Bill Commons

GA HB 659

enacted

Health; rural assistance; expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists

Georgia · 2025_26 · lower

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Quick answers

Did GA HB 659 pass?

Yes. GA HB 659 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-05-05): Act 385

What is GA HB 659 about?

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 34 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to medical professionals for rural assistance, so as to expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Who sponsors GA HB 659?

Gerald Greene, Darlene Taylor, Lee Hawkins and 2 others are the primary sponsors of GA HB 659.

Description

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 34 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to medical professionals for rural assistance, so as to expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Introduced
2025-02-27
Latest action
2026-05-05 — Act 385
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Gerald Greeneprimary
  • Darlene Taylorprimary
  • Lee Hawkinsprimary
  • Rick Jasperseprimary
  • Leesa Haganprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

Newest first

  1. 2026-05-05

    Act 385

    executive-signature

  2. 2026-05-05

    House Date Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  3. 2026-04-10

    House Sent to Governor

    executive-receipt

  4. 2026-04-02

    House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub

  5. 2026-03-31

    Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended

    passage

  6. 2026-03-31

    Senate Third Read

    reading-3

  7. 2026-03-25

    Senate Read Second Time

    reading-2

  8. 2026-03-25

    Senate Committee Favorably Reported

    committee-passage-favorable

  9. 2026-02-03

    Senate Read and Referred

    referral-committee

  10. 2026-02-02

    House Passed/Adopted

    passage

  11. 2026-02-02

    House Third Readers

    reading-3

  12. 2026-01-29

    House Committee Favorably Reported

    committee-passage-favorable

  13. 2025-03-03

    House Second Readers

    reading-2

  14. 2025-02-28

    House First Readers

    reading-1

  15. 2025-02-27

    House Hopper

    introduction

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • House Vote #469 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2026-02-02 · pass · 168-2

    Member-level votes (162)
    • ADESANYA: yes
    • ADEYINA: yes
    • ALEXANDER: yes
    • ALI: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • AU: yes
    • BAKER: yes
    • BALLARD: yes
    • BARNES: yes
    • BARRETT: yes
    • BARTON: yes
    • BAZEMORE: yes
    • BECKLES: yes
    • BELL: yes
    • BERRY: yes
    • BLACKMON: yes
    • BONNER: yes
    • BUCKNER: yes
    • BURCHETT: yes
    • BURNOUGH: yes
    • BURNS: other
    • BYRD: no
    • CAMERON: yes
    • CAMP: yes
    • CAMPBELL: yes
    • CANNON: yes
    • CARPENTER: yes
    • CARSON: yes
    • CARTER: yes
    • CHASTAIN: yes
    • CHEOKAS: yes
    • CLARK: yes
    • CLIFTON: yes
    • COOPER: yes
    • CORBETT: yes
    • COX: yes
    • CRAWFORD: yes
    • CROWE: yes
    • CUMMINGS: yes
    • DAVIS: yes
    • DAWSON: yes
    • DELOACH: yes
    • DEMPSEY: yes
    • DICKEY: yes
    • DONATUCCI: yes
    • DOUGLAS: yes
    • DRAPER: yes
    • DRENNER: yes
    • DUBNIK: yes
    • DUNAHOO: other
    • EFSTRATION: yes
    • EHRHART: other
    • ERWIN: yes
    • EVANS: yes
    • FINCHER: yes
    • FLEMING: yes
    • FLOURNOY: yes
    • FORD: yes
    • FRANKLIN: yes
    • FRYE: yes
    • GAINES: yes
    • GAMBILL: yes
    • GILLIARD: yes
    • GISLER: yes
    • GLAIZE: yes
    • GREENE: yes
    • GRIFFIN: yes
    • GULLETT: yes
    • GUNTER: yes
    • HAGAN: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HAWKINS: yes
    • HERRING: yes
    • HILTON: yes
    • HITCHENS: yes
    • HOLCOMB: yes
    • HOLLAND: yes
    • HOLLY: yes
    • HONG: yes
    • HORNER: other
    • HOWARD: yes
    • HUDDLESTON: yes
    • HUGLEY: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JASPERSE: yes
    • JENKINS: yes
    • JONES: yes
    • KAHAIAN: no
    • KELLEY: yes
    • KENDRICK: yes
    • LAHOOD: yes
    • LEVERETT: yes
    • LEWIS-WARD: yes
    • LIM: yes
    • LUMSDEN: yes
    • LUPTON: yes
    • MARTIN: yes
    • MARTINEZ: yes
    • MATHIAK: yes
    • MATHIS: yes
    • MCCLAIN: yes
    • MCCOLLUM: yes
    • MCDONALD III: yes
    • MCQUEEN: yes
    • MEEKS: yes
    • MILLER: yes
    • MITCHELL: yes
    • MOMTAHAN: yes
    • MOORE: yes
    • MYLES: yes
    • NEAL: yes
    • NEW: yes
    • NEWTON: yes
    • OKOYE: yes
    • OLALEYE: yes
    • OLIVER: yes
    • O'STEEN: yes
    • PANITCH: yes
    • PARIS: yes
    • PARK: yes
    • PARRISH: yes
    • PARSONS: yes
    • PERSINGER: yes
    • PETREA: yes
    • POWELL: yes
    • PRINCE: yes
    • REESE: yes
    • REEVES: yes
    • RHODES: yes
    • RICE: yes
    • RICHARDSON: yes
    • RIDLEY: yes
    • ROBERTS: yes
    • ROMMAN: yes
    • SAINZ: yes
    • SAMPSON: yes
    • SANCHEZ: yes
    • SANTOS: yes
    • SCHOFIELD: yes
    • SCOGGINS: yes
    • SCOTT: yes
    • SEABAUGH: yes
    • SHARPER: yes
    • SILCOX: other
    • SMITH: yes
    • STEPHENS: yes
    • STINSON: yes
    • TARVIN: yes
    • TAYLOR: yes
    • THOMAS: yes
    • TOWNSEND: yes
    • TRAN: yes
    • WADE: yes
    • WASHBURN: yes
    • WERKHEISER: yes
    • WESTBROOK: yes
    • WILKERSON: yes
    • WILLIAMS: yes
    • WILLIAMS, JR.: yes
    • WILLIAMSON: yes
    • WILLIS: yes
    • YEARTA: yes
  • Senate Vote #900 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2026-03-31 · pass · 46-0

    Member-level votes (52)
    • ALBERS: yes
    • ANAVITARTE: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • BEARDEN: yes
    • BRASS: yes
    • BURNS: yes
    • COWSERT: yes
    • DAVENPORT: yes
    • DICKERSON: yes
    • DIXON: yes
    • DOLEZAL: other
    • ECHOLS: yes
    • GINN: yes
    • GOOCH: yes
    • GOODMAN: yes
    • HALPERN: yes
    • HARBIN: yes
    • HARBISON: yes
    • HARRELL: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HICKMAN: yes
    • HODGES: yes
    • HOWARD: yes
    • HUFSTETLER: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JAMES: other
    • JONES: other
    • JONES II: yes
    • KEMP: yes
    • KIRKPATRICK: yes
    • LUCAS: other
    • MALLOW: yes
    • MANGHAM: yes
    • MCLAURIN: yes
    • MCNEEL: yes
    • MERRITT: other
    • ORROCK: yes
    • PARENT: yes
    • PAYNE: yes
    • RAHMAN: yes
    • RHETT: yes
    • ROBERTSON: yes
    • SETZLER: yes
    • SIMS: other
    • STILL: yes
    • STRICKLAND: other
    • SUMMERS: yes
    • TILLERY: other
    • WALKER, III: yes
    • WATSON: yes
    • WICKS: yes
    • WILLIAMS: yes
  • House Vote #840 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2026-04-02 · pass · 164-8

    Member-level votes (161)
    • ADESANYA: yes
    • ADEYINA: yes
    • ALEXANDER: yes
    • ALI: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • AU: yes
    • BAKER: yes
    • BALLARD: yes
    • BARNES: yes
    • BARRETT: yes
    • BARTON: yes
    • BAZEMORE: yes
    • BECKLES: yes
    • BELL: yes
    • BERRY: yes
    • BLACKMON: yes
    • BONNER: yes
    • BUCKNER: yes
    • BURCHETT: yes
    • BURNOUGH: yes
    • BURNS: other
    • BYRD: no
    • CAMERON: yes
    • CAMP: yes
    • CAMPBELL: yes
    • CANNON: yes
    • CARPENTER: yes
    • CARSON: yes
    • CARTER: yes
    • CHASTAIN: yes
    • CHEOKAS: yes
    • CLARK: no
    • CLIFTON: yes
    • COOPER: yes
    • CORBETT: yes
    • COX: yes
    • CRAWFORD: yes
    • CROWE: yes
    • CUMMINGS: yes
    • DAVIS: yes
    • DAWSON: yes
    • DELOACH: yes
    • DEMPSEY: yes
    • DICKEY: yes
    • DONATUCCI: yes
    • DOUGLAS: yes
    • DRAPER: yes
    • DRENNER: yes
    • DUBNIK: yes
    • DUNAHOO: yes
    • EFSTRATION: yes
    • EHRHART: yes
    • ERWIN: yes
    • EVANS: yes
    • FINCHER: yes
    • FLEMING: yes
    • FLOURNOY: yes
    • FORD: yes
    • FRANKLIN: yes
    • FRYE: yes
    • GAINES: yes
    • GAMBILL: yes
    • GILLIARD: yes
    • GISLER: yes
    • GLAIZE: yes
    • GREENE: yes
    • GRIFFIN: yes
    • GULLETT: yes
    • GUNTER: yes
    • HAGAN: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HAWKINS: yes
    • HERRING: yes
    • HILTON: yes
    • HITCHENS: yes
    • HOLCOMB: yes
    • HOLLAND: yes
    • HOLLY: yes
    • HONG: yes
    • HORNER: no
    • HOWARD: yes
    • HUDDLESTON: yes
    • HUGLEY: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JASPERSE: yes
    • JENKINS: yes
    • JONES: no
    • KAHAIAN: no
    • KELLEY: yes
    • KENDRICK: yes
    • LAHOOD: yes
    • LEVERETT: yes
    • LEWIS-WARD: yes
    • LIM: yes
    • LUMSDEN: yes
    • LUPTON: yes
    • MARTIN: yes
    • MARTINEZ: yes
    • MATHIAK: yes
    • MATHIS: yes
    • MCCLAIN: yes
    • MCCOLLUM: yes
    • MCDONALD III: yes
    • MCQUEEN: yes
    • MEEKS: yes
    • MILLER: yes
    • MITCHELL: yes
    • MOMTAHAN: yes
    • MOORE: yes
    • MYLES: yes
    • NEAL: other
    • NEW: yes
    • NEWTON: yes
    • OKOYE: yes
    • OLALEYE: yes
    • OLIVER: yes
    • O'STEEN: yes
    • PANITCH: yes
    • PARIS: yes
    • PARK: yes
    • PARRISH: yes
    • PARSONS: yes
    • PERSINGER: yes
    • PETREA: yes
    • POWELL: yes
    • PRINCE: yes
    • REESE: yes
    • REEVES: yes
    • RHODES: yes
    • RICE: yes
    • RICHARDSON: yes
    • RIDLEY: no
    • ROBERTS: yes
    • ROMMAN: yes
    • SAINZ: yes
    • SAMPSON: yes
    • SANCHEZ: yes
    • SANTOS: yes
    • SCHOFIELD: yes
    • SCOGGINS: yes
    • SCOTT: yes
    • SEABAUGH: yes
    • SILCOX: yes
    • SMITH: yes
    • STEPHENS: yes
    • STINSON: yes
    • TARVIN: yes
    • TAYLOR: yes
    • THOMAS: yes
    • TOWNSEND: yes
    • TRAN: yes
    • WADE: yes
    • WASHBURN: yes
    • WERKHEISER: yes
    • WESTBROOK: yes
    • WILKERSON: other
    • WILLIAMS: yes
    • WILLIAMS, JR.: no
    • WILLIAMSON: yes
    • WILLIS: yes
    • YEARTA: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:19:40.450420Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Session-wide evidence can include changes to other bills:

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Known limitations

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