy customers seeking ivermectin, probate judges who issue marriage licenses, hospitals reporting stroke and cardiac care data, health insurers and the healthcare providers they credential, and mental health patients and providers dealing with insurance coverage disputes.

Georgians would see fewer state reports and dissolved advisory boards on cancer, osteoporosis, and stem cell research, adults could get ivermectin from a pharmacist without a doctor's visit, and patients could face a faster, more standardized insurance credentialing process along with a new avenue to challenge mental health insurance denials.

• Section 1-4 adds an exception letting pharmacists dispense ivermectin to adults 18 or older as a behind-the-counter drug after screening for drug interactions, subject to State Board of Pharmacy rules.
• Section 1-2 repeals and reserves the Electronic Database Review Advisory Committee that advised on the prescription drug monitoring database.
• Sections 1-15 through 1-17 eliminate the Cancer Advisory Committee's detailed appointment structure and the cancer control officer position while keeping the commissioner's cancer-related duties.
• Section 1-18 repeals the Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment Education Act (Chapter 42 of Title 31), and Section 1-21 repeals the Arthritis Prevention and Control Program.
• Section 1-20 repeals the Georgia Commission for Saving the Cure, and Section 1-22 eliminates the option for taxpayers to donate part of their tax refund to stem cell research.
• Section 2-1 (Part II) requires health insurers to approve complete credentialing applications within 45 days and adopt a standardized application by July 1, 2027, developed jointly by the Department of Insurance and Department of Community Health.
• Section 3-2 (Part III) creates a parity compliance review panel to receive provider reports of suspected mental health insurance parity violations and recommend punitive action to state regulators.
• Section 4-1 sets the effective date of the entire Act as July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-04-02House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-04-02House Third Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-20House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2026-03-18House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
5. 2026-03-06House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
6. 2026-02-25House Second Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-24House First Readers (House)
8. 2026-02-20Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)

• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)Primary sponsor
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Rob Clifton (R, HD-131)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 20, 2026

   31 yea, 20 nay (0 not voting, 3 absent)

   Adoption Of Amend #1b By Sen From The 19th To Amend #1 By Sen From The 41st: Senate Vote #562

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 20, 2026

   31 yea, 20 nay (0 not voting, 3 absent)

   Adoption Of The Amendment By The Sen From The 41st As Amended: Senate Vote #563

3. PassedSenate voteFebruary 20, 2026

   51 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #564

4. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   98 yea, 76 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #847

• public health agency reform
• ivermectin access
• health insurance credentialing
• mental health parity
• cancer program repeal