HR 1522: House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health; create

This resolution sets up the House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health to look closely at the Department of Community Health (DCH), the state agency that runs Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, the State Health Benefit Plan, and other health programs affecting about one in four Georgians. The committee would review DCH's structure, operations, funding, and staffing, with special attention to Medicaid and other medical assistance programs, and decide whether the state should take any action or pass new legislation. The Speaker of the House would appoint five House members to the committee and name one as chairperson. The chairperson would call meetings, and members would receive standard legislative allowances for up to five days unless more are approved. The committee must file any findings or recommendations, or at least meeting minutes, before it automatically shuts down on December 1, 2026.

• Establishes the House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health to review DCH's operations, funding, and Medicaid programs.
• Directs the Speaker of the House to appoint five House members to the committee and designate a chairperson.
• Authorizes the committee to hold meetings, investigate DCH issues, and recommend legislation or state action.
• Sets legislative expense allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five paid days unless extended.
• Requires a report or meeting minutes to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee ends.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026.

The Department of Community Health and its employees, Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids recipients, the State Health Benefit Plan, the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division, the State Office of Rural Health, and House members appointed to the new study committee.

Georgians who rely on Medicaid, PeachCare for Kids, or other DCH-administered health programs could eventually see changes if the committee's findings lead to new legislation affecting how the agency is funded, staffed, or structured.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Evaluating Community Health.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at five House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying DCH's operations and recommending legislation or state action.
• Paragraph (5) limits paid allowances to five days unless additional days are authorized, funded through House appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires filing a report or, absent one, meeting minutes with the Clerk of the House.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-16House Committee Favorably Reported (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2026-03-06House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2026-03-04House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-03-03House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)Patrocinador principal
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
• Lee Hawkins (R, HD-027)
• Sharon Cooper (R, HD-045)

• Medicaid
• public health policy
• Department of Community Health
• state government study committees
• healthcare funding