Georgia legislators are moving forward with a bill that would transfer responsibility for overseeing the state boards of dentistry and pharmacy to the state's Community Health Department.
The two boards, which oversee dentists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals, are currently under the authority of the Secretary of State's Office, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story.
The measure, HB 132, is sponsored by a dentist, state Rep. Lee Hawkins, DDS. Supporters say the bill would make responding to residents' problems more efficient and cost-effective by sharing existing resources with the state Composite Medical Board, which is under the purview of the Community Health Department.
On March 7, the House of Representatives passed the bill 122-46.
Secretary of State Brian Kemp condemned the effort to remove his oversight of licensing for dentists and pharmacists as an attempt to expand state government that would drain cash needed to process licenses for hundreds of thousands of other professionals.
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