My colleagues and I returned to the Gold Dome on Tuesday, February 16 for the sixth week of the 2021 legislative session. We spent three productive days in session this week and passed more legislation on the House floor and in our committees. By the end of the week, we finished Legislative Day 19, and the halfway point of the session and the important “Crossover Day” deadline are both right around the corner.
HB 163: PeachCare Coverage
The House unanimously passed legislation at the beginning of the week which seeks to automatically enroll thousands of Georgia’s most vulnerable children in health insurance. House Bill 163 would require the Georgia Department of Community Health to submit an amendment to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement “express lane” eligibility in Medicaid and the PeachCare for Kids Program. Upon federal approval of this plan, the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) would automatically enroll and renew eligible children who have already qualified for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids.
There are approximately 120,000 children enrolled in SNAP who are also eligible for our state health insurance programs, yet some of these children miss out on this coverage because they have to complete a separate application with the DHS. By eliminating the need for families to submit the same information twice with the DHS, this legislation could close this coverage gap and help ensure that uninsured children receive the health care coverage that they deserve.
HB154: Amending the State Adoption Code
This bill is part of the ongoing efforts started in 2016. HB154 makes several changes to the state adoption code. The changes make the adoption process smoother by identifying and correcting multiple inefficiencies in the adoption system. Always keeping in mind that the safety and well-being of children is the top priority, this bill simply increases the speed and efficiency of adoptions, thus improving the rate of adoption and foster care.
HB146: Parental Leave for State Employees
HB146 provides eligible full-time state employees for additional three weeks of paid parental leave. To be eligible, one must have been employed for six continuous months. Parental leave is given to employees experiencing the life event of giving birth, adoption, or foster care. As the economy and job market continue to recover, providing this crucial benefit to our state employees would help Georgia retain and recruit the best and brightest workforce.
HB128 Gracie’s Law
We also unanimously passed this bill, which was inspired by Gracie Joy Nobles, a Georgia child with Down syndrome, to help safeguard against organ transplant discrimination for children and adults living with disabilities. If Gracie’s Law is enacted, individuals who are candidates for an anatomical gift or organ transplant would not be deemed ineligible or denied insurance coverage or a medical referral solely based on the individual’s physical or mental disability.
Additionally, if an individual cannot independently meet medical requirements after a transplant operation but has an adequate support system to assist with these recovery needs, the individual would not be deemed ineligible for the transplant. Children’s Health Care of Atlanta (CHOA), which performs most of the pediatric solid organ transplants in the state, has expressed support for this legislation and also reported that there is no medical reason to warrant such discrimination. This is another piece of legislation that passed in the House last session with bipartisan support, and I hope that Gracie’s Law will cross the finish line this year after consideration from the Senate.
Crossover Day
We will reach the halfway point of the session when we return for Legislative Day 20 on Monday, February 22, and we will continue to work diligently to pass House bills before Day 28, or “Crossover Day,” which is the last day that a House bill can pass in the House Chamber and still be eligible to become law this session. Community input is extremely important to the legislative process, so I hope to hear from you before this important deadline.
I remain dedicated to serving your interests as your state representative, and I hope that you will contact me with any questions or concerns you may have regarding the legislative session or with any proposals or recommendations for future legislation.
You can also stay in touch by visiting our website at www.house.ga.gov to watch a live stream of the House in action, as well as archived committee meetings, and review legislation that we are considering.
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Thank you for allowing me to be your representative.
Sincerely,
Representative Butch Parrish
