POLICY PRIORITIES
Workforce Development
We will continue to seek funding for the Rural Teacher Training Initiative to strengthen Georgia’s life sciences workforce pipeline through classroom-to-career initiatives that align with industry needs. In addition, we will be supporting STEM programs and initiatives while working to raise awareness in students about careers in the life sciences. Advancing the retention rate of Georgia talent pool is also a key goal.
Economic Incentives & Tax Reform
Life sciences continue to be important and growing economic drivers in the state. Thanks to the successful passage of the Georgia Made Medical Manufacturing Act in 2021, we will be tracking the impact of the legislation on the state’s life science industry and keeping legislators informed about the positive results. Additionally, we will continue to work with economic development partners to bring more life sciences jobs to Georgia by exploring the possibility of implementation of state matching grant programs – specifically the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
Translational Research
We will be advocating to increase Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) funding to support innovation from tech-transfer and small and emerging biotechs, spur bioscience innovations and commercialization through our research universities, and strategically improve funding for post-secondary institutions in order to grow the state’s life science economy.
Patient Access
Our patient access initiative grew substantially in 2021 and we seek to continue the momentum in 2022. We will continue to grow our Patient Advocacy Alliance by supporting broadband expansion efforts to provide additional telehealth resources to patients; promoting policies that support a balanced, evidence-based approach to telehealth services; supporting “Share the Savings” legislation to pass provider rebates to patients; supporting increases in diversity in clinical trials in Georgia; providing education about the benefits of biomarker testing to improve patient outcomes; and advocating for the passage of SB 82, which clarifies the prudent layperson standard in emergency care for insurance purposes.