Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR304 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	LC 39 4817S
2		-	The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to HR 304:
	1	+	25 LC 46 0946
	2	+	House Resolution 304
	3	+	By: Representatives Au of the 50
	4	+	th
	5	+	, Cooper of the 45
	6	+	th
	7	+	, Hawkins of the 27
	8	+	th
	9	+	, Stephens of the
	10	+	164
	11	+	th
	12	+	, and Buckner of the 137
	13	+	th
	14	+
3	15		A RESOLUTION
4		-	Creating the House Study Committee on the Costs and Effects of Smoking; and for other1
	16	+	Creating the House Study Committee on the Costs and Effects of Smoking; and for other
	17	+	1
5	18		purposes.2
6	19		WHEREAS, smoking leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the3
7	20		body; and4
8	21		WHEREAS, more than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking;5
9	22		and6
10	23		WHEREAS, for every person who dies because of smoking, at least 30 people live with a7
11	24		serious smoking related illness; and8
12	25		WHEREAS, smoking causes cancer, heart disease, vascular disease, lung diseases, diabetes,9
13	26		and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic10
14	27		bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems11
15	28		of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis; and12
16		-	WHEREAS, secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among13
	29	+	H. R. 304
	30	+	- 1 - 25 LC 46 0946
	31	+	WHEREAS, secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among
	32	+	13
17	33		nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year. Secondhand smoke causes stroke,14
18		-	- 1 - LC 39 4817S
19	34		lung cancer, coronary heart disease, and reproductive health complications in adults. 15
20	35		Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death16
21	36		syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma,17
22	37		respiratory symptoms, and slowed lung growth; and18
23	38		WHEREAS, smoking related illness in the United States costs more than $300 billion each19
24	39		year, including more than $225 billion for direct medical care for adults and more than $15620
25	40		billion in lost productivity, including $5.6 billion in lost productivity due to secondhand21
26	41		smoke exposure; and22
27	42		WHEREAS, it would be beneficial to examine the cost of smoking, including short-term and23
28	43		long-term health care costs, the impact on Medicaid and Medicare, childhood health costs24
29	44		resulting from secondhand smoke exposure, and the loss of worker productivity attributed25
30	45		to smoking.26
31	46		NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:27
32	47		(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee28
33	48		on the Costs and Effects of Smoking.29
34	49		(2) Members and officers.30
35	50		(A) The committee shall be composed of five members of the House of31
36	51		Representatives.32
37	52		(B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint all members of the33
38	53		committee and shall designate one of such members as chairperson.34
39		-	(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,35
	54	+	H. R. 304
	55	+	- 2 - 25 LC 46 0946
	56	+	(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,
	57	+	35
40	58		issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or36
41	59		legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.37
42		-	- 2 - LC 39 4817S
43	60		(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee38
44	61		may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or39
45	62		convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and40
46	63		accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.41
47	64		(5) Allowances and funding. The members of the committee shall receive the42
48	65		allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia43
49	66		Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any44
50		-	member of the committee for more than ~~three~~ days unless additional days are authorized. 45
	67	+	member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. 45
51	68		Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds46
52	69		appropriated to the House of Representatives.47
53	70		(6) Report.48
54	71		(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that49
55	72		include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the50
56	73		same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to51
57	74		subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.52
58	75		(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for53
59	76		proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)54
60	77		of this paragraph.55
61	78		(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of56
62	79		abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 57
63	80		A report so approved shall be signed by the chairpersons and filed with the Clerk of the58
64	81		House of Representatives.59
65		-	(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the60
	82	+	H. R. 304
	83	+	- 3 - 25 LC 46 0946
	84	+	(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the
	85	+	60
66	86		House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu61
67	87		thereof.62
68	88		(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.63
69		-	- 3 -
	89	+	H. R. 304
	90	+	- 4 -