HR 512: House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery; create

The House Committee on Health offers the following substitute to HR 512:

A RESOLUTION

Creating the House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, millions of Americans, including both adults and children, are impacted by addiction to alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs, sex, gambling, and the internet and modern technology; and

WHEREAS, there are three main addiction types: physical addiction, behavioral addiction, and impulse control disorders; and

WHEREAS, there are two main groups of addiction: substance addictions (substance use disorders) and nonsubstance addictions (behavioral addictions); and

WHEREAS, there are six major stages of addiction: initial use or exposure, misuse, tolerance, dependence, addiction, and setbacks; and

WHEREAS, addiction costs business owners over $750 billion each year in lost revenue, profits, productivity, and healthcare costs; and

WHEREAS, over 7 percent of divorces in the United States result from addiction; and

WHEREAS, the rate of drug overdose deaths is 28.6 per 100,000 standard population in urban counties and 26.2 per 100,000 standard population in rural counties; and

WHEREAS, every community in Georgia is experiencing rising costs, academic challenges, threats to law enforcement officers and first responders, impacts on marriages, and challenges for business owners and the workforce arising from the addiction epidemic; and

WHEREAS, Georgia should promote programs and protocols for healthcare providers, law enforcement officers and first responders, education leaders, faith leaders, business leaders, and local governments to better address the addiction epidemic; and

WHEREAS, it would be beneficial for policymakers to study the current addiction challenges and the potential sources of help for addiction in Georgia, anticipate challenges and needs policymakers should reasonably expect Georgians to face in the future, improve educational programs for both professional and volunteer groups and agencies to better address the addiction epidemic, to enhance collaboration and integration between professional and volunteer groups and agencies, and ensure that Georgians who face addiction now and in the future have access to necessary and effective resources to support recovery.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee on the Addiction Epidemic and Solutions for Recovery.

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of 13 members to be appointed as follows:

(A) Eight members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a legislative member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.

(B) Five nonlegislative members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which shall include:

(i) A citizen representative from the Georgia Council for Recovery;

(ii) A citizen representative who practices medicine as an independent physician whose specialty includes the treatment of addiction and dual diagnosis;

(iii) A citizen representative who has lost a family member to an overdose;

(iv) A citizen representative who serves as a staff member of a recovery community organization in Georgia; and

(v) A citizen who is a peer certified specialist.

(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.

(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.

(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.

(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members, or who are state employees, shall receive no compensation for their services on the committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.

(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state employees.

(D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.