Right to Visit Act

HB 290, the Right to Visit Act, sponsored by state Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) would prohibit Georgia hospitals and nursing homes from limiting patients’ ability to visit with family members in the event treatment or hospitalization lasts more than 24 hours – including during any “declared public health emergency.”

The Georgia Hospital Association (GHA) testified in opposition to this mandate that dictates hospital policy and negatively impacts patient and workforce safety. GHA argued that hospital policies must remain flexible to serve the individual needs of patients and communities. Georgia's hospitals have carefully managed patient visitation, particularly during COVID, to ensure health care workers and patients remain safe.

Vaccine Bill

The Senate Committee on Health and Human Services passed SB 46 by Sen. Dean Burke (R-Bainbridge). This bill was requested by the Department of Public Health (DPH) to modernize the vaccine code in Georgia. SB 46 would authorize emergency medical technicians and certified cardiac technicians to administer vaccines during public health emergencies under the supervision of a physician. Most important to hospitals, mass vaccination clinics would not need to check the Georgia Registry of Immunization Transactions and Services (GRITS) before giving a vaccine; however, the reporting requirement would still be in effect.

COVID Liability Bill

The House passed HB 112 by Rep. Trey Kelley (R-Cedartown), which would extend the sunset date to July 14, 2022, for liability protections from COVID-19 lawsuits. Emory worked with other stakeholders to pass SB 359 last year, the Georgia COVID-19 Pandemic Business Safety Act, which HB 112 extends. Emory supports this important extension and will continue to work to ensure protections for health care facilities and providers.

Election Bills

Over 40 bills have been introduced this session addressing election reform. The state team is reviewing the bills and watching to determine which legislation will gain traction. Below are several proposals from elected officials:

• Require absentee voters to provide either 1) their date of birth and driver’s license number or state identification number OR 2) a photocopy of an acceptable photo ID when applying for an absentee ballot.
• Ban the use of drop boxes as a method of returning absentee ballots.
• Repeal the Motor Voter law to eliminate automatic voter registration at driver services locations.
• Eliminate no-excuse absentee by mail voting.
• Allow for same day registration and voting.
• Absentee ballot drop boxes at every voting location.
• Establish a permanent absentee voter list.

To note, Emory supports continued access to voting for our faculty, staff and students. Emory is following the bills before the state legislature and recognizes the importance of free and open elections.

Congressional Update

As the Senate focuses on the impeachment trial, the House has been advancing the $1.9 trillion reconciliation package through a series of committee markups. The House Education and Labor Committee has completed their portion of the legislation, and we expect the Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means committees to complete their work soon. So far, the legislation has some provisions that would benefit Emory including $40 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund and does not carry any restrictions on schools subject to the endowment tax. For more information on the Education and Labor committee, please see here.

Three recently introduced bills—the Dream, TREAT and Rise Acts--are of interest to the Emory community. The OGCA is working, alongside our association partners, to advance these bills through the legislative process.

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) have teamed up once again to introduce the bipartisan Dream Act of 2021, which would provide a roadmap to citizenship for certain immigrants who entered the United States as children. Insiders predict that the real challenge will be getting through the “legislative traffic jam” of impeachment hearings, pandemic legislation, and economic debates.

The Temporary Reciprocity to Ensure Access to Treatment Act or TREAT Act, S. 168 and H.R. 708, sponsored by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) have reintroduced a proposal giving health care practitioners temporary licensing reciprocity during a national emergency. The legislation aims to make it easier for providers to treat patients across the nation — including via telehealth — by temporarily eliminating certain state medical licensing restrictions. Dozens of hospitals and universities have backed the bill, including Emory, and our hope is to have the bill included in the next COVID relief package.

The bipartisan RISE Act legislation (H.R. 869), supporting emergency relief funding for America’s research enterprise, has been reintroduced.  Given the current shutdown of many university-based laboratories and national laboratories due to the pandemic, there is deep concern that the backbone of the U.S. research enterprise – graduate students, postdocs, principal investigators, and technical support staff – are at risk. The RISE Act authorizes approximately $25 billion in emergency relief appropriations during FY21 and is available for expenditure for up to two years across 10 federal science departments and agencies.

We provide timely and relevant updates to our community stakeholders and local elected officials and have prepared an update about our efforts across the Emory enterprise as it relates to the work of the COVID Communications Workgroup and our DEI initiatives.

Celebrating Partnership

Kim Bentley, Vice President of Operations at Emory Hillandale Hospital (EHH), was recently presented with a Key to the City of Stonecrest. Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary appreciates the staff and administration at EHH for the important work in the community and the exemplary patient care. View Kim’s acceptance video here.

The OGCA Team celebrates the commitment and dedication of Emory’s administration, physicians, faculty, and staff, who continue to navigate our beloved institution through this challenging time. Happy Valentines Day!