Week Five Under the Gold Dome: Healthcare, Education, and Public Health in Focus
The Georgia House returned to the State Capitol on Monday, February 9, kicking off the fifth week of the 2026 legislative session. With four legislative days on the calendar and a steady flow of bills moving through the Rules Committee, the House had a productive week, passing and adopting 23 bills and resolutions. As Crossover Day approaches on Legislative Day 28, the pace and length of floor days continue to increase as lawmakers work to move priority legislation forward.
Several measures advanced this week focused on healthcare access, education outcomes, transparency, and public health. The House passed House Bill 657, a bipartisan step to strengthen mental health and substance use recovery services by formally recognizing certified peer specialists in state law and establishing standards for recovery community organizations. The goal is to improve consistency, accountability, and access to peer support services statewide, while supporting all pathways to recovery, including medication-assisted treatment and harm reduction.
The House also unanimously passed Senate Bill 162, which modernizes medical licensing and credentialing by creating a streamlined, statewide verification system. By reducing duplicative paperwork and delays, the bill aims to get qualified healthcare providers into Georgia’s workforce faster, particularly in rural and underserved communities where shortages remain acute.
Education policy was another area of focus. House Bill 383 passed unanimously to establish clear guardrails around Name, Image, and Likeness compensation for Georgia high school student athletes, expanding opportunities while protecting minors from long-term or exploitative contracts. The House also advanced House Bill 907, which updates the Completion Special Schools Act to improve coordination between school systems and non-traditional schools serving students at risk of dropping out, helping ensure continuity of services and clearer pathways to graduation.
Public health access was addressed through Senate Bill 195, which would allow trained pharmacists to dispense HIV prevention medications under defined conditions. The bill is designed to reduce barriers to care while maintaining appropriate oversight, particularly benefiting rural and underserved areas with limited access to physicians.
Additional legislation passed this week addressed transparency in state rulemaking, government ethics enforcement, consumer protections, transportation safety, forestry and land management practices, and judicial administration. Two measures also received final passage and now head to the governor’s desk, including requirements for clearer disclosure of imported seafood and expanded authority for the State Ethics Commission to obtain records tied to campaign finance and transparency.
The House returns to the Capitol on Tuesday, February 17, following the President’s Day holiday. With Crossover Day fast approaching, the coming weeks will be among the most active and consequential of the session.
