2023 Legislative Insider as of 2.15.23

This week, the Georgia General Assembly convened on Monday, February 6 and worked through Thursday, February 9, completing legislative days 13 through 16 of the 40-day session. The legislature will reconvene on Monday, February 13 and work through Thursday, February 16. 

This was, by far, the busiest week to date at the Capitol. It is very clear that we are back to "normal".  After two years of an eerily quiet building, we more than made up for it this week as we welcomed dozens of Girls Scouts troops, hundreds of Law Enforcement Officers, at least a hundred nursing students, more field trips than anyone wanted to count, an alligator from the Okefenokee Swamp, an unidentified all male singing group, a couple of Braves players, and of course the GDA Central District! 

The week was filled with meetings discussing budget requests, and legislation that would allow CRNAs  to perform sedation in dental and medical settings pursuant to an order and no longer under the “direction and responsibility” of a dentist or physician.  Regarding our budget requests to increase dental Medicaid reimbursements, your Government Affairs Team continues to work with Appropriations Committee chairmen on the possibility of securing post-partem coverage for new mothers.  Our discussions on this issue remain positive, and we will keep our members advised of all new developments as soon as they occur.

Our Central District Law Day was a great success. After breakfast with House Health and Human Services Chairman Lee Hawkins and Senate Pro-tem John F. Kennedy, we headed across the street to the Capitol were your colleagues represented you well in the halls of the Gold Dome. We were able to meet with every legislator on our target list and have meaningful dialogue with each of them. These Law Days are crucial to our success as your personal relationships with our elected officials are often what get us over the finish line in the final hour. Don't worry if you don't know them yet. Come spend a morning with us at the Capitol and I promise you will know them before you leave. 

We have several opportunities for you to join us at the Capitol this session. The remaining LAW Days are:

• Wednesday, February 15th: Northwestern District 
• Thursday, March 9th: Southeastern District, Georgia Dental Society 
• Wednesday, March 15th: Dentists from any district, other dental specialties, students

You can register here.

Your GDA legislative team is watching legislation as it's coming in and working hard on your behalf under the Gold Dome. If you have any questions about this report, your state legislators, or the legislative session, please do not hesitate to contact me at theresa@gadental.org.