# Georgia SB 395: Department of Public Health; eligible for the Low THC Oil Patient Registry; require a physician to submit certain information to the Georgia Composite Medical Board

Georgia SB 395, Department of Public Health; eligible for the Low THC Oil Patient Registry; require a physician to submit certain information to the Georgia Composite Medical Board, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by John Albers (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Bill Cowsert (Republican) and 6 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19).

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- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia SB 395
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Department of Public Health; eligible for the Low THC Oil Patient Registry; require a physician to submit certain information to the Georgia Composite Medical Board
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: John Albers (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Bill Cowsert (Republican), Sonya Halpern (Democrat), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Elena Parent (Democrat), Randy Robertson (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Public and Community Health, Rules, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (253 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Patient registry cards protected from reporting failures: benefit, low. Georgia’s health department cannot cancel or revoke a patient’s Low THC Oil Patient Registry card solely because their doctor missed a required report. This protects the patient’s registry status without adding a reporting duty for patients.
- Georgia recognizes ambulance services as essential: benefit, low. The law declares public, private nonprofit, and private for-profit ambulance services essential services in Georgia. This designation does not change local service coordination or give state agencies or local governments new regulatory powers. Existing emergency medical service laws and Georgia’s E…
- Doctors file fewer low THC treatment reports: benefit, low. Doctors treating patients with low THC oil must report to the Georgia Composite Medical Board once yearly instead of twice. Reports cover recommended doses, patient responses, treatment results, and whether patients follow treatment instructions. They also include THC or THCA test levels, side effe…
- Medical board gains access to registry records: cost, low. Georgia’s health department can share confidential low THC registry records with the medical board for investigations, compliance checks, or discipline. Federal health privacy rules still apply. Registered patients and caregivers can request their own information in writing. Police and prosecutors…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Bill Cowsert (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Sonya Halpern (Democrat), Senate
- Sponsor: Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Elena Parent (Democrat), Senate
- Sponsor: Randy Robertson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Ben Watson (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mark Newton (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-27 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 46 | 0 | 5 |
| 2026-03-23 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 161 | 0 | 12 |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 46 | 0 | 7 |

## Actions (19)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-11: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2026-05-11: Act 506
- 2026-04-10: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2026-03-27: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- 2026-03-23: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-03-23: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2026-03-20: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- 2026-03-18: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2026-02-26: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-02-25: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-02-24: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- 2026-02-02: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-01-13: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 395/AP* (v14): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248139)

## 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
- [SB 395/AP* (v14) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248139)

## 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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- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB395-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).