2026 Legislative Session Preview (ODW6003)-2026 Legislative Preview Presentation

2026 Legislative Preview Presentation

Pdf Summary

The 2026 Legislative Preview outlines the upcoming Georgia legislative session beginning January 12, 2026, with a usual 40-day calendar ending in late March. This session, an election year, features changes in Senate leadership and carries over 265 bills from 2025.<br /><br />Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) highlights four key legislative priorities aimed at healthcare improvement:<br /><br />1. Support Access to Quality Care: Advocating for expanded healthcare services statewide, increased affordable insurance options, and funding for maternity, pre-, and post-natal care.<br />2. Improve Access to Behavioral Health Resources: Seeking increased funding, better reimbursement, enhanced crisis services access, and removal of insurance barriers to behavioral health care.<br />3. Increase Long-Term Viability of Rural Hospitals: Supporting policies addressing rural hospitals' unique challenges, promoting the Rural Health Transformation Program, and preserving the Rural Hospital Tax Credit for sustained hospital access.<br />4. Support Healthcare Workforce Growth: Pushing for more graduate medical education funding, recruitment and retention incentives for clinicians, and opposing mandated staffing policies that impede quality care.<br /><br />Additional priorities include pharmacy services, insurer accountability, financial stability, liability reform, certificate of need protection, EMS funding, licensure, and tax exemptions.<br /><br />GHA encourages active member involvement through various tools such as Capitol Health Hotline, tracking lists, weekly meetings, text alerts, and legislative visits. A forthcoming Legislative Toolkit will provide policy positions, background, and messaging guides.<br /><br />Members are urged to build relationships with legislators, communicate hospital-specific impacts of legislation, participate in hearings, and maintain respectful, strategic advocacy without spamming or publicly criticizing officials.<br /><br />The new GHAPAC committee aims to support hospital political action with fundraising toolkits.<br /><br />For questions or involvement, contacts include Anna Adams (Chief Government Relations Officer), Ryann Miller (Director, Legislative Affairs), and Kayleigh Bell (Government Relations Manager).

Keywords

2026 Georgia legislative session

Georgia Hospital Association

healthcare legislation

quality care access

behavioral health resources

rural hospitals

healthcare workforce growth

Rural Health Transformation Program

hospital advocacy

GHAPAC committee