Professions and businesses; licensing of radiologist assistants; provide
HB 571 creates a new licensing framework for radiologist assistants in Georgia and amends related provisions in Chapter 34 of Title 43. The bill defines who qualifies as a radiologist assistant, sets minimum licensure standards, establishes renewal and restoration procedures, and requires the Georgia Composite Medical Board to adopt rules governing applications, fees, continuing education, discipline, and scope of practice. It also repeals an existing statutory definition of radiologist assistant and replaces it with a more detailed article titled the "Radiologist Assistant Act."
Under the bill, radiologist assistants must be certified and registered through recognized radiologic technology credentialing bodies, and they may perform specified advanced diagnostic imaging and related procedures only under the supervision structure set by the board and consistent with federal supervision standards. The bill expressly prohibits radiologist assistants from interpreting images, making diagnoses, or prescribing medications or therapies. It also allows currently employed radiologist assistants to continue practicing after the law takes effect, so long as they apply for licensure, and it sets July 1, 2026, as the date after which practice without a valid license is prohibited.
The bill also updates the continuing education statute to clarify that radiologist assistants are subject to board-approved continuing education for license renewal, while preserving separate continuing education rules for other health professions covered by the chapter. In addition, it retains the existing physician training requirement on professional boundaries and physician sexual misconduct, and it gives the board authority to set supervision limits and create an advisory committee with physicians, radiologist assistants, and a consumer representative.
The bill’s impact is primarily regulatory: it formalizes radiologist assistants as a licensed profession in Georgia, gives the Composite Medical Board direct oversight over their licensure and practice, and creates enforcement tools against unlicensed practice or misuse of the title. It also affects radiologists and medical practices that use these assistants by clarifying when and how they may be supervised and what tasks may be delegated.
The overall sentiment reflected in the vote history appears strongly favorable. The bill passed the House by a wide margin, passed the Senate substitute overwhelmingly, and then received near-unanimous House agreement to the Senate substitute. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to identify detailed arguments, but the vote totals suggest broad bipartisan support and limited opposition. The main point of potential contention, based on the text itself, would be the scope of practice and supervision rules for radiologist assistants, including the board’s authority to define what procedures they may perform and how many may be supervised by a radiologist.
HB 571 amends Georgia law in Title 43, Chapter 34 to create a new Article 13 governing radiologist assistants and to revise continuing education provisions so they expressly apply to radiologist assistants. It authorizes the Georgia Composite Medical Board to license, renew, discipline, and regulate radiologist assistants, to set fees and continuing education requirements, and to establish supervision limits and an advisory committee. The bill also repeals the prior statutory definition of radiologist assistant and replaces it with a more comprehensive licensing and scope-of-practice structure, while making unlicensed practice and unauthorized use of the title unlawful after July 1, 2026.
The bill appears to have enjoyed strong support throughout the legislative process. It passed the House 162-11, the Senate substitute 48-2, and the House’s final agreement to the Senate substitute 162-2, indicating broad bipartisan approval and little organized opposition. Because no committee discussion transcripts were provided, there is no direct record of debate, but the voting pattern suggests the measure was viewed as a professional regulation bill with limited controversy.
The main substantive issues likely concern professional scope and regulatory control: what procedures radiologist assistants may perform, the degree of supervision required, and how much discretion the Georgia Composite Medical Board will have in setting rules, continuing education, and supervision ratios. The bill also distinguishes between licensed radiologist assistants and those who may have been practicing before the new licensing regime, which could raise transition concerns for existing workers and employers. However, the vote margins indicate that any such concerns did not generate significant legislative resistance.