BILL YEARTA: House deals with health care, transportation issue

The Georgia House of Representatives returned to the Gold Dome for the third week of the 2024 legislative session on Jan. 22. This week brought our first legislative floor votes and saw many House committees begin the legislative process. We also took time to revisit bills from 2023 that did not receive passage. Over the last few days, we tackled issues dealing with health care, transportation, and anti-Semitic rhetoric.

Transportation

House Bill 804 requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue two distinct license plates to ambulance and hearse owners, moving us away from the current plates which read, “Hearse/Ambulance.” This bill simply clarifies the separate purposes for which these vehicles are used. If passed and signed into law, this bill would become effective on Jan. 1, 2025.

Health care

We continue to tackle health care and began this session by expanding access and licenses through HB 502 and HB 434.

House Bill 502, or the Georgia Cosmetic Laser Services Act, saw passage last week in a near unanimous vote. This bill would update the definition of “cosmetic laser services” in state law as a result of the development of new dermatological procedures that were not encompassed in the previous definition, including energy-based medical procedures using an ultrasound, cryolipolysis, microwave or radio frequency devices.

Under House Bill 434, radiologist assistants will now be issued licenses in our state. If passed, the Georgia Composite Medical Board would establish criteria for licensure and licensure renewal for radiologist assistants, as well as establishing rules and regulations related to the qualifications, scope of practice and supervision of these health care workers. We are hopeful that this legislation will help to recruit and retain health care workers while shortening patient wait times.

We Stand with Israel House Bill 30, introduced in 2023, further recognizes that Georgia stands with Israel and our Jewish brothers and sisters. This bill addresses anti-Semitism as it adds the defined act to our hate crimes law. Further, this bill would require all state agencies that prohibit discrimination to consider the definition of anti-Semitism during that enforcement. As anti-Semitic rhetoric has seen an uptick in recent months, I was proud to vote in support of this legislation.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me anytime. Please be on the lookout for my weekly updates for the remainder of the legislative session. My priority is to ensure I am representing our district views appropriately, and the only way to do so is by hearing directly from you. Thank you for allowing me the honor and pleasure of serving our home under the Gold Dome. May God bless you and yours, and may he continue to bless our district and the great state of Georgia.