The pace of the legislative session has picked up; new bills are being dropped (introduced) daily alongside significant movement on already introduced legislation. With only two weeks until Crossover Day (the last chance for a bill to be voted out of one Chamber and sent to the other), we expect to see the pace continue to pick up. Currently, legislation has been introduced that deals with certificate of need, biomarker testing, scope of practice, surprise billing, violence against healthcare workers, and more. The State Affairs team will continue representing Emory’s perspective at the Capitol and track any movement on bills under consideration. If you have any questions or concerns on a specific piece of legislation, please contact Sydney Wilkins at Sydney.Wilkins@emory.edu. 

Committee Testimony Provided 

Emory has been working alongside the American Cancer Society on HB 85, House Public Health Chairman Sharon Cooper’s biomarker testing bill that would require health benefit policy coverage for biomarker testing if supported by medical and scientific evidence. Dr. Suresh Ramalingam, Executive Director for the Winship Cancer Institute, provided expert testimony on this bill during the House Insurance Life and Health Subcommittee meeting. The State Affairs team is grateful for Dr. Ramalingam’s willingness to provide his expertise on biomarker testing to the subcommittee. The bill passed the full House, with a vote of 172-2, and is now on its way to the Senate. HB 85 has also gained traction in the media with numerous articles being written about its positive impact. Many of these articles, including one by the American Cancer Society, credits the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory for their support. 

On February 7, Cameron Taylor (on the right) joined Jenna Colvin (middle), President of the GA Independent Colleges Association and three GA college Presidents including Mark Roberts (left), President of Reinhardt University, to advocate for issues important to private non-profit higher education.

On January 30, the Biden Administration announced its intent to end the public health emergency (PHE) related to the COVID-19 pandemic on May 11, 2023. Throughout the pandemic, the COVID-19 PHE put flexibilities in place to aid in the response to the pandemic and support healthcare providers. With the expiration of the emergency declaration, a number of these flexibilities will be coming to an end while others will remain in place with expiration timelines no longer tied to the PHE. For more information on the status of these flexibilities and their impact after the PHE ends, please follow this link.

State of the Union Address 

President Biden delivered his second State of the Union address on February 7, detailing the administration’s agenda for the 118th Congress. President Biden touched on a number of priorities related to public health, including cancer research, prescription drug prices, opioid addiction, mental health, and the development of new vaccines and treatments. He also reiterated his priorities of reducing student loan debt and making higher education more affordable for students by increasing Pell grants. You can watch or read President Biden’s State of the Union address here.

MARTA invites community feedback on Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative. Learn more about the Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative and share input with MARTA through a community conversation in February. The proposed high-capacity transit service will connect three of MARTA’s existing heavy rail lines and provide more frequent and direct transit service. Don’t miss the last forum this month on Saturday, Feb. 18, 10 a.m. at North Decatur Presbyterian Church. Get more details about the project and register on the Connect Clifton website. 

Stonecrest Hiring Fair Next Week! 

On February 22, the OGCA team is partnering with Emory University’s Human Resources Department to host a hiring fair in the City of Stonecrest. The hiring fair will be held from 10am to 3pm at Browns Mill Recreation Center. Several HR departments will be present, and a variety of positions are available. Please spread the word with your friends, family and neighbors.

Emory University is tracking its community engagement efforts through the new engagement tool called Emory OPEN (Opportunity, Partnership, Engagement, Network). Emory OPEN is a central hub that connects the metro Atlanta area with the Emory community. To learn more about this platform or to obtain more information about Emory OPEN, please reach out to Brandon Gardner, Associate Director of Community Engagement, at brandon.gardner@emory.edu.