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HB 262GEORGIASession 2025_26State Billdead

Did Not Advance

Georgia Establishes Backup Generator Grant Program for Rural Hospitals Affected by Declared Emergencies

Original title: Community Health, Department of; grant program for purpose of acquiring and installing backup generators; provide

Last action · March 4, 2025: Senate Read and ReferredSponsors: Angie O'Steen and 4 others

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What This Bill Proposed

Official description

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Community Health, so as to provide for a grant program for the purpose of acquiring and installing backup generators; to provide that the department shall consult with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency in establishing grant criteria; to provide for the department to establish grant amounts; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Why it matters

Rural hospitals in counties with under 50,000 residents that faced a state-declared emergency can receive state financial assistance to maintain power operations during future crises.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Affected rural hospitals

Eligible to apply for grant funding to acquire and install backup generators for emergency operations.

Directly affected

Department of Community Health

Tasked with establishing, administering, and distributing the grant program in consultation with emergency management officials.

Key Facts

Establishes a grant program within the Department of Community Health to fund backup generators for certain rural hospitals.
Defines an 'affected rural hospital' as an acute care hospital in a rural county with fewer than 100 beds located in a region where the Governor declared a state of emergency after July 1, 2024.
Defines a 'rural county' as having a population of less than 50,000 based on the 2020 decennial census, excluding military personnel and dependents living on a military base or installation.
Requires the Department of Community Health to consult with the director of emergency management and homeland security when establishing grant criteria and making award decisions.

Show all 6 facts

Mandates that the department and emergency management director prioritize applications from affected rural hospitals that currently lack backup generators and the means to install them.
Authorizes the department to determine grant award amounts on a case-by-case basis, subject to appropriations or other available funding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which hospitals qualify for the new backup generator grants?

s located in a rural county with fewer than 100 beds that are in a region where the Governor declared a after July 1, 2024.

How are rural counties defined under this measure?

Counties with a population under 50,000 according to the 2020 decennial census, excluding military personnel and their dependents living on military bases within the county.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House · in the Senate.

Procedural history

10 actions

Mar 4, 2025SenateIntroduced
Senate Read and Referred
Mar 3, 2025House
House Third Readers
Mar 3, 2025HouseFloor
House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
Feb 27, 2025HouseCommittee
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
Feb 21, 2025House
House Withdrawn, Recommitted
Feb 20, 2025House
House Postponed

Show 4 earlier actions

Feb 13, 2025HouseCommittee
House Committee Favorably Reported
Feb 6, 2025House
House Second Readers
Feb 5, 2025HouseIntroduced
House First Readers
Feb 4, 2025HouseIntroduced
House Hopper

Version history & redline

3 versions on file

Comparing LC 57 0232S/hs → LC 57 0232S/hcs

removed addedOfficial text

25 LC 57 0232S The House Committee on Rural Development offers Bill 262 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE) By: Representatives O’Steen of the following substitute to HB 262: 169th , Burchett of the 176th , Campbell of the 171st , Corbett of the 174th , and LaHood of the 175th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the […]

What This Bill Proposed

Who It Would Have Affected

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

News Coverage

Where This Stands

Procedural history

Version history & redline

Voting Record

Lobbying Activity

Full breakdown

Sponsors

Connected Entities

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