A bill backed by Rep. Lee Hawkins of Gainesville would address the growing shortage of health care workers in Georgia.
The shortage, particularly of nurses, was made worse during the pandemic. The bill, which will be considered this week by a Senate committee will examine education programs, funding sources and states rules with the goal of attracting more people to health care careers.
"We're short about 27,000 nurses around this state." Hawkins said. "It's really affecting our hospitals, like Stephens County had to close their OB/GYN wing."
House Bill 1520 would create the Georgia Council on Addressing Health Care Workforce Challenges. The three-year project would then make recommendations to the legislature.
"What we want to do is look at a pipeline for education, to increase the numbers of nurses," Hawkins said. "We're looking at dual enrollment, starting in high school, to get the nurses in the pipeline sooner and get them out sooner. We'd like to do the same thing with physicians as far as medical programs around the state, and we've increased our medical residency slots."
Hawkins made his comments during an appearance Thursday on WDUN's "Newsroom."
On other issues, Hawkins said the budget for the next fiscal year is the big piece of business left for the legislature, which is expected to adjourn on April 4. He called the budget "healthy," pointing to strong revenues.
"We passed it on the House side, and now it's on the Senate side," he said. "They will make some of the adjustments that they feel are necessary. Then it'll come back to the House and there'll be a conference committee appointed."
Hawkins also co-sponsors the Care Givers Act, which helps the state's 1.2 million care givers. He said the bill, which has passed the House and is now begin considered by the Senate, will reduce readmissions to the hospital and stress on families.
First elected in 2012, Hawkins is running unopposed in this year's elections.
"I really appreciate the voters of Hall County supporting me over all these years," he said. "It allows me to do some work in the summertime rather than run for re-election."
