Friends,
I wanted to send you a quick update on what is happening under the Gold Dome so far this year. To this point we have finished 12 Legislative Days this session. We have only scratched the surface of issues to cover, I would like to bring a couple key pieces of legislation to your attention.
- Truth in Prescription Pricing for Patients Act (HB 867): This bill aims to require pharmacy benefits managers to provide more transparency in the cost of drugs. Under this legislation, the pharmacy benefits managers would have to disclose the true net cost of the drug to the pharmacy selling the drug. I have heard from plenty of constituents about the high price of pharmaceuticals and this bill is an attempt to address this important issue. I support the effort to provide more transparency in medical costs and expect that it will ultimately result in decreased costs to the patient.
- Education Freedom/School Choice: There is one school choice bill that is slowly making progress through the committee process. The Georgia Educational Scholarship Act (HB 60): This bill, which has already passed out of the Education Committee, looks to provide for the establishment of educational scholarship accounts and so as to provide for the establishment of educational scholarship accounts and establish a Parent Review Committee to review expenditures.
I would love to hear your thoughts on providing education freedom to our parents and children. Please share your thoughts with me. You can reach me at my capitol office at 404-656-0213, or via email at Charlice.Byrd@house.ga.gov.
As always, thank you for allowing me to serve as your State Representative for House District 20.