HB 1062: Education, Department of; publish relevant and applicable federal guidance documents and related information; require

Currently there is no state law requiring the Department of Education to publicly track or respond to guidance documents it receives from federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Education. House Bill 1062 would add a new section to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37) creating that requirement. Under the bill, whenever the department gets a guidance document it considers relevant, it must post it on a dedicated, searchable webpage within 15 days, and within 45 days post a written response explaining which laws the guidance touches, how it will be implemented, and whether the state raised any objections with the federal agency. If a guidance document is later rescinded, the department must note that within 15 days. Each year by August 1, the State School Superintendent must send a written report on all this to several legislative committees and budget offices. The State Board of Education may adopt rules to carry out the law.

• Creates a new requirement (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37) for the Department of Education to publish relevant federal guidance documents on a dedicated, searchable webpage within 15 days of receiving them.
• Requires a written response within 45 days explaining which statutes or rules the guidance addresses, how it will be implemented, and whether the state objected to it.
• Requires the department to flag and log any rescinded guidance documents within 15 days on the same webpage.
• Requires the State School Superintendent to send an annual written report by August 1 to House and Senate education, higher education, and appropriations committees, the Office of Legislative Counsel, and state budget offices.
• Authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement these requirements.
• Defines 'federal agency' and 'guidance document' broadly, covering formats from memos and press releases to digital files and software applications.

The Department of Education and the State School Superintendent, who must track and publish federal guidance; the State Board of Education, which can write implementing rules; and General Assembly committees and state budget offices, which receive the annual reports. Indirectly, this affects schools and the public who rely on transparency about federal education guidance.

Georgians, school administrators, and lawmakers would gain a public, searchable record of federal education guidance and how the state responds to it, including any objections raised. This creates more visibility into how federal policy shapes Georgia's education system without changing existing education programs themselves.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 20-2-37 defining 'federal agency' and 'guidance document' broadly, including memos, bulletins, press releases, and digital or audio files.
• Subsection (b) requires publication of relevant guidance documents within 15 days and a written response within 45 days covering affected laws, implementation plans, and any objections raised with the federal agency.
• Subsection (b)(3) requires marking rescinded guidance documents within 15 days and keeping a separate list of them.
• Subsection (c) requires all documents to appear on a dedicated, easily searchable webpage linked from the Department of Education's homepage.
• Subsection (d) requires an annual written report by August 1 to specified legislative committees, the Office of Legislative Counsel, and budget offices, including the webpage link, document lists, and written responses.
• Subsection (e) authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt implementing rules.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-02House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-01-29House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-28House Hopper (House)

• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)Primary sponsor
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)
• Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)
• Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
• Brent Cox (R, HD-028)

• education policy
• government transparency
• federal guidance
• Department of Education
• legislative oversight