HR1579: HR1579 House Study Committee on Hospital/Homebound (HHB) Services and Medically Fragile Student Attendance; create

Some Georgia students who are medically fragile or facing serious health challenges rely on hospital/homebound (HHB) services to keep up with school while unable to attend in person. This resolution notes that local school systems use different staffing, funding, and instructional approaches for HHB services, which can cause delays, lost instructional time, and higher chronic absenteeism. To address this, the resolution creates the House Study Committee on Hospital/Homebound (HHB) Services and Medically Fragile Student Attendance. Five House members, appointed by the Speaker, would serve on the committee, with one designated chairperson. The committee would study these issues, hear from educators, families, medical providers, and the Department of Education, and recommend legislation if needed. It would use standard legislative expense allowances, and it would be abolished on December 1, 2026, after filing any approved report with the Clerk of the House.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Hospital/Homebound (HHB) Services and Medically Fragile Student Attendance.
• Directs the Speaker of the House to appoint five House members to the committee, including a chairperson.
• Authorizes the committee to study HHB service delivery and medically fragile student attendance issues and recommend legislation.
• Sets standard state travel and daily expense allowances for legislative and non-legislative committee members, capped at five days unless extended.
• Requires any approved findings or report to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished.
• Abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, students who qualify for hospital/homebound services (including medically fragile students), their families, local school system staff, medical providers, and the Georgia Department of Education, all of whom may be consulted during the study.

If created, the committee would give lawmakers a formal way to gather input from schools, families, and medical providers about gaps in hospital/homebound education, potentially shaping future legislation on how medically fragile students access instruction and reintegrate into classrooms.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the House Study Committee on Hospital/Homebound (HHB) Services and Medically Fragile Student Attendance.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at five House members appointed by the Speaker, with one serving as chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying HHB service conditions and issues and recommending needed action or legislation.
• Paragraph (4) gives the chairperson authority to call and schedule meetings as needed.
• Paragraph (5) sets member expense allowances under O.C.G.A. §§ 28-1-8 and 45-7-21, capped at five days of allowances unless extended, funded through House of Representatives appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report or findings to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee's abolishment date.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-03House Hopper (House)

• Mary Ann Santos (D, HD-117)Primary sponsor
• Karen Lupton (D, HD-083)
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)

• hospital/homebound education
• medically fragile students
• chronic absenteeism
• special education
• legislative study committees