Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR816 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	25 LC 62 0213S
2		-	The House Committee on Human Relations and Aging offers the following substitute to
3		-	HR 816:
	1	+	25 LC 59 0175
	2	+	House Resolution 816
	3	+	By: Representatives Hilton of the 48
	4	+	th
	5	+	, Petrea of the 166
	6	+	th
	7	+	, Werkheiser of the 157
	8	+	th
	9	+	, Dempsey
	10	+	of the 13
	11	+	th
	12	+	, Cooper of the 45
	13	+	th
	14	+	, and others
4	15		A RESOLUTION
5		-	Creating the House Study Committee on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry; and for1
	16	+	Creating the House Study Committee on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry; and for
	17	+	1
6	18		other purposes.2
7	19		WHEREAS, individuals who have been substantiated to have committed abuse, neglect, or3
8	20		exploitation of at-risk populations, including individuals with disabilities and older adults,4
9	21		should be properly documented to prevent future harm; and5
10	22		WHEREAS, other states, including Tennessee, have established registries to track6
11	23		individuals who have engaged in such conduct; and7
12	24		WHEREAS, a comprehensive study is necessary to determine the feasibility, structure, and8
13	25		implementation of a similar registry in Georgia, including considerations of due process,9
14	26		enforcement, and interagency coordination; and10
15	27		WHEREAS, the purpose of this Resolution is to establish a study committee to examine and11
16	28		make recommendations on the establishment of a substantiated abuse registry for at-risk12
17	29		populations; and13
18		-	H. R. 816 (SUB)
19		-	- 1 - 25 LC 62 0213S
20		-	WHEREAS, there is a need for a comprehensive review of systems of care for people with14
	30	+	H. R. 816
	31	+	- 1 - 25 LC 59 0175
	32	+	WHEREAS, there is a need for a comprehensive review of systems of care for people with
	33	+	14
21	34		disabilities.15
22	35		NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:16
23	36		(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee17
24	37		on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry.18
25		-	(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of ~~eight~~ members to be19
	38	+	(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of 11 members to be19
26	39		appointed as follows:20
27		-	(A) ~~Three~~ members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the ~~Speaker21~~
28		-	of the House of Representatives, one of whom the Speaker shall designate ~~as22~~
29		-	~~chairperson~~ of the committee; and23
30		-	(B) ~~Five~~ nonlegislative members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of24
	40	+	(A) Five members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of21
	41	+	the House of Representatives, one of whom the Speaker shall designate as chairperson22
	42	+	of the committee; and23
	43	+	(B) Six nonlegislative members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of24
31	44		Representatives as follows:25
32	45		(i) The commissioner of public health or his or her designee;26
33	46		(ii) A citizen representative from a state-wide protection and advocacy organization27
34	47		for individuals with disabilities;28
35	48		(iii) A citizen representative from a state-wide elder rights advocacy organization;29
36		-	(iv) A representative from the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia;30
37		-	and31
38		-	(v) A citizen representative who is either a person with intellectual and32
39		-	developmental disabilities or a person in a care facility.33
40		-	(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,34
41		-	issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or35
42		-	legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate. As part of the36
43		-	committee's work, the committee shall:37
44		-	(A) Conduct a comprehensive review of Tennessee's substantiated abuse registry and38
45		-	similar models in other states;39
46		-	H. R. 816 (SUB)
47		-	- 2 - 25 LC 62 0213S
48		-	(B) Assess the feasibility of implementing a registry in Georgia, including potential40
49		-	costs, administrative procedures, and due process protections;41
50		-	(C) Examine the potential impact of such a registry on employment and hiring42
51		-	practices in health and caregiving professions;43
52		-	(D) Consider appropriate mechanisms for appeals and removal from the registry; 44
53		-	(E) Identify necessary legislative and regulatory changes to establish and maintain such45
54		-	a registry; and46
55		-	(F) Solicit input from relevant stakeholders, including advocacy organizations, care47
56		-	providers, law enforcement, and the public on how to improve service delivery for48
57		-	people with disabilities.49
58		-	(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee50
59		-	may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or51
60		-	convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and52
61		-	accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.53
62		-	(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.54
63		-	(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided55
64		-	for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.56
65		-	(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,57
66		-	or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the58
67		-	committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the59
68		-	performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they60
69		-	are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.61
70		-	(C) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member62
71		-	of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds63
72		-	necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds64
73		-	appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement65
74		-	of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the66
75		-	H. R. 816 (SUB)
76		-	- 3 - 25 LC 62 0213S
77		-	reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated67
78		-	to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.68
79		-	(6) Report.69
80		-	(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that70
81		-	include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the71
82		-	same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to72
83		-	subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.73
84		-	(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for74
85		-	proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)75
86		-	of this paragraph.76
87		-	(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of77
88		-	abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.78
89		-	A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with79
90		-	the Clerk of the House of Representatives.80
91		-	(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the81
92		-	House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu82
93		-	thereof.83
94		-	(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.84
95		-	H. R. 816 (SUB)
	49	+	(iv) A citizen representative from a law enforcement agency with experience30
	50	+	investigating abuse cases;31
	51	+	(v) A citizen representative from the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of32
	52	+	Georgia; and33
	53	+	(vi) A citizen representative who is either a person with intellectual and34
	54	+	developmental disabilities or a person in a care facility.35
	55	+	(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,36
	56	+	issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or37
	57	+	legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate. As part of the38
	58	+	committee's work, the committee shall:39
	59	+	H. R. 816
	60	+	- 2 - 25 LC 59 0175
	61	+	(A) Conduct a comprehensive review of Tennessee's substantiated abuse registry and
	62	+	40
	63	+	similar models in other states;41
	64	+	(B) Assess the feasibility of implementing a registry in Georgia, including potential42
	65	+	costs, administrative procedures, and due process protections;43
	66	+	(C) Examine the potential impact of such a registry on employment and hiring44
	67	+	practices in health and caregiving professions;45
	68	+	(D) Consider appropriate mechanisms for appeals and removal from the registry; 46
	69	+	(E) Identify necessary legislative and regulatory changes to establish and maintain such47
	70	+	a registry; and48
	71	+	(F) Solicit input from relevant stakeholders, including advocacy organizations, care49
	72	+	providers, law enforcement, and the public on how to improve service delivery for50
	73	+	people with disabilities.51
	74	+	(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee52
	75	+	may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or53
	76	+	convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and54
	77	+	accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.55
	78	+	(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.56
	79	+	(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided57
	80	+	for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.58
	81	+	(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,59
	82	+	or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the60
	83	+	committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the61
	84	+	performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they62
	85	+	are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.63
	86	+	(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state64
	87	+	employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that65
	88	+	specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia66
	89	+	H. R. 816
	90	+	- 3 - 25 LC 59 0175
	91	+	Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state
	92	+	67
	93	+	employees.68
	94	+	(D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member69
	95	+	of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds70
	96	+	necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds71
	97	+	appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement72
	98	+	of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the73
	99	+	reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated74
	100	+	to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.75
	101	+	(6) Report.76
	102	+	(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that77
	103	+	include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the78
	104	+	same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to79
	105	+	subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.80
	106	+	(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for81
	107	+	proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)82
	108	+	of this paragraph.83
	109	+	(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of84
	110	+	abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.85
	111	+	A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with86
	112	+	the Clerk of the House of Representatives.87
	113	+	(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the88
	114	+	House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu89
	115	+	thereof.90
	116	+	(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.91
	117	+	H. R. 816
96	118		- 4 -