Bill
HR 948
Creates a temporary Georgia House study committee to examine PBMs and patient access to prescription meds, report findings, and suggest legislation before sunset Dec 1, 2025.
Status: House resolution; introduced 2025-02-04; adopted by the House 2025-05-23.
Classification: Resolution (creates a temporary study committee).
Primary sponsors: Kevin Kiley; Debbie Buckner; Mark Newton; Lee Hawkins; Trey Kelley; Ron Stephens.
Note: the bill text contains an initial line citing a different short title (the “SAFE HOME Act”) which appears to be unrelated to the resolution’s substantive content. The body of the resolution creates a study committee on pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and consumer access to prescription medications.
Purpose and intent
- To create a temporary House study committee to examine PBM practices and how those practices affect prescription drug costs, patient access, independent and rural pharmacies, payers, and employers in Georgia.
- The resolution is motivated by concerns about rising drug prices, reported PBM practices (vertical integration, steering to affiliated pharmacies, large markups, and reimbursement manipulation), and studies showing risks to independent pharmacies and geographic access.
Key provisions
- Establishes the House Study Committee on Pharmacy Benefits Managers and Consumer Access to Prescription Medications.
- Membership:
- Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations;
- Chair of the House Committee on Health;
- Three additional House members or outside experts appointed by the Speaker;
- Speaker designates the committee chair.
- Powers and duties:
- Study the conditions, needs, issues, and problems related to PBM practices and consumer access to medications.
- Recommend actions or legislation the committee deems necessary.
- Meetings:
- Called by the committee chair; may meet as needed at times/places it deems appropriate.
- Compensation and expenses:
- Legislative members receive allowances per Georgia Code §28-1-8.
- State officials/employees receive no extra compensation but may be reimbursed through their agencies.
- Non-state/non-legislative members receive daily expense allowance and mileage per Georgia Code §45-7-21.
- Allowances limited to five days unless additional days are authorized; funds drawn from House appropriations (agency funds for state employee reimbursements).
- Reporting:
- If the committee adopts findings or legislative recommendations, the chair must file a report before abolition.
- Reports must be approved by majority of a quorum and filed with the Clerk; minutes may be filed if no approved report is produced.
- Sunset: the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.
Who would be affected
- Indirect — the resolution itself creates a study, not new regulatory authority. Potential downstream effects:
- PBMs, pharmacies (particularly independent and rural), patients (access & affordability), payers (insurers, employers), state agencies.
- Findings could lead to future legislation altering PBM regulation, reporting requirements, reimbursement rules, or anti-steering provisions.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Referred to House Committee on Ways and Means (02-04-2025); later placed on local & consent calendars; adopted by the House (05-23-2025).
- Committee exists only until December 1, 2025, by which time any report or legislative recommendations must be filed.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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