# Georgia SB 500: Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; expand to include data from licensed health care professionals

Georgia SB 500, Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; expand to include data from licensed health care professionals, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Sally Harrell (Democrat), Bo Hatchett (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican) and 7 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB500-2025-2026
- 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 500
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; expand to include data from licensed health care professionals
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-02-12
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Sally Harrell (Democrat), Bo Hatchett (Republican), Billy Hickman (Republican), Mike Hodges (Republican), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Larry Walker (Republican), Ben Watson (Republican), Rick Williams (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Public and Community Health, Health and Human Services, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (255 yes, 6 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Georgia expands health workforce data collection: benefit, low. Georgia renames its behavioral health workforce database the Health Care Workforce Data Base and adds more health licensing boards. The law defines covered professionals as those mainly diagnosing or treating mental health or substance use disorders. Workforce surveys collect demographic informatio…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Sally Harrell (Democrat), Senate
- Sponsor: Bo Hatchett (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Billy Hickman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Mike Hodges (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Kay Kirkpatrick (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Carden Summers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Larry Walker (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Ben Watson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Rick Townsend (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-27 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 45 | 2 | 4 |
| 2026-03-23 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 164 | 1 | 7 |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 46 | 3 | 3 |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-12: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2026-05-12: Act 629
- 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)
- 2026-03-18: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2026-03-04: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-03-03: House First Readers (House)
- 2026-02-26: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-02-17: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 500/AP* (v7): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248133)

## 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 500/AP* (v7) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248133)

## 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)
- [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills)
- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB500-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).