Legislative Update 02/16/2026

 

Last week was a great week for pharmacy. Floor and committee actions are humming along at a faster pace, and GPhA priorities are gaining momentum. SB 195, PEP/PrEP, passed the house; HB 810 Commercial Reimbursement passed out of the House Health; and HB 1138, hormonal contraceptive dispensing, had its first hearing.  

 

SB 195, PEP/PrEP administration, sailed through the House on a 155-7 vote. Chairman Mark Newton (R-Augusta) carried the bill in the chamber. He reported to members the sad fact that Georgia has the highest rate of new HIV infections in the United States. It can cost between $420,000 and $1 million dollars for treatment for an individual living with HIV but only $26 to prevent the infection using pre- or post-prophylactic medication. Chairman Newton recognized the role of the pharmacy and the pharmacist as more accessible and available in local communities than physicians. Last week, GPhA Member and Region 10 President Jordan Khail spoke with the Georgia Recorder's Maya Homan on the impact this bill could have to rural communities. 

 

SB 195 had broad bi-partisan support with Rep. Robert Dawson (D-Atlanta) and Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) taking the well of the House to address their colleagues in support of the bill. Rep. Drenner recognized that pharmacies are the most accessible and most trusted healthcare providers in both rural and urban areas of Georgia. Rep. Drenner acknowledged and honored those previously lost to HIV and stated some bills “deserve to be spoken on, not just voted on.”  

 

The latest report from the Department of Public Health notes that 2,442 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2023, bringing the total of Georgian’s living with HIV to 65,195. As SB 195 was amended in the House Health Committee, it will go back to the full Senate for an agree or disagree vote. 

The Georgia General Assembly has completed 18 Legislative Days through Thursday, February 12. Legislative Days will resume on Tuesday, February 17, with LD 19 and continue through Friday, February 20, with LD 22.   

 

HB 810 is anticipated to be on the House floor for a vote early this week, hopefully Tuesday. Please reach out to your House member on this bill! Thank you to those members who have already made the call to support the bill.  

Upcoming Committees:  

 

Committee times and agendas will often change, especially as floor sessions become longer. Keep your eyes on the committee meeting notices here.  

If it seems like we spend a lot of time reporting on the House Health committee – we do.  It's where the cool kids and important bills are most likely to be found for pharmacy. Both HB 810 and HB 1138 went in front of this committee last week. It's common for a sponsor to bring a Substitute Bill with new language added on, language taken out, or fully stripped out and replaced (more on that later) as the bill is "perfected" through the legislative process, as members like to say.  

 

HB 810, Sponsored by Rick Jasperse (R- Jasper), passed out of House Health on Monday of last week as a Committee Substitute. In this perfected version of HB 810, PBMs would be required to provide reimbursement rates of NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) plus a dispensing fee equal to the Georgia Medicaid dispensing fee, currently set at $11.50 for independents / $10.64 for chains.  

 

GPhA Board member Nikki Adams Bryant and Stephanie Katz with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores joined Chairman Jasperse in front of the committee. Chairman Jasperse began his presentation noting that his father was a pharmacist and that he grew up inside a pharmacy, “made ointments, filled capsules and cleaned the milkshake machine.” He then highlighted the critically important impact local pharmacists have had in his community, including Katie Bell, a GPhA Region President, and Jack Dunn, a past-president of GPhA and the 2024 Winner of the Bowl of Hygeia.  

 

Stephanie Katz with NACDS then walked the members through the two-page bill, NADAC, and the pressure facing pharmacies. Nikki Bryant spoke about the struggles with underwater claims and keeping her three pharmacies open.  She serves patients in 12 counties through delivery services in South Georgia; including two counties without a pharmacy.   

 

HB 810 passed House Health Committee as a Committee Substitute by a unanimous vote.   It is currently awaiting action by the House Rules Committee, scheduled to meet Tuesday morning at 9am, and anticipate swift action. We applaud Nikki Byant and Stephanie Katz for their compelling testimony in front of the committee.  

 

Earlier in that same committee hearing, HB 1138, sponsored by Beth Camp (R-Concord), received its first hearing. HB 1138, Increasing Access to Contraceptives Act, would allow pharmacists to dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives and administer injectable hormonal contraceptives under a joint protocol agreement. Rep. Camp shared that this is a particular concern for her as a family member was running out of a prescription and had to wait two months for a doctor’s appointment to renew the prescription. Rep. Camp informed the members that she is still working to perfect the bill, and a new substitute will be coming. We will dive further into this bill when the updated version is available.  

 

You can watch the video of the whole House Health Committee hearing here.  

 

Remember that game of ping pong tax policy we warned you about last week?  Well, the Senate picked up their balls last Thursday and have served them over to the House as four measures: SB 476, HB 134, SB 477, and HB 463. And let’s be real, while it's fun to use the term ‘game’, the result of these policy debates will have real and lasting impact to every Georgian.  

 

Why four bills?  All budget bills must begin in the House, and there is currently a disagreement between the chambers about whether a tax bill must also start in the House since it deals with revenue.  As an acknowledgment of this dispute, the Senate Finance Committee substituted (gutted and replaced) HB 134 with mirror language of SB 476 and HB 463 with mirror language of SB 477 so there would be HB versions of the SBs, should the House stand firm on their stance.  

 

SB 476, Income Tax Reduction Act of 2026, sponsored by Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia). SB 476 would eliminate income tax on the first $50,000 for single filers and $100,000 for joint filers starting in 2027. It would also “sunset” or end certain specialty tax breaks by 2032. SB 477, also sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery, would further decrease the income tax rate: 4.99% in 2026, 4.49% in 2027 and then 3.99% in 2028.  

 

The Senate debated this suite of bills for more than five hours on Thursday of last week. The main disagreement being how, when or if to replace the revenue and the impact to state services (education, healthcare, transportation, etc.) should this revenue not be replaced.  SB 476 / HB 134 and SB 477 / HB 463 passed along a party line vote and are now awaiting action, if any, from the House. You can watch the full debate here.  

HB 810 Insurance; require that final reimbursements to pharmacies for prescription drugs are based on certain formulas 

Sponsor Rick Jasperse (R-Jasper)  

Status: Passed House Health; In House Rules, Anticipate Floor Vote Soon  

Require PBMs reimburse Pharmacies at NADAC plus the current Georgia Medicaid professional dispensing fee. If NADAC is not available, reimbursement must be based on WAC as of January 1, 2026, plus the same dispensing fee. 

 

HB 1138 Increasing Access to Contraceptives Act; enact 

Sponsor Beth Camp (R-Concord) 

Status: In House Health 

This bill would allow pharmacists, under a joint protocol agreement, to dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives and administer injectable hormonal contraceptives without a patient-specific prescription. The Composite Medical Board and the Board of Pharmacy would join in a joint protocol agreement and be responsible for approving training for pharmacists, self-screening risk assessment for the patient, and other requirements.  

 

HR 948 House Study Committee on Pharmacy Benefits Managers and Consumer Access to Prescription Medications; create  

Sponsor Ron Stephens (R-Savannah)  

Status: In House Health; Anticipate Action Soon   

Creates a House Study Committee on PBMs. Committee members would include Chairman of the House Appropriations committee, Chairman of the House Health Committee and three other members appointed by the Speaker of the House. 

 

SB 33 "Georgia Hemp Farming Act"; total THC concentration of consumable hemp products; provide limits  

Sponsor Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta)  

Status: Passed Senate 50-6; In House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs 

This bill would limit the total THC concentration on all consumable products to 0.3%. Specifically includes delta-8, delta-9, delta-10, and delta-11. It closes a loophole created by leaving off the various THC isomers. 

 

SB 195 Pharmacies; pharmacists are authorized to dispense preexposure prophylaxis and postexposure prophylaxis under certain conditions; provide 

Sponsor Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome)  

Status: Passed Senate 55-0; Passed House 155-7; Back to Senate for Agree/Disagree  

Bi-partisan bill allowing pharmacists to dispense PrEP and PEP treatment. Before dispensing or administering PrEP or PEP medication to a patient, a pharmacist will need to complete a training program accredited by ACPE and approved by the Georgia Board of Pharmacy. The Board of Pharmacy will need to approve the training program by January 1, 2027. The patient may present a negative HIV test taken within the previous seven days, or the pharmacist may order and administer a CLIA-waived HIV test. 

 

SB 440 Department of Public Health; provisions relative to duties or functions; modernize and update 

Sponsor Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta)  

Status: Passed Senate Health and Human Services; In Senate Rules  

Bipartisan code update dealing with the Department of Public Health.  Removes outdated language.  

PharmPAC is the Georgia Pharmacy Association’s political action committee, established to advocate on behalf of all of pharmacy practice in the state to protect the rights of pharmacy employees, protect the practice of pharmacy in the state, elect candidates who champion pharmacy and pharmacists, and bring important policy issues to the attention of elected officials in Georgia.

 

PharmPAC works at the local and state levels, leading the way in influencing pharmacy-related legislation. An investment in PharmPAC is an investment in the future of pharmacy across the entire state, protecting the long-term health of the practice of pharmacy for independent pharmacy owners, employee pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians so that the vital work of these health care professionals can continue in the best interests of the people of Georgia – your patients. 

 

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These updates and alerts are a benefit of GPhA membership to keep our members in the know. GPhA believes it is valuable information to help you be a better pharmacist, pharmacy technician, and pharmacy owner.

 

You can find your representative at My Voter Page. Visit Legislative Website to find out more about your representative & senator.