Governor Kemp signs healthcare and coastal support bills

Governor Brian P. Kemp, along with First Lady Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns, constitutional officers, Georgia General Assembly members, and local leaders, gathered to sign a series of bills intended to enhance healthcare access and support coastal community growth in Georgia.

"Today we mark another milestone," Governor Brian Kemp said. He expressed pride in signing legislation that he believes will enhance the health and wellbeing of Georgians across all life stages. Kemp acknowledged the need for constant evolution and innovation to meet citizens' needs, crediting the General Assembly for facilitating these legislative advances.

The ten pieces of healthcare-related legislation signed include HB 428, which defines and codifies the right to in vitro fertilization. HB 94 mandates that health benefit policies cover fertility preservation services when medically necessary treatments may lead to infertility. HB 89 permits the Maternal Mortality Review Committee to review psychiatric records and establishes a Regional Perinatal Center advisory committee.

HB 584, championed by the Department of Community Health, transfers oversight of various programs to the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. HB 473 adds new drugs to the dangerous drug code and controlled substance code and ensures new FDA-approved drugs remain accessible. SB 55 aids workers with disabilities and aligns state wage laws with federal standards.

In addition to these healthcare bills, Governor Kemp signed 19 other pieces of legislation, including HB 303, HB 762, HB 730, and HB 797, among others. Kemp expressed gratitude for the hard work of everyone involved in the process of these bills' development.