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Official Code of Georgia Annotated

Title 31. HEALTH · Chapter 7. REGULATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE FACILITIES · Article 16. DESIGNATED ESSENTIAL CAREGIVER

31-7-430. Definitions.

Active2 versions printed

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia.

Effective January 1, 2026.In force today: Effective January 1, 2026.
  1. As used in this article, the term:

  2. (1)

    “Designated essential caregiver” means a person who is age 18 years old or older and who has been designated by a patient or resident who is an adult, or by a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis for a patient or resident who is a minor, to assist with such patient’s or resident’s personal needs and activities and to support the health, healthcare, long-term care, and overall well-being of such patient or resident. Unless otherwise designated by an adult patient or resident, such designated essential caregiver shall be the person authorized and empowered to act on behalf of the patient or resident pursuant to Code Section 31-9-2.#

  3. (2)

    “Hospital” means a hospital licensed pursuant to this chapter.#

  4. (3)

    “Long-term care facility” means a skilled nursing home, intermediate care home, personal care home, assisted living community, or inpatient hospice facility licensed or permitted to operate pursuant to this chapter and any community living arrangement licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 13 of Title 37.#

  5. (4)

    “Visitor” means any individual authorized by an adult patient, resident, or designated essential caregiver of such patient or resident to have access to in-person visitation in a hospital or long-term care facility with such patient or resident.#

The notes below are printed with the section but are not enacted law (O.C.G.A. § 1-1-1(c)). They are shown apart from the text.

History

Code 1981, § 31-7-430, enacted by Ga. L. 2024, p. 664, § 2/HB 663, effective July 1, 2024; Ga. L. 2025, p. 177, § 2-4/HB 584, effective January 1, 2026.

Delayed effective date

Code Section 31-7-430 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective January 1, 2026. For version effective until January 1, 2026, see the preceding version.

Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective January 1, 2026, in paragraph (3), deleted “community living arrangement” following “assisted living community,” and added “and any community living arrangement licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 13 of Title 37”.

Code Commission notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2025, the comma following “community living arrangement” in paragraph (3) was deleted.

Read the official page (the state's PDF, opened at the page this text was read from).

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia.

Text read from t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf, Volume V23, 2025 edition, page 484; merge action: bound only; file SHA-256 ba5a57f85d04.

Effective until January 1, 2026.No longer in force as printed (Effective until January 1, 2026.)
  1. As used in this article, the term:

  2. (1)

    “Designated essential caregiver” means a person who is age 18 years old or older and who has been designated by a patient or resident who is an adult, or by a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis for a patient or resident who is a minor, to assist with such patient’s or resident’s personal needs and activities and to support the health, healthcare, long-term care, and overall well-being of such patient or resident. Unless otherwise designated by an adult patient or resident, such designated essential caregiver shall be the person authorized and empowered to act on behalf of the patient or resident pursuant to Code Section 31-9-2.#

  3. (2)

    “Hospital” means a hospital licensed pursuant to this chapter.#

  4. (3)

    “Long-term care facility” means a skilled nursing home, intermediate care home, personal care home, assisted living community, community living arrangement, or inpatient hospice facility licensed or permitted to operate pursuant to this chapter.#

  5. (4)

    “Visitor” means any individual authorized by an adult patient, resident, or designated essential caregiver of such patient or resident to have access to in-person visitation in a hospital or long-term care facility with such patient or resident.#

The notes below are printed with the section but are not enacted law (O.C.G.A. § 1-1-1(c)). They are shown apart from the text.

History

Code 1981, § 31-7-430, enacted by Ga. L. 2024, p. 664, § 2/HB 663, effective July 1, 2024.

Delayed effective date

Code Section 31-7-430 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective until January 1, 2026. For version effective January 1, 2026, see the following version.

Read the official page (the state's PDF, opened at the page this text was read from).

Current through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia.

Text read from t31-(v23)-2025-pdf.pdf, Volume V23, 2025 edition, pages 483 to 484; merge action: bound only; file SHA-256 ba5a57f85d04.