March 4 "Crossover Day" Legisative Report

March 3 was Day 30 of Georgia’s 40 day legislative session and is known as Crossover Day.  This is the last day a bill can be voted on by one chamber in order to move to the other chamber in hopes of final passage. Crossover Day is a long day with a calendar filled with many controversial bills and lengthy debates. The Senate worked late into the evening and the House did not adjourn until after 11 pm. Highlights include passage of HB 885, a limited medical marijuana bill that would allow research universities to grow marijuana for limited and tightly controlled medical research for patients with cancer, glaucoma and seizure disorders. Also passing the House along party line votes were a pair of “Anti-Obamacare” bills. One, HB 990 adds an obstacle to Medicaid expansion by requiring the legislature to approve any expansion. Currently this decision lies solely with the Governor. Also passed after heated debate was HB 707. If also passed by the Senate, this bill would prevent the University of Georgia from operating its current navigator program that assists people in accessing coverage under the ACA in the insurance marketplace (exchange).It prevents employees of any state agency from advocating for Medicaid expansion while “on the clock” and expanding any state funds that would support Medicaid expansion. It would also prevent the Office of the State Insurance Commissioner from enforcing any provision of the health reform law (Including the provider non-discrimination clause of the ACA which is of benefit to APRN’s). Also passing the House was a bill that would require applicants for food stamps and welfare assistance to pass a drug test if there was a “reasonable suspicion” of illegal drug use. These controversial bills will now move to the Senate for further consideration. The Senate continued its record of support for removing some barriers to practice for non-physician providers by passing a bill to give limited Schedule II prescribing authority to Physician Assistants (Remember the Senate has twice passed a bill that would remove the current barrier to APRN’s ordering MRI and CT scans one of which, SB 94, is still “alive” in the House). It is expected to meet stiff opposition in the House. The Senate after a long and highly charged debate also passed a bill that would prohibit coverage for an abortion in a health insurance exchange or the state employee’s health plan except in the case of a medical emergency.
Please see the attachment for a full  “Crossover Day” reportof the following bills that CAPRN has been actively working on