HB 659 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Health; rural assistance; expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 34 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to medical professionals for rural assistance, so as to expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Signed May 5, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC 52 0789/a → HB 659/AP* · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to add a new provision allowing medications to be administered in personal care homes and assisted living facilities, while retaining the original provisions regarding rural healthcare workforce support. This expansion broadens the bill's scope from solely focusing on rural assistance to also addressing medication administration in residential care settings.

Scope change

The bill now covers both rural healthcare workforce expansion and medication administration in personal care homes and assisted living facilities, whereas the original version only addressed rural assistance.

SCOPE

Added authority for personal care homes and assisted living facilities to administer specific medications (insulin, epinephrine, GLP-1, and B12) pursuant to physician direction and protocol.

Updated the bill title and purpose statement to reflect the new inclusion of hospital regulation and medication administration in residential care facilities.

REQUIREMENT

Revised the code section references to include Chapter 7 (regulation of hospitals and health care facilities) alongside Chapter 34 (medical professionals for rural assistance).

Floor votes · Senate Mar 31, 2026 · House Feb 2, 2026

How they voted

40–0

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 47

Mar 31, 2026

D Democratic18

14 Yea 4

77% Yea

R Republican29

26 Yea 3

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 5, 2026

Signed into law

Act 385

upper

May 5, 2026

Signed into law

House Date Signed by Governor

lower

Apr 2, 2026

Introduced

House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub

lower

Mar 31, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Committee Favorably Reported

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Committee

Senate Read and Referred

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Passed/Adopted

lower

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Introduced

House Hopper

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors