Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SB481 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	24 LC 33 9610
2	2	Senate Bill 481
3	3	By: Senators Hodges of the 3rd, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Watson of the 1st, Hufstetler of the
4	4	52nd, Summers of the 13th and others
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	To amend Chapter 10 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
8	8	1
9	9	Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, so as to provide for the establishment of the2
10	10	Georgia Health Care Professionals Data System; to provide for definitions; to provide for3
11	11	collaboration with state licensing boards; to provide for a publicly accessible website; to4
12	12	provide for collection of data from state licensing boards; to provide for specified data; to5
13	13	provide for seeking of funding sources; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting6
14	14	laws; and for other purposes.7
15	15	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
16	16	SECTION 1.9
17	17	Chapter 10 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia10
18	18	Board of Health Care Workforce, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as11
19	19	follows:12
20	20	"49-10-7.
21	21	13
22	22	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:14
23	23	(1) 'Licensed health care professional' means the following health care professionals15
24	24	licensed or certified by a state licensing board:16
25	25	S. B. 481
26	26	- 1 - 24 LC 33 9610
27	27	(A) Physicians, acupuncturists, physician assistants, respiratory care professionals,17
28	28	clinical perfusionists, orthotists, prosthetists, cosmetic laser practitioners, and genetic18
29	29	counselors;19
30	30	(B) Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians;20
31	31	(C) Dentists and dental hygienists;21
32	32	(D) Chiropractors;22
33	33	(E) Optometrists;23
34	34	(F) Occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants;24
35	35	(G) Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants;25
36	36	(H) Audiologists and speech-language pathologists;26
37	37	(I) Psychologists;27
38	38	(J) Licensed practical nurses, registered professional nurses, and advanced practice28
39	39	registered nurses, including certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, certified29
40	40	registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists in psychiatric/mental health;30
41	41	(K) Emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and cardiac technicians;31
42	42	(L) Podiatrists;32
43	43	(M) Dietitians; and33
44	44	(N) Professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists.34
45	45	(2) 'State licensing board' means:35
46	46	(A) Georgia Composite Medical Board;36
47	47	(B) State Board of Pharmacy;37
48	48	(C) Georgia Board of Dentistry;38
49	49	(D) Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners;39
50	50	(E) State Board of Optometry;40
51	51	(F) State Board of Occupational Therapy;41
52	52	(G) State Board of Physical Therapy;42
53	53	(H) State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology;43
54	54	S. B. 481
55	55	- 2 - 24 LC 33 9610
56	56	(I) State Board of Examiners of Psychologists;44
57	57	(J) Georgia Board of Nursing;45
58	58	(K) Department of Public Health;46
59	59	(L) State Board of Podiatry Examiners;47
60	60	(M) Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians; and48
61	61	(N) Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and49
62	62	Marriage and Family Therapists.50
63	63	(b) In collaboration with state licensing boards, the board shall create and maintain the51
64	64	Georgia Health Care Professionals Data System for the purposes of collecting and52
65	65	disseminating nonidentifying descriptive data on licensed health care professionals in this53
66	66	state. The board shall compile existing information on licensed health care professionals54
67	67	into a single repository of information easily accessible to the public from the board's55
68	68	website. The data system shall provide information to the public regarding the56
69	69	demographics and geographical distribution of licensed health care professionals in this57
70	70	state. The data system shall contain no individually identifying information regarding any58
71	71	licensed health care professional.59
72	72	(c) State licensing boards shall provide the data contained in subsection (d) of this Code60
73	73	section upon request by the board or up to two times annually as required by the board. 61
74	74	The board shall work with state licensing boards regarding the manner, form, and content62
75	75	for the reporting of such data. The board shall be authorized to enter into memoranda of63
76	76	agreement with individual state licensing boards for purposes of data transmission criteria64
77	77	pursuant to this Code section.65
78	78	(d) State licensing boards shall provide the following data to the board for its licensed66
79	79	health care professionals who are in active practice:67
80	80	(1) Age;68
81	81	(2) Race;69
82	82	(3) Gender;70
83	83	S. B. 481
84	84	- 3 - 24 LC 33 9610
85	85	(4) Ethnicity;71
86	86	(5) Location of practice; and72
87	87	(6) License type.73
88	88	(e) The board shall be authorized to seek federal or other sources of funding necessary to74
89	89	support the creation and maintenance of the Georgia Health Care Professionals Data75
90	90	System."76
91	91	SECTION 2.77
92	92	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.78
93	93	S. B. 481
94	94	- 4 -