HR 816: House Study Committee on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry; create

The House Committee on Human Relations and Aging offers the following substitute to HR 816:

A RESOLUTION

Creating the House Study Committee on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, individuals who have been substantiated to have committed abuse, neglect, or exploitation of at-risk populations, including individuals with disabilities and older adults, should be properly documented to prevent future harm; and

WHEREAS, other states, including Tennessee, have established registries to track individuals who have engaged in such conduct; and

WHEREAS, a comprehensive study is necessary to determine the feasibility, structure, and implementation of a similar registry in Georgia, including considerations of due process, enforcement, and interagency coordination; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of this Resolution is to establish a study committee to examine and make recommendations on the establishment of a substantiated abuse registry for at-risk populations; and

WHEREAS, there is a need for a comprehensive review of systems of care for people with disabilities.

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

(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry.

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

(A) Three members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom the Speaker shall designate as chairperson of the committee; and

(B) Five nonlegislative members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives as follows:

(i) The commissioner of public health or his or her designee;

(ii) A citizen representative from a state-wide protection and advocacy organization for individuals with disabilities;

(iii) A citizen representative from a state-wide elder rights advocacy organization;

(iv) A representative from the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia; and

(v) A citizen representative who is either a person with intellectual and developmental disabilities or a person in a care facility.

(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. As part of the committee's work, the committee shall:

(A) Conduct a comprehensive review of Tennessee's substantiated abuse registry and similar models in other states;

(B) Assess the feasibility of implementing a registry in Georgia, including potential costs, administrative procedures, and due process protections;

(C) Examine the potential impact of such a registry on employment and hiring practices in health and caregiving professions;

(D) Consider appropriate mechanisms for appeals and removal from the registry;

(E) Identify necessary legislative and regulatory changes to establish and maintain such a registry; and

(F) Solicit input from relevant stakeholders, including advocacy organizations, care providers, law enforcement, and the public on how to improve service delivery for people with disabilities.

(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) 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.