Committee advances bill to expand Georgia health‑care workforce data and public dashboard

The Georgia Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously advanced S.P. 500 (LC 520,964), an agency bill to expand the state’s health‑care workforce data collection and permit a public dashboard to inform planning.

Sponsor Senator Hodges described the measure as an effort to ensure the state has the appropriate number of health‑care providers where they are needed. Executive Director Chet Bassin identified the measure’s core elements: adding nine licensing agencies to an existing reporting arrangement (raising the total to 14), defining a minimum data set that excludes personal identifiers, recording provider characteristics such as age and accepted insurance (Medicare/Medicaid), enabling interagency agreements, and allowing the board to seek federal or other funding to support the work.

Committee members asked about whether the data would include ages and other non‑identifying demographics; staff confirmed the bill focuses on aggregate and non‑personal data for planning purposes. Senator Goodman moved a 'do pass' motion after committee medical experts indicated support; the motion was seconded and the committee voted unanimously to advance the bill.

The committee advanced the substitute LC 52 0 9 6 4; additional technical changes or fiscal notes may appear as the bill moves through the legislative process.