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The House Committee on Human Relations and Aging offers the following substitute to
HR 816:
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry; and for1
other purposes.2
WHEREAS, individuals who have been substantiated to have committed abuse, neglect, or3
exploitation of at-risk populations, including individuals with disabilities and older adults,4
should be properly documented to prevent future harm; and5
WHEREAS, other states, including Tennessee, have established registries to track6
individuals who have engaged in such conduct; and7
WHEREAS, a comprehensive study is necessary to determine the feasibility, structure, and8
implementation of a similar registry in Georgia, including considerations of due process,9
enforcement, and interagency coordination; and10
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Resolution is to establish a study committee to examine and11
make recommendations on the establishment of a substantiated abuse registry for at-risk12
populations; and13
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WHEREAS, there is a need for a comprehensive review of systems of care for people with14
disabilities.15
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:16
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee17
on an At-Risk Populations Abuse Registry.18
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of eight members to be19
appointed as follows:20
(A) Three members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker21
of the House of Representatives, one of whom the Speaker shall designate as22
chairperson of the committee; and23
(B) Five nonlegislative members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of24
Representatives as follows:25
(i) The commissioner of public health or his or her designee;26
(ii) A citizen representative from a state-wide protection and advocacy organization27
for individuals with disabilities;28
(iii) A citizen representative from a state-wide elder rights advocacy organization;29
(iv) A representative from the Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of the State of Georgia;30
and31
(v) A citizen representative who is either a person with intellectual and32
developmental disabilities or a person in a care facility.33
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,34
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or35
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate. As part of the36
committee's work, the committee shall:37
(A) Conduct a comprehensive review of Tennessee's substantiated abuse registry and38
similar models in other states;39
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(B) Assess the feasibility of implementing a registry in Georgia, including potential40
costs, administrative procedures, and due process protections;41
(C) Examine the potential impact of such a registry on employment and hiring42
practices in health and caregiving professions;43
(D) Consider appropriate mechanisms for appeals and removal from the registry; 44
(E) Identify necessary legislative and regulatory changes to establish and maintain such45
a registry; and46
(F) Solicit input from relevant stakeholders, including advocacy organizations, care47
providers, law enforcement, and the public on how to improve service delivery for48
people with disabilities.49
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee50
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or51
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and52
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.53
(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.54
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided55
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.56
(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,57
or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the58
committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the59
performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they60
are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.61
(C) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member62
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds63
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds64
appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement65
of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the66
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reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated67
to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.68
(6) Report.69
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that70
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the71
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to72
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.73
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for74
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)75
of this paragraph.76
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of77
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.78
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with79
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.80
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the81
House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu82
thereof.83
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.84
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