Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HB629: Education; remove requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs
Status: Failed, March 31, 2026
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to remove the requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to remove the requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
From the introduced text:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to remove the requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-775, relating to automated external defibrillators required in high schools, requirements, and funding, as follows: "20-2-775. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Automated external defibrillator' means a defibrillator (B) Will charge and be capable of being activated to deliver a countershock after electrically detecting the presence of certain cardiac dysrhythmias; and H. B. LC 46 1150 (C) Is capable of continuously recording cardiac dysrhythmia at the scene with a mechanism for transfer and storage or for printing for review subsequent to use. (2) 'Emergency action plan' means the plan established pursuant to paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of this Code section to provide for an emergency response to a person in cardiac arrest. (3) 'Internal response team' means the team of …
Sponsors
- Chuck Payne (R, 54) · primary sponsor
- Lee Hawkins (R, 27) · primary sponsor
- Sharon Cooper (R, 45)
- Mark Newton (R, 127)
- Gerald Greene (R, 154)
- Karen Mathiak (R, 82)
Latest actions
- : Senate Tabled
- : Senate Read Second Time
- : Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- : Senate Read and Referred
- : House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- : House Third Readers
- : House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- : House Withdrawn, Recommitted
- : House Committee Favorably Reported
- : House Second Readers
Votes
- House Vote #483 (February 6, 2026): 168 yea, 0 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HB629?
- HB629 is a bill in the Georgia Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Education; remove requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs.
- What does HB629 do?
- In its own words: To amend Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to remove the requirement of having a licensed physician in automated external defibrillator programs; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
- What is the status of HB629?
- Failed as of March 31, 2026. Latest action: Senate Tabled (March 31, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB629?
- Chuck Payne (R, 54), with 5 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB629?
- On the Georgia Legislature website: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70806
Source: official Georgia record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.