Georgia Bio 2019 Legislative Session Recap

The 2019 Georgia 40-day legislative session concluded with Sine Die on Tuesday, April 2nd. This legislative session was characterized by new leadership in the Governor and Lt. Governor’s office, as well as 40 freshman legislators.

Of the eight measures detailed below, there were two for which Georgia Bio actively advocated on behalf of our members and the people of georgia. Our rural teacher training program received state funding to expand an existing pilot training program for high school teachers that specifically addresses the skill and equipment gap. Workforce development and availability is always a top question we must address with life sciences companies seeking new locations, headquarters or expansions. More on this exciting development and program is coming soon.

We also took a supportive stance on HB 63, which helps protect patients from onerous step therapy requirements. That bill was signed into law by Governor Kemp as well.

We thank our legislative affairs team for their tireless work arranging and executing on awareness and importance meetings with appropriation committee members, the Governor’s and Lt. Governor’s offices. We also thank our members who contributed in person to those meetings to ensure the industry’s position and subject matter expertise were well represented in those conversations with our state legislators.

As Georgia Bio closes out a successful legislative session, we will be meeting with and working with as many members as possible during the remainder of the year to discuss top of mind priorities and construct our legislative efforts going into the 2020 session.

Here is a recap of the top life science industry items that made it through the session and were signed into law last month by Governor Kemp.

2019 Legislative Priorities

Rural Teacher Training Program

As many of you are aware, the life sciences industries require many skills that are in the traditional STEM education area, however what is often lacking is practical laboratory technique combined with hands-on laboratory experience. Thanks to the leadership of state appropriators and Governor Brian Kemp, Georgia Bio was able to secure funding in the FY2020 budget to match private funds that will enable Georgia Bio, through the Georgia BioEd Institute in partnership with the Marcus Center for Therapeutic Cell Characterization and Manufacturing at Georgia Tech, to expand an existing pilot training program for high school teachers that specifically addresses the skill and equipment gap. Partnering with the Department of Education and the Georgia Youth Science Centers, year one of the program will provide 8 training workshops in rural school districts impacting roughly 64 high school teachers and reaching over 5,000 students.

BILL MOVEMENT

This session the Georgia Generally Assembly passed legislation that would establish step therapy protocols for patients, provisions for the licensure of genetic counselors, the authorization to submit a Section 1115 waiver request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and modernizing telemedicine policy in Georgia. Please see below for more details on bills that passed out of the 2019 Georgia Legislative Session and signed into law by Governor Kemp.

HB 63 – Health Benefit Plans to Establish Step Therapy Protocols

Georgia Bio Legislative Affairs Committee voted to SUPPORT HB 63, introduced by Representative Sharon Cooper (R – Marietta) establishes step therapy protocols to protect patients from onerous step therapy requirements. Ensures that step therapy protocols are based on clinical guidelines developed by independent experts. Establishes a basic framework for when it is medically appropriate to exempt patients from step therapy, as well as an exceptions process that is transparent and accessible to patients and health care providers. The step therapy bill passed out of the Senate with a vote of 49-0 and House of Representatives with a vote of 165-0 on April 2 nd .

HB 166 – Genetic Counselors Act

Representative Deborah Silcox (R – Sandy Springs) authored HB 166, requiring licensing for genetic counselors, including physicians, assistants and mandates some continuing education requirements. There are approximately 89 genetic counselors in Georgia and all those individuals have master’s degrees for a specialty in genetic counseling and half work in hospitals. The other half of the genetic counselors work out in the field with physicians, primarily, and primary care doctors. They work primarily in three different areas: prenatal care, cardiac care and oncology. HB 166 passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 148-15 on February 15 th and was adopted by the Senate with a vote of 45-4 on March 11 th .

HB 321 – Extend Sunset for the Hospital Medicaid Financing Program

Authored by Representative Jodi lott (R – Evans) HB 321 extends Georgia’s hospital provide fee through June 30, 2025 to help finance the state’s Medicaid program. In FY 2020, the state expects to collect more than $310 million from the provider fee which it will utilize to draw more than $650 million in federal funds. The bill also includes new financial disclosure and transparency requirements for nonprofit hospitals and the five-year extension of the state’s $60 million rural hospital tax credit. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 147-19 on February 28 th and was adopted by the senate with a vote of 50-2 on March 29 th .

HB 514 – Georgia Mental Health Reform and Innovation Commission

HB 514 authored by Representative Kevin Tanner (R – Dawsonville) creates the Georgia Mental Health Reform and Innovation Commission. The FY 2020 budget also included several increases for mental health services. The House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 152-10 on March 7 th and the Senate adopted with a vote of 52-0 on April 2 nd .

SB 106 – Patients First Act

SB 106 coined the Patients First Act Authored by Senate Blake Tillery (R – Vidalia) authorizes the Department of Community Health to submit a Section 1115 waiver request to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This act is a step toward lowering insurance premiums, enhancing access to quality care, and improving health outcomes in every part of our state. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 35-20 on February 26 th and the House of Representatives adopted with a vote of 104-67 on March 25 th .

SB 115 – “Medical Practice Act of the State of Georgia

SB 115 sponsored by Senator Renee Unterman (R – Buford) aims to provide telemedicine licenses for physicians in other states and for Georgia to engage in the practice of medicine with patients in the state through telemedicine. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 54-0 on February 26 th and the House of Representatives adopted with a vote of 161-2 on March 29 th .

SB 118 – Georgia Telemedicine Act

Authored by Senator Renee Unterman (R – Buford), SB 118 modernize the Georgia Telemedicine Act by renaming it to the Telehealth Act. The bill provides the definitions of telemedicine and telehealth and would require that all health insurance policies over appropriately provided telehealth services. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 50-0 on February 26 th and the House of Representatives adopted with a vote of 168-1 on March 25 th .

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Georgia Life Sciences Partnership Expands Plant Biotechnology Education for Agriscience Teachers Across Georgia

July 17, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2026 ATLANTA, Ga . – Eighteen Georgia high school agriscience teachers recently participated in a hands-on plant tissue culture training at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, equipping educators with biotechnology skills and classroom resources that will expand access to experiential STEM learning for students across the state. Hosted through a partnership led by Georgia Life Sciences (GLS), the workshop was facilitated by Julie Throne, Agriscience Teacher, FFA Advisor, and CTAE Department Chair at Cedar Shoals High School. Participants received practical instruction in plant tissue culture techniques using newly developed portable tissue culture kits generously donated by California-based Athena Ag. Plant tissue culture is a foundational biotechnology technique used in agriculture and plant science research to propagate plants under aseptic conditions. By incorporating these concepts into agriscience classrooms, educators can provide students with hands-on experiences that introduce biotechnology while building technical skills relevant to careers in agriculture and biotechnology. As part of the workshop, each participating teacher received two complete plant tissue culture kits to take back to their school, enabling students throughout Georgia to engage in laboratory-based biotechnology activities and explore emerging career pathways in the life sciences. "Providing educators with access to industry-relevant training and classroom resources is one of the most effective ways to inspire the next generation of Georgia's life sciences workforce," said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. "Through partnerships like this, we're helping teachers bring real-world biotechnology into their classrooms while expanding opportunities for students to discover careers in one of Georgia's fastest-growing industries." The training is part of Georgia Life Sciences' broader Teacher Training Initiative, a statewide workforce development program that equips middle and high school educators with the knowledge, tools, and industry connections needed to deliver hands-on biotechnology instruction. Through strategic partnerships with industry, education, and nonprofit organizations, the initiative continues to strengthen Georgia's talent pipeline by connecting classroom learning with real-world workforce opportunities. Georgia Life Sciences extends its appreciation to Julie Throne for leading the training and to Athena for its generous donation of classroom kits, helping expand access to biotechnology education for educators and students across the state.

Georgia Life Sciences and U.S. Chamber Foundation Partnership Showcases Georgia Students on National Stage

July 16, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 16, 2026, ATLANTA, GA. – Georgia Life Sciences (GLS) is proud to announce the successful completion of another year as Georgia's clearinghouse for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC) program, connecting Georgia students with life sciences employers to solve real-world industry challenges through project-based learning. The EPIC program provides access to a national network of employer-facing organizations and industry partners that collaborate with educators to deliver meaningful, career-connected learning experiences. Through the initiative, students work alongside employers to develop innovative solutions to authentic business and technology challenges while gaining valuable exposure to high-demand careers. This summer, Georgia Life Sciences partnered with industry member company Manus to sponsor an innovation challenge for students at Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy. Working alongside Manus' Kevin Fox, the student team developed an AI-driven biomanufacturing management tool that leverages real-time culture data to optimize growth conditions within a bioreactor—demonstrating the intersection of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and advanced manufacturing. The project was selected as one of this year's outstanding EPIC challenges, earning the student team an invitation to present their work at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's annual EPIC meeting in Washington, D.C on June 23. There, students showcased their solution before a national audience of educators, employers, workforce leaders, and business organizations from across the country. "Programs like EPIC demonstrate the power of industry and education working together to prepare students for the careers of tomorrow," said Maria Thacker Goethe, President & CEO of Georgia Life Sciences. "By engaging students in authentic industry challenges, we are not only building technical skills, but also inspiring the next generation of innovators who will help shape Georgia's future life sciences workforce." The EPIC program aligns closely with Georgia Life Sciences' broader workforce development strategy, which connects K–12 education, higher education, and industry to strengthen the state's life sciences talent pipeline through hands-on learning, educator engagement, and employer partnerships. Georgia Life Sciences congratulates the students and faculty of Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy, Kevin Fox, and the team at Manus for their outstanding work and national recognition. About Georgia Life Sciences Georgia Life Sciences is the state's leading life sciences industry association, representing the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics, and digital health sectors. Through advocacy, workforce development, and strategic partnerships, Georgia Life Sciences works to advance innovation, strengthen the state's life sciences ecosystem, and build the workforce needed to power Georgia's growing innovation economy.