GA HB 659

enacted

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

Georgia · 2025_26 · lower

Quick answers

Did GA HB 659 pass?

Yes. GA HB 659 has been enacted into law as of 2026-05-05. 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

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

Subjects

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

2025-02-27
House Hopper
introduction
2025-02-28
House First Readers
reading-1
2025-03-03
House Second Readers
reading-2
2026-01-29
House Committee Favorably Reported
committee-passage-favorable
2026-02-02
House Third Readers
reading-3
2026-02-02
House Passed/Adopted
passage
2026-02-03
Senate Read and Referred
referral-committee
2026-03-25
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
committee-passage-favorable
2026-03-25
Senate Read Second Time
reading-2
2026-03-31
Senate Third Read
reading-3
2026-03-31
Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended
passage
2026-04-02
House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub
2026-04-10
House Sent to Governor
executive-receipt
2026-05-05
House Date Signed by Governor
executive-signature
2026-05-05
Act 385
executive-signature

Versions

Sen Floor Amend 1 AM 60 0028Compare
LC 52 0789/aCompare
HB 659/AP*Compare

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

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70938

Attribution

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

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changes Status and relationship changes

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