Georgia ABLE, Right To Try Legislation Signed Into Law

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CANTON, GA -- Two pieces of legislation co-sponsored by State Rep. Scot Turner (R-Holly Springs) were recently signed into law by Gov. Nathan Deal.

House Bill 34, the Georgia Right to Try Act, will allow terminally ill patients the access to experimental medications. House Bill 768, the Georgia ABLE Act, will allow disabled individuals access to tax advantaged savings accounts for their care and treatment.

“Both of these pieces of legislation represent significant improvements for ill and disabled citizens in our state by getting government out of the way and allowing these citizens to chart their own course,” Turner said. “These bills represent the type of work I am doing as a state representative and, frankly, remind me of why I fight for this job.”

The Georgia Right to Try Act will grant access to experimental treatments, medicines and devices for terminal patients who have exhausted all other options.

The process will require investigational treatments to pass phase one of FDA approval, as well as written consent from both the patient and their physician. Under the new law, manufacturers will not be required to offer the treatment, and health insurance companies will not be required to pay for the treatment.

Doctors, as well as other involved participants, will also be indemnified. HB 34 will become effective July 1, 2016.

The Georgia ABLE, or Achieving a Better Life Experience, Act is based on the federal ABLE Act passed in 2014, and aims to ease the financial strains faced by individuals with disabilities.

An ABLE account is a tax-free savings account that may cover expenses such as medical care, education, community-based supports, employment training, assistive technology, housing and transportation. Georgia joins 43 other state legislatures that have enacted ABLE legislation.

H.B. 768 became effective upon Gov. Deal’s signature on May, 3, 2016. For more information on H.B. 34, the Georgia Right to Try Act, please click here. Click here for details on H.B. 768.