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Legislative Notebook: Rural hospitals try again for ER cashA group of state senators is trying to create a fund that would channel $10 from the sale of each car license plate in Georgia to a fund that could be worth as much as $90 million annually to rural hospitals that are lacking top-quality trauma care.Only four Georgia hospitals offer so-called Level 1 trauma care.
Those facilities in Atlanta, Augusta, Macon and Savannah keep a general surgeon and equipment ready on site, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and always have specialists, such as neurosurgeons, on call.
That’s out of reach for many rural hospitals, so when injuries happen far from the city, patients can be hours away from specialized, on-duty care.
The new plan to bankroll better trauma care would require statewide voter approval, explained one co-sponsor, Sen. Cecil Staton, R-Macon, because the bill would create a separate fund, something like a different bank account for trauma care, that the state Legislature cannot raid.
But “that’s the most important thing, that it would be a dedicated funding source,” Staton said. Rural hospital trauma money would be exempt from annual appropriation battles.
Last year, voters were asked to pay $10 extra on car tags for the rural hospitals, but the proposal failed statewide.
It might have a better chance with voters this time because there’s no fee increase.
But it’s not clear that the Legislature would be as amiable. As Staton explained, channeling tag funds to hospitals would create about an $80 million to $90 million hole in the state’s general budget.
He said filling that hole would be a “challenge” to appropriations, but there’s hope that a recovering economy in a few years might make up the difference.

11 LC 33 3962
S. R. 140
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Senate Resolution 140
By: Senators Goggans of the 7th, Staton of the 18th, Jackson of the 24th, Carter of the 1st,
Unterman of the 45th and others
A RESOLUTION
1 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to annually dedicate from license tag fees
2 collected $10.00 per each vehicle registered in this state for the purpose of funding trauma
3 care; to provide for the dedicated amount to be deposited into a trauma trust fund; to provide
4 for a definition; to provide for procedures; to provide that such funds shall not be subject to
5 lapse and certain other restrictions; to provide for related matters; to provide for the
6 submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
7 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
8 SECTION 1.
9 Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI of the Constitution is amended by adding a new
10 subparagraph to read as follows:
11 "(o)(1) As used in this subparagraph, the term 'vehicle' means every motor vehicle
12 registered in this state that is used for the transportation of persons. This term shall not
13 include vehicles owned by the state or its departments, agencies, or authorities or by any
14 political subdivision of the state.
15 (2) There shall be dedicated annually from license tag fees collected for each vehicle
16 registered in this state $10.00 per vehicle, as defined in this subparagraph.
17 (3) Proceeds of the amount dedicated under this subparagraph shall be deposited on a
18 monthly basis in a trauma trust fund. The General Assembly shall provide for the
19 operation of such trust fund and shall specify the trauma care purposes for which such
20 funds are to be expended.
21 (4) Revenues deposited into the trauma trust fund pursuant to this paragraph shall not
22 lapse as otherwise required by Article III, Section IX, Paragraph IV(c) and shall not be
23 subject to the limitations of subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of Article VII, Section
24 III, Paragraph II."11 LC 33 3962
S. R. 140
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25 SECTION 2.
26 The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
27 provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the
28 above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following:
29 "( ) YES
30 ( ) NO
31
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to annually dedicate
from license tag fees collected $10.00 per each vehicle registered in this
state for the purpose of funding trauma care?"
32 All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes."
33 All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If
34 such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall
35 become a part of the Constitution of this state.