HR1393: HR1393 House Study Committee on Rural Hospitals; create

Georgia has seen a high rate of rural hospital closures over the past decade, leaving many residents without nearby access to obstetrical, cancer, mental health, surgical, and emergency care. This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Rural Hospitals to look into the causes of that decline and recommend fixes. The committee would have nine members appointed by the Speaker of the House: five state representatives (at least three with healthcare backgrounds and at least two from the minority party) plus four citizen members representing hospital executives, practicing doctors, other healthcare workers, and cost/operations experts. The committee can hold meetings, receive standard legislative expense allowances funded through the House budget, and must file a report with any recommended legislation before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Rural Hospitals to study rural hospital closures and financial problems in Georgia.
• Sets the committee's membership at nine people: five legislators and four citizen representatives with specific healthcare backgrounds.
• Requires at least three of the five legislative members to have professional healthcare experience and at least two to be from the minority party.
• Authorizes standard legislative daily expense and mileage allowances for members, funded through the House of Representatives' budget, capped at five days unless extended.
• Requires the committee chairperson to file a report with findings or legislative recommendations before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2026.

Members of the House of Representatives appointed to the committee, rural hospital executives, doctors and other healthcare workers who serve as citizen members, and by extension rural Georgia communities that depend on local hospitals for medical care.

If created, the committee would formally examine why rural hospitals in Georgia keep closing and what might help them survive, potentially shaping legislation in the 2027 session that could affect access to obstetrical, emergency, mental health, and other care in rural areas.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Rural Hospitals.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at nine: five House members (with healthcare and minority party requirements) and four citizen representatives tied to rural hospital roles.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study rural hospital conditions and needs and recommend action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. §§ 28-1-8 and 45-7-21, funded from House appropriations, capped at five days absent extension.
• Paragraph (6) requires a report with findings or minutes to be filed with the Clerk of the House if approved by majority vote before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-16House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
2. 2026-02-20House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-19House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-18House Hopper (House)

• L.C. Myles (D, HD-126)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Robert Dawson (D, HD-065)

• rural hospitals
• healthcare access
• legislative study committee
• rural healthcare funding