New Georgia Bill Would Add Rules for Patient Sedation in Medical Spas

Posted By American Med Spa Association, Wednesday, March 18, 2020

A new bill in Georgia would provide rules for administering sedation for procedures in medical spas. Senate Bill 323 (SB 323) is primarily sponsored by State Senator Kay Kirkpatrick and has already passed the Senate; it now heads to the House for further deliberations. You can review the text of the bill in full here.
SB 323 adds new guidelines for administering sedation and anesthesia in a medical spa setting. If passed, the bill would require that the Georgia Composite Medical Board adopt rules in compliance with the language of the bill no later than the end of 2020. These must include rules for:
These rules will would limit the administration of any level of sedation during office-based surgery to licensed physicians only. SB 323 does authorize licensed dentists to administer conscious sedation in both dental facilities and medical spas; however, this is allowed only when the sedation is for the purpose of providing dental treatments, not for medical spa treatments. The bill also allows certified registered nurse anesthetists and physician assistants to administer conscious sedation and anesthesia, provided they are acting within their scope of practice. While a relatively simple bill, SB 323 is indicative of a broader trend—increased regulation on aspects of medical spa practice.
We will be monitoring SB 323 as it works its way through Georgia’s legislative process this year. As it has already passed the Senate, it appears to have some momentum. If you would like to contact SB 323’s sponsors, they can be reached via their page on the Georgia General Assembly's website.