HB 677 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Health; certain placement procedures for children upon discharge from a hospital or psychiatric residential treatment facility; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions of health, so as to provide for certain placement procedures for children upon discharge from a hospital or psychiatric residential treatment facility in certain circumstances; to amend Article 1 of Chapter 20A of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to patient protection, so as to provide for per diem payments to hospitals or psychiatric residential treatment facilities in certain circumstances; to amend Chapter 21A of Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Medicaid Care Management Organizations Act," so as to provide for per diem payments to hospitals or psychiatric residential treatment facilities in certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide for applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action Mar 10, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

LC 46 1199S/hs → LC 46 1206S/rcs · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the committee responsible for the substitute from Health to Rules, update the bill's purpose to include 'applicability' instead of 'contingent effectiveness', and significantly restructure the procedures for placing children who cannot be picked up by their guardians after psychiatric care. The new version replaces the MATCH team with a task force, expands the definition of health benefit policies, and modifies reporting requirements.

Scope change

The bill now applies to children not in the custody of the Department of Human Services through the Division of Children and Family Services, and the procedures for placement have been reorganized from a MATCH team to a task force with different composition requirements.

REQUIREMENT

The committee responsible for offering the substitute bill changed from the House Committee on Health to the House Committee on Rules.

The MATCH team was replaced with a task force consisting of a care coordinator, treating psychiatrist, medical director, and representatives from various departments.

SCOPE

The bill's purpose was updated to include 'applicability' instead of 'contingent effectiveness', changing how the law becomes active.

ELIGIBILITY

The procedures for child placement now specifically apply to children not in the custody of the Department of Human Services through the Division of Children and Family Services.

DEFINITION

A new definition for 'Health benefit policy' was added to clarify what types of insurance or healthcare contracts are included.

ENFORCEMENT

Reporting requirements changed from submitting information by December 31 to submitting monthly reports to the Multi-Agency Treatment for Children Committee.

Floor votes · House Mar 6, 2025

How they voted

151–1

Passed · 7 other

Total votes 159

Mar 6, 2025

D Democratic67

63 Yea 4

94% Yea

R Republican92

88 Yea 1 Nay 3

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 10, 2025

Committee

Senate Read and Referred

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Passed/Adopted By Substitute

lower

Mar 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Introduced

House Hopper

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors