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Georgia establishes certification and training standards for community health workers
Original title: Health; certification of community health workers; provide
Last action · March 27, 2026: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By SubstituteSponsors: Darlene Taylor and 6 others
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law
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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.
What This Bill Proposed
Georgia creates a state certification process and an 11-member oversight committee for community health workers, establishing mandatory training programs, background checks, and professional qualifications once funded by the General Assembly.
Why it matters
Frontline public health workers in Georgia must meet specific training, background check, and experience requirements to use the certified title, affecting employment standards and credentialing across health systems and community organizations.
Background
- Community health workers act as frontline public health workers bridging communities and health services, a role previously lacking statewide statutory certification in Georgia. context
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
Community health workers
Community health workers must meet new certification, training, background check, and experience requirements to use the certified title.
Directly affected
Training program providers
Training program providers must seek approval from the committee and satisfy department requirements to offer certified training.
Directly affected
Department of Public Health
The department is authorized to promulgate rules, provide administrative support, and eventually absorb the committee's duties.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to be appointed to the Georgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee?
The commissioner appoints 11 voting members including primary care physicians, maternal and child health physicians, geriatricians, social workers, employer representatives, a public health policy expert, practicing community health workers, and an advisory board member.
What training requirements must training programs satisfy?
Training programs must include 45 hours of core competency training, of which 16 hours must cover specific health topics.
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the House · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
13 actions- Mar 27, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Jan 12, 2026SenateSenate Taken from Table
- Jan 12, 2026SenateSenate Recommitted
- Apr 2, 2025SenateSenate Tabled
- Mar 25, 2025SenateSenate Read Second Time
- Mar 21, 2025SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported
Show 7 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2025SenateIntroducedSenate Read and Referred
- Mar 6, 2025HouseHouse Third Readers
- Mar 6, 2025HouseFloorHouse Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- Feb 27, 2025HouseCommitteeHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
- Feb 10, 2025HouseHouse Second Readers
- Feb 6, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse First Readers
- Feb 5, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse Hopper
Version history & redline
4 versions on fileComparing LC 57 0257S/hcs → Sen Ctee Sub LC 60 0349S
removed addedOfficial text
removed: 25 added: 26 LC removed: 57 0257S
House Bill 291 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
By: Representatives Taylor of the 173rd , Dempsey of the 13th , Cooper of the 45 th , Mathiak of
the 82nd , Hawkins of the 27th , added: 60 0349S
The Senate Committee on Health and removed: others
added: Human Services offered the following
substitute to HB 291:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health, so as to
[…]
other expenses actually incurred by them in carrying out their duties as members of the committee. (f) The committee shall be abolished June 30, removed: 2029, added: 2030, and the powers and duties of the committee shall transfer to the department upon such abolishment. 31-31-3. (a) The committee shall meet at least
[…]
and requirements for approval of training programs and a means for programs providing education and training to community health workers prior to July 1, removed: 2026, added: 2027, to become approved training programs; (2) To make recommendations to the department on the standards and requirements for the certification of community health workers and a means for individuals employed or engaged as community health workers prior to July 1, removed: 2026, added: 2027, to become certified community health workers; (3) To make recommendations to the department on the standards and a means to assess the mastery of
[…]
a fee set by the department; provided, however, that, if an applicant provided education and training to community health workers prior to July 1, removed: 2026, added: 2027, such applicant shall submit an application to the committee demonstrating satisfaction of requirements for such program, pay a fee set by the department, and provide a list of students who successfully completed such program at any time from January 1, 2016, to July 1, removed: 2026. added: 2027. (d) An application is not complete until the committee has received all the required materials. The committee shall notify the applicant within 15 calendar
[…]
shall be a current or former supervisor, with direct knowledge of the applicant's work and ability in the core competencies for community health workers; removed: (5) added: (5)(A) Have received satisfactory results from added: criminal background checks. The committee is authorized to conduct and receive criminal background checks, including, but not limited to, by the submission of fingerprints or other identifying information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation through the Georgia Crime Information Center. In order to determine an applicant's suitability for certification as a removed: fingerprint record check report conducted added: community health worker, the committee shall require the applicant to furnish the committee with a full set of fingerprints or other identifying information as may be necessary to enable criminal background checks to be conducted. (B) The committee shall submit the fingerprints or other identifying information furnished by added: an applicant to the Georgia Crime Information added: Center. The Georgia Crime Information Center removed: and added: is authorized to submit such fingerprints or information to the Federal Bureau of removed: Investigation, as determined added: Investigation for a national criminal background check. The Georgia Crime Information Center shall notify the committee in writing of its findings, including, but not limited to, the inability to identify a criminal record. Any findings received by the removed: committee. Application added: committee shall be used for the removed: issuance added: exclusive purpose of removed: a certificate added: carrying out its responsibilities under this removed: chapter added: Code section, shall removed: constitute express consent added: not be public records, shall be confidential, and removed: authorization for the department added: shall not be disclosed to removed: perform added: any other person or agency, except to any person or agency which otherwise has a removed: criminal background check. Each applicant who submits an application added: legal right to added: inspect such data. Any records obtained in furtherance of this Code section shall be maintained by the committee removed: for a certificate agrees added: pursuant to removed: provide added: laws regarding such records and the removed: department with any added: rules and removed: all information necessary to run added: regulations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Crime Information Center as applicable. (C) By applying for a added: license under this article, an applicant consents to the performance of criminal background removed: check, including, but not limited to, classifiable sets of fingerprints. Such added: checks as provided for in this paragraph. The applicant shall be responsible for removed: all added: any fees associated with the performance of such background removed: check; added: checks; (6) Submit proof of successful completion of an approved training program and 2,000 hours of employment as a community health worker within ten years of the date of application; and (7) removed: Any added: Satisfy any other requirements established by rules and regulations promulgated by the department. (d) An applicant may satisfy the requirement provided in paragraph (6) of subsection (c) of this Code section if such applicant submits an application prior to July 1, removed: 2027, added: 2028, and proof of: (1) Successful completion of an education and training program for community health workers completed between July 1, 2016, and July 1, removed: 2026, added: 2027, and 2,000 hours of employment as a community health worker within ten years of the date of application as established by the committee; or
[…]
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →
Voting Record
PASSAGE
Total
174
- Yes
- 164
- No
- 4
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 4
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 2
How they voted (174)
Steve TarvinParty not recordedyes
Brian PrinceParty not recordedyes
Mekyah McQueenParty not recordedyes
Anne WestbrookParty not recordedyes
Rob LeverettParty not recordedyes
Gabe OkoyeParty not recordedyes
Jordan RidleyParty not recordedyes
Devan SeabaughParty not recordedyes
Robert FlournoyParty not recordedyes
Sylvia Wayfer BakerParty not recordedyes
Joseph GullettParty not recordedyes
Bill WerkheiserParty not recordedyes
Shaw BlackmonParty not recordednot voting
Carolyn HugleyParty not recordedyes
Katie DempseyParty not recordedyes
Debra BazemoreParty not recordedyes
Yasmin NealParty not recordedyes
Mary Frances WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Kim SchofieldParty not recordedyes
Lee HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Bryce BerryParty not recordedexcused
Tim FlemingParty not recordedyes
Spencer FryeParty not recordedyes
Angie O'SteenParty not recordedyes
150 more members
Johnny ChastainParty not recordedyes
Todd JonesParty not recordednot voting
David HuddlestonParty not recordedyes
Stacey EvansParty not recordedyes
Ginny EhrhartParty not recordedyes
Terry CummingsParty not recordedyes
Stan GunterParty not recordedyes
Rhonda TaylorParty not recordedyes
Trey KelleyParty not recordedyes
Derrick McCollumParty not recordedyes
Teddy ReeseParty not recordedyes
John CorbettParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann SantosParty not recordedyes
Steven SainzParty not recordedyes
Solomon AdesanyaParty not recordedyes
Debbie BucknerParty not recordedyes
Jasmine ClarkParty not recordedyes
Don ParsonsParty not recordedyes
Gabriel SanchezParty not recordedyes
Gary RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Deborah SilcoxParty not recordedyes
Kimberly NewParty not recordedyes
Segun AdeyinaParty not recordedyes
Matt HatchettParty not recordedyes
David ClarkParty not recordedyes
Jaclyn FordParty not recordedyes
Mitchell HornerParty not recordedno
Jan JonesParty not recordedyes
Michelle AuParty not recordedyes
Kimberly AlexanderParty not recordedyes
Carter BarrettParty not recordedyes
Mike CameronParty not recordedyes
Clint CroweParty not recordedyes
Viola DavisParty not recordedyes
Gerald GreeneParty not recordedyes
Buddy DeLoachParty not recordedyes
Danny MathisParty not recordedyes
Darlene TaylorParty not recordedyes
Bill HitchensParty not recordedyes
Matt BartonParty not recordedyes
Charlice ByrdParty not recordedno
Mary Margaret OliverParty not recordedyes
Karlton HowardParty not recordedyes
Lehman FranklinParty not recordedyes
Ron StephensParty not recordedyes
Sharon HendersonParty not recordedyes
Angela MooreParty not recordedyes
Leesa HaganParty not recordedyes
Kasey CarpenterParty not recordedyes
Matthew GambillParty not recordedyes
Lisa CampbellParty not recordedyes
Marvin LimParty not recordedyes
Rhonda BurnoughParty not recordedyes
Sandra ScottParty not recordedexcused
Rob CliftonParty not recordedyes
Derrick JacksonParty not recordedyes
Mitchell ScogginsParty not recordedyes
David JenkinsParty not recordedyes
Phil OlaleyeParty not recordedyes
Scott HolcombParty not recordedyes
David SampsonParty not recordedyes
Jason RidleyParty not recordedyes
Park CannonParty not recordedyes
Chas CannonParty not recordedyes
Bruce WilliamsonParty not recordedyes
Steven MeeksParty not recordedyes
Chris ErwinParty not recordedyes
Karla DrennerParty not recordednot voting
Mike CheokasParty not recordedyes
Imani BarnesParty not recordedyes
Tyler SmithParty not recordedyes
Soo HongParty not recordedyes
Eric BellParty not recordedyes
Eddie LumsdenParty not recordedyes
Regina Lewis-WardParty not recordedyes
Inga WillisParty not recordedyes
Lydia GlaizeParty not recordedyes
Noel WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Dar'shun KendrickParty not recordedyes
Lauren McDonaldParty not recordedyes
Demetrius DouglasParty not recordedyes
Sheila JonesParty not recordedyes
Joe CampbellParty not recordedyes
Matt ReevesParty not recordedyes
Omari CrawfordParty not recordedyes
Beth CampParty not recordedyes
El-Mahdi HollyParty not recordedyes
Will WadeParty not recordedyes
Rey MartinezParty not recordedyes
John LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Carl GilliardParty not recordedyes
Mark NewtonParty not recordedyes
Patty Marie StinsonParty not recordedyes
Matt DubnikParty not recordedyes
Saira DraperParty not recordedyes
Lynn SmithParty not recordedyes
Chuck EfstrationParty not recordedyes
David WilkersonParty not recordedyes
Brent CoxParty not recordedyes
Rick TownsendParty not recordedyes
Robert DickeyParty not recordedyes
Martin MomtahanParty not recordedyes
Shea RobertsParty not recordedyes
Robert DawsonParty not recordedyes
Noelle KahaianParty not recordedno
Nissa JonesParty not recordedyes
Chuck MartinParty not recordedyes
Trey RhodesParty not recordedyes
Rick JasperseParty not recordedyes
Alan PowellParty not recordedyes
Brad ThomasParty not recordedyes
Holt PersingerParty not recordedyes
Bethany BallardParty not recordedyes
Sam ParkParty not recordedyes
Jutt HowardParty not recordedyes
Emory DunahooParty not recordedno
Carmen RiceParty not recordedyes
Long TranParty not recordedyes
Dewey McClainParty not recordedyes
Michael SmithParty not recordedyes
Sandy DonatucciParty not recordedyes
Scott HiltonParty not recordedyes
Ruwa RommanParty not recordedyes
Al WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Karen LuptonParty not recordedyes
Victor AndersonParty not recordedyes
L.C. MylesParty not recordedyes
Vance SmithParty not recordedyes
Jesse PetreaParty not recordedyes
Karen MathiakParty not recordedyes
Bill YeartaParty not recordedyes
Houston GainesParty not recordedyes
Dale WashburnParty not recordedyes
Floyd GriffinParty not recordedyes
Mack JacksonParty not recordedyes
Billy MitchellParty not recordedyes
Miriam ParisParty not recordedyes
Arlene BecklesParty not recordedyes
Butch ParrishParty not recordedyes
Sharon CooperParty not recordedyes
James BurchettParty not recordedyes
Tangie HerringParty not recordedyes
John CarsonParty not recordedyes
Doreen CarterParty not recordedyes
Josh BonnerParty not recordedyes
Esther PanitchParty not recordedyes
Jon BurnsParty not recordednot voting
Betsy HollandParty not recordedyes
Edna JacksonParty not recordedyes
Tanya MillerParty not recordedyes
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift98% confidence
Establishment of Formal State Certification
Shifts community health workers in Georgia from an unreserved, uncertified designation to a formally regulated profession under the Department of Public Health.
Connected Entities
OrganizationGeorgia Community Health Worker Advisory Board“Advisory board with an active member appointed to the committee.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Public Health“State department tasked with administrative support and promulgating rules.”Map →
OrganizationGeorgia Community Health Worker Advocacy Coalition“Coalition given special consideration for committee representation.”Map →
OrganizationGeorgia Community Health Worker Certification Committee“Committee established to oversee certification and training standards.”Map →
OrganizationFederal Bureau of Investigation“Agency conducting national criminal background checks.”Map →
Sources
Open source document
www.legis.ga.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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