Blog

AFY 2017 and FY 2018 Budgets 
The House of Representatives passed the amended FY 2017 budget, also called the little budget. Very few changes were made from the Governor’s recommended budget. Appropriations hearings continued on the FY 2018 budget.

Oral Health Legislation 
Rep. Sharon Cooper introduced HB 154 last week. This bill is more limited in scope than Sen. Unterman’s SB 12, but both allow for general supervision of dental hygienists under certain circumstances. “General supervision” means that a dentist can authorize a licensed dental hygienist to perform certain duties but does not require the dentist to be present when those duties are performed and to have certified dental offices. The primary purpose of both bills is to reduce the barriers to dental care for children, seniors, and people with disabilities in Georgia.

Opioid Abuse omnibus bill introduced 
Sen. Unterman introduced SB 81, titled the “Jeffrey Dallas Gay, Jr. Act”, which addresses the ongoing opioid abuse crisis in a number of ways. The legislation enables greater access to naloxone, a medication used to combat opioid overdoses, by allowing the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health to issue a standing order permitting over-the-counter access or under other imposed conditions. The bill also requires prescribing physicians to discuss with their patients the potential risks associated with use of a controlled substance. Under this legislation, inspections would be required for all licensed narcotic treatment programs in the state, as well as the submission of patient outcomes data by the programs to the Department of Community Health. This bill contains many provisions to prevent and treat substance use disorders and we will provide a fuller analysis soon.