ATLANTA – State Representative Katie Dempsey (R-Rome) today announced that House Bill 198 was signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on Thursday, April 27, 2017. This legislation, sponsored by Rep. Dempsey, will require school systems to distribute information related to influenza, eliminate the Student Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) Act’s sunset provision, place the Georgia Commission on Women under the administration of the Department of Public Health and name a code section in Georgia law that requires high schools to provide students with instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators after Cory Joseph Wilson.
“Ensuring the quality of life and well-being of all Georgians is an imperative function of the Georgia General Assembly, which is why I was proud to sponsor legislation that seeks to promote the overall health of our state’s citizenry,” said Rep. Dempsey. “House Bill 198 will positively impact many Georgians, especially our students, and I’m grateful to Governor Deal for signing this vital legislation into law.”
Under HB 198, local boards of education that provide parents and guardians of sixth through 12th grade students with information on immunizations, infectious diseases, medications or other school health issues will be required to include information relating to influenza and its respective vaccines. This information will include a description of causes, symptoms and means of transmission, a list of sources for additional information and related recommendations issued by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Further, the bill names a code section in Georgia law after Cory Joseph Wilson. This code section requires local boards of education that operate schools with grades nine through 12 to provide students with instruction in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators as part of existing health or physical education courses.
In addition, HB 198 will eliminate the SHAPE Act’s sunset provision of June 30, 2019. The SHAPE Act is a statewide initiative to address childhood obesity and requires all local school systems to comply with state physical fitness instruction and perform a physical assessment on students annually. HB 198 will also place the Georgia Commission on Women under the Department of Public Health for administrative purposes.
For more information on HB 198, please click here.
Representative Katie Dempsey represents the citizens of District 13, which includes portions of Floyd County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2006, and currently serves as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources. She also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Energy, Utilities, & Telecommunications, Health & Human Services, Higher Education, Rules, and Transportation committees.
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