Bill
Bill > HB89
GA HB89
GA HB89Public Health, Department of; require healthcare providers, facilities, and pharmacies to provide the Maternal Mortality Review Committee with psychiatric or other clinical records
summary
Introduced
01/16/2025
01/16/2025
In Committee
03/11/2025
03/11/2025
Crossed Over
03/03/2025
03/03/2025
Passed
04/07/2025
04/07/2025
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
05/01/2025
05/01/2025
Introduced Session
2025-2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
AN ACT To amend Chapter 2A of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the department of public health, so as to require healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, and pharmacies to provide the Maternal Mortality Review Committee with psychiatric records; to provide for the establishment of the Regional Perinatal Center Advisory Committee; to provide for its composition and duties; to provide for assessment and recommendations to the commissioner of public health; to require that hospitals interested in being a designated regional perinatal center provide the department of public health with certain criteria; to provide that such department present a plan every four years; to provide for definitions; to amend Code Section 37-3-166 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to treatment of clinical records, when release permitted, scope of privileged communications, liability for disclosure, and notice to sheriff of discharge, so as to permit the release of clinical records of a deceased patient or deceased former patient to the Maternal Mortality Review Committee; to amend Code Section 45-16-24 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to notification of suspicious or unusual deaths, court ordered medical examiner's inquiry, and written report of inquiry, so as to remove the requirement that a medical examiner's inquiry for pregnant female deaths be done through a regional perinatal center; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. LC 57 0207S/AP
AI Summary
This bill enhances maternal healthcare oversight by establishing new requirements and structures for reviewing maternal mortality in Georgia. It requires healthcare providers, facilities, and pharmacies to provide the Maternal Mortality Review Committee with psychiatric and medical records within 30 days of a request, protecting these entities from liability for good faith record sharing. The bill creates a new Regional Perinatal Center Advisory Committee composed of 11-21 members appointed by the commissioner of public health, which will assess the state's maternal healthcare system every four years starting in 2026. The committee will evaluate perinatal facilities' preparedness, coordination of maternity care, high-risk pregnancy management, transport systems, and regional healthcare services. Hospitals interested in becoming regional perinatal centers must provide detailed information about their capabilities, funding needs, and current services. Additionally, the bill allows for the release of clinical records of deceased patients to the Maternal Mortality Review Committee and removes a previous requirement that medical examiner inquiries for pregnant female deaths be conducted through a regional perinatal center. The overall goal is to improve maternal healthcare quality, safety, and information sharing across Georgia's healthcare system.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (5)
Last Action
Effective Date 2025-07-01 (on 05/01/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69428 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/236232 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/234785 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/230597 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/230102 |
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