Senate committee advances DBHDD bill to standardize community service boards

Senators on the Georgia Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously advanced an agency substitute (LC 33 98 79 s) from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to standardize how Community Service Boards (CSBs) operate across the state.

The measure, presented by Senator Kirkpatrick as an agency bill for DBHDD with Commissioner Kevin Tanner at the table, rewrites definitions for CSBs and service areas, changes governing‑board membership rules and executive‑director eligibility, and creates bylaw requirements. It also authorizes CSBs to reconstitute as nonprofits, units of county government, or components of hospital authorities under specified conditions, prescribes procedures for cessation of operations, designates venue for legal actions in the county of the board’s principal office, and allows teleconference meetings under defined circumstances.

Senator Kirkpatrick told the committee that the 22 CSBs are “our safety‑net mental‑health providers around the state” and that the substitute is designed to make board structures more consistent and to provide DBHDD with additional oversight tools. The substitute sets a July 1, 2026 effective point for provisions specifying that the executive director will be appointed by the commissioner.

There were no substantial technical questions from committee members during the hearing. A motion to move the substitute forward was made and seconded; the chair called for a voice/hand vote and the committee recorded a unanimous vote to advance the substitute.

Next steps: the committee advanced the agency substitute to the appropriate calendar for subsequent consideration by the full Senate or the next relevant committee. The text advanced under the substitute is LC 33 98 79 s; additional changes may follow in later consideration.