Georgia Senate committee refers package of bills to standing committees, including medical credentialing and foster-family scholarship changes

The committee chair said the panel must move quickly before the next floor session, noting, “We got a lot of work to do between now and Monday when we go on the floor.”

The committee unanimously approved two motions during the meeting. First, members voted to refer Senate Bill 162, Senate Bill 64 and House Bill 90 to standing committee after brief presentations and requested technical edits. The chair said staff had prepared a substitute for SB162 to adjust implementation dates and clarify language. “We sent, your staff, substitute bill. We were changing a couple of dates by a few months. Give him a little bit more time and, clarified some language on it. It's a pretty simple bill,” the presenter said.

The presenter described SB162 as an effort by the composite medical board working with the Georgia Hospital Association to implement software intended to shorten hospital credentialing and licensing processes. “The composite medical board, along with Georgia Hospital…