Scott Maxwell, legislative liaison for GPHA, provided an update about recent legislative activity concerning public health. The following is Maxwells’ report for February 20, 2015.
The cigarette tax increase is in its usual precarious situation this week as Gov. Deal was quoted by the AJC as saying that he has opposed it in the past and saw no reason to change his mind. However, The Marietta Daily Journal, one of Georgia’s most influential conservative voices, ran an opinion column favorable to increasing the tax. Also, Dink NeSmith penned a column on the topic.
Read the column in The Marietta Daily Journal: Hike taxes on tobacco and strike blow for transportation and health – by Don McKee
Read the column in The Athens Banner-Herald: We live and die with the choices we make – by Dink NeSmith
Here are some bills of interest to public health professionals that saw action during the past week.
HB 86, Creation of Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency (Rep. Tommy BentonR)
Relating to services for the aging, so as to provide for the transfer of the Division of Aging Services to the Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency; to provide for the Georgia Adult and Aging Services Board. Status: Referred to Human Relations & Aging Cmte, Passed Cmte with Substitute, Pending Rules Cmte, Passed House by Cmte Substitute, Sent to Senate, Referred to Health Cmte, Passed Cmte, Pending Rules Cmte
SB 126, Ability to Prescribe Autoinjectable Epinephrine (Sen. Chuck HufstetlerR)
Relating to physicians, physician assistants, and others, so as to provide for emergency public access stations to allow a lay rescuer to consult with a medical professional to administer or make available autoinjectable epinephrine under certain circumstances. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte
SB 51, Substitution of Drugs and Biological Products by Pharmacists (Sen. Dean BurkeR)
Relating to pharmacists and pharmacies, so as to provide for substitutions of interchangeable biological products and drugs; to provide for requirements and limitations. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte, Passed Pharmacology Subcmte by Cmte Substitute, Referred to Full Cmte, Passed Cmte by Substitute, Passed Senate, Sent to House
HB 119, AIDS Disclosure (Rep. Bert ReevesR)
Relating to disclosure of AIDS confidential information, so as to change provisions relating to disclosure of such information under certain circumstances. Status: Referred to Judiciary Cmte, Passed Cmte, Pending Rules Cmte, Passed House, Sent to Senate, Referred to Judiciary Cmte
HB 198, Suicide Prevention Training for Certified School Personnel (Rep. Katie DempseyR)
Relating to student health in elementary and secondary education, so as to require annual suicide prevention education training for certificated school system personnel. Status: Referred to Education Cmte, Passed Cmte, Pending Rules Cmte, Passed House, Sent to Senate, Referred to Health Cmte
HB 219, Exempt Certain Private Swimming Pools from Inspection and Licensing (Rep. Jeff JonesR)Relating to health and public swimming pools, so as to exempt certain privately owned swimming pools from inspection and licensing requirements; to authorize inspection requests to board of health by residents or owners. Status: Referred to State Planning & Community Affairs Cmte
HB 325, Defining Term Motor Vehicle Regarding Safety Belts (Rep. Bill HitchensR)
Relating to use of safety belts in passenger vehicles, so as to modify the definition of the term “passenger vehicle” to which the safety belt law applies. Status: Referred to Motor Vehicles Cmte
HB 362, Prescribing Albuteral Sulfate for Schools (Rep. Valerie ClarkR)
Relating to pharmacists and pharmacies, so as to authorize licensed health practitioners to prescribe albuterol sulfate for schools. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services, On Health Cmte Agenda Monday
SB 34, Immunity if Rescuing Child in Motor Vehicle (Sen. Greg KirkR)
Relating to general provisions relative to torts, so as to provide immunity from liability under certain circumstances for persons entering a parked motor vehicle for the purpose of removing a child from such motor vehicle. Status: Referred to Judiciary Cmte, Passed Cmte by Substitute, Pending Rules Cmte
HB 391, Exempt Sales Tax for Certain Nonprofit Health Centers (Rep. Richard SmithR)
Relating to exemptions from sales and use tax, so as to provide a new exemption from state sales and use tax only for a limited period of time regarding the sale or use of tangible personal property to certain nonprofit health centers; to provide a new exemption for a limited period of time with respect to certain nonprofit volunteer health clinics. Status: Referred to Ways & Means Cmte
SB 130, Bans Smoking in Vehicle with a Passenger Under 15 (Sen. Bruce ThompsonR)
Relating to general provisions relative to the uniform rules of the road, so as to provide that any person in control of a motor vehicle who smokes or permits another occupant to smoke when a person under the age of 15 is in the vehicle shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte
HB 321, Regarding Costs for Providing Copies of Health Records (Rep. Kevin CookeR)
Relating to health records, so as to revise provisions regarding imposition of costs for providing copies of health records; to authorize certain charges for producing records in various forms. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte
HB 349, Physician Assistant Ability to Authorize Schedule II (Rep. Jason SpencerR)
Relating to delegation of authority to physician assistants, so as to authorize a physician to delegate to a physician assistant the authority to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances under certain conditions. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte
HB 354, Must Cover Certain Trauma Centers with the State Health Benefit Plan (Rep. Barry FlemingR)
Relating to insurance generally, so as to require an insurer providing services under the state health benefit plan to include certain trauma centers in its provider network; to provide for a mechanism to resolve disputes between insurers and hospitals. Status: Referred to Judicial Cmte
HB 394, Relating to Nursing (Rep. Sharon CooperR)
Relating to nurses, so as to revise various provisions relating to the licensure of registered professional nurses and licensed practical nurses; to revise provisions relating to the powers and duties of the Georgia Board of Nursing; to provide for acceptance of nursing education programs located outside the United States; to provide for a time period for applicants who do not pass the licensing examination. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte, On Health Cmte Agenda Monday
HB 409, Insurance Reimbursements for Treatment of Burns (Rep. Darlene TaylorR)
Relating to insurance general provisions, so as to provide reimbursement for the treatment of burns for skin substitutes utilizing cadaver derived skin tissue or nonhuman xenographic derived skin tissue. Status: Referred to Insurance Cmte
HB 416, Requires Certain Identification by Health Care Practitioners (Rep. Carl RogersR)
Relating to general provisions relative to professions and businesses, so as to provide for certain identification by health care practitioners to patients with regard to their license; to require that advertisements identify a health care practitioner’s license. Status: Referred to Health Cmte
SB 109, General Provisions Relative to Health (Sen. Nan OrrockD)
Relating to general provisions relative to health, so as to clarify the use and effectiveness of Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment forms; to provide alternate terminology for do not resuscitate orders. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte
SB 114, Protocol Agreements Between Physicians and RNs (Sen. Chuck HufstetlerR)
Relating to delegation of certain medical acts to advanced practice registered nurses, so as to revise provisions relating to the number of advanced practice registered nurses a delegating physician can enter into a protocol agreement with at any one time. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte
SB 115, P.A. Authority to Prescribe Schedule II (Sen. Chuck HufstetlerR)
Relating to delegation of authority to physician assistants, so as to authorize a physician to delegate to a physician assistant the authority to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances; to provide for additional continuing education requirements regarding Schedule II controlled substances. Status: Referred to Health & Human Services Cmte