# Georgia HB 659: Health; rural assistance; expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists

Georgia HB 659, Health; rural assistance; expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Gerald Greene (Republican), Leesa Hagan (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican) and 2 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB659-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia HB 659
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Health; rural assistance; expand medical education funding and the service cancelable loan program to include optometrists
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-27
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Gerald Greene (Republican), Leesa Hagan (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican), Rick Jasperse (Republican), Darlene Taylor (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Rural Development, Health and Human Services, General Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (378 yes, 10 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Rural service loan relief for optometrists: benefit, high. Georgia’s rural service loan program now includes optometrists, alongside physicians, dentists, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals and licensed in Georgia when the loan is made. They must have graduated from a U.S. health car…
- More medication options in care homes: benefit, low. Georgia law adds GLP-1 medicines to those authorized personnel can give residents in personal care homes and assisted living communities. The authorized list includes insulin, epinephrine, GLP-1 medicines, and vitamin B12. Personnel must follow a physician’s direction and protocol.
- Rural recruitment grants now include optometrists: benefit, low. Georgia’s rural recruitment grants now include optometrists, alongside physicians, dentists, physician assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses. Eligible recipients include hospitals, other health care entities, local governments, and civic groups in underserved rural areas. The workforc…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Gerald Greene (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Leesa Hagan (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Lee Hawkins (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Rick Jasperse (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Darlene Taylor (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-02 | House | Agree to Senate Amendment | pass | 164 | 8 | 5 |
| 2026-03-31 | Senate | PASSAGE AS AMENDED | pass | 46 | 0 | 3 |
| 2026-02-02 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 168 | 2 | 5 |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-05: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-05: Act 385
- 2026-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2026-04-02: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- 2026-03-31: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-25: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-03-25: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-02-02: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2026-01-29: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2025-03-03: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-28: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-02-27: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 659/AP* (v5): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249081)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [HB 659/AP* (v5) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249081)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB659-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).