---
title: HB 1174. Federal Workforce Stability and Reemployment Priority Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1174
cite_as: HB 1174, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1174
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1174.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1174/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72785
date: 2026-02-05
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1174.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1174
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-03
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Saira Draper
- Samuel Park
- Shea Roberts
- Omari Crawford
- Mary Oliver
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1174/2025
upstream_id: 2106725
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- federal workforce
- job retraining
- state hiring preferences
- workforce development
- government shutdown
---
# HB 1174. Federal Workforce Stability and Reemployment Priority Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1174
By: Representatives Draper of the 90th, Park of the 107th, Roberts of the 52nd, Crawford of
the 89th, and Oliver of the 84th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding labor and industrial relations, so as to provide retraining and
other support for displaced federal employees; to provide for a definition; to provide for
coordination between the Georgia Department of Labor and the Technical College System
of Georgia and the University System of Georgia; to provide for tuition assistance; to provide
for certain expedited procedures; to provide for coordination between the Georgia
Department of Labor and federal agencies; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 45 of the Official
Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility and qualifications for office, so as to
provide for the modification of certain hiring procedures for certain displaced federal
employees; to provide for reporting; to provide for a definition; to provide for related
matters; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for an
effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Federal Workforce Stability and
Reemployment Priority Act."
SECTION 2.
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Georgia's economy is significantly affected by the presence of federal workers in
defense, logistics, aviation, public health, and other fields;
(2) Federal government shutdowns, furloughs, and workforce reductions create immediate
economic hardship for affected families and communities;
(3) Ensuring rapid reemployment opportunities and retraining access for displaced federal
employees strengthens Georgia's workforce and provides economic stability;
(4) The state should modify hiring procedures for eligible federal employees and offer
career transition support to eligible federal employees to keep skilled workers in Georgia's
labor market; and
(5) Georgia law creates certain state agency hiring preferences for veterans and should
similarly provide preferences for displaced federal workers, except as otherwise required
by federal law or court order.
SECTION 3.
Chapter 1 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general
provisions regarding labor and industrial relations, is amended by adding a new Code section
to read as follows:
"34-1-11.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'displaced federal employee' means an individual
who:
(1) Was employed by a federal agency with offices located in this state; and
(2) Lost employment due to a federal shutdown, furlough exceeding 30 consecutive
days, elimination of position, base realignment, or workforce reduction.
(b) The Georgia Department of Labor shall coordinate with the Technical College System
of Georgia and the University System of Georgia to:
(1) Provide displaced federal employees with priority access to retraining programs,
certificates that reflect the acquisition of new work skills, and other career transition
services;
(2) Waive, reduce, or subsidize tuition or program costs where determined permissible
by the Georgia Department of Labor and financially feasible by the Technical College
System of Georgia or the University System of Georgia, respectively, for displaced
federal employees; and
(3) Establish expedited intake and counseling procedures for such individuals.
(c) The Georgia Department of Labor may enter into agreements with federal agencies to
verify eligibility and share transition support data."
SECTION 4.
Chapter 2 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility and
qualifications for office, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:
"ARTICLE 4
45-2-50.
As used in this article, the term 'displaced federal employee' means an individual who:
(1) Was employed by a federal agency with offices located in this state; and
(2) Lost employment due to a federal shutdown, furlough exceeding 30 consecutive
days, elimination of position, base realignment, or workforce reduction.
45-2-50.
(a) State agencies shall modify hiring procedures so as to interview all qualified displaced
federal employees who meet the minimum job requirements for a posted position unless
the agency documents a legally valid operational reason for not doing so.
(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not supersede any federal
or court ordered employment requirements.
45-2-52.
(a) Each state agency shall annually report to the Department of Administrative Services
the number of displaced federal employees who:
(1) Applied for positions within state agencies;
(2) Interviewed for a position within a state agency; and
(3) Were hired for a position within a state agency.
(b) The report provided for in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be filed with the
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House of Representatives by
January 10, 2027, and each January 10 thereafter."
SECTION 5.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026.
SECTION 6.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would set up job retraining help and priority interviews for federal workers who lose their jobs to shutdowns, furloughs, or federal workforce cuts, starting July 1, 2026.
### Plain-language summary
This bill responds to the effect federal shutdowns, furloughs, and workforce reductions can have on federal employees living and working in Georgia. It defines a 'displaced federal employee' as someone who worked for a federal agency with offices in Georgia and lost that job due to a shutdown, a furlough lasting more than 30 days, position elimination, base realignment, or workforce reduction.
For these workers, the bill directs the Georgia Department of Labor to coordinate with the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia on priority access to retraining, possible tuition waivers or subsidies, and faster intake and counseling. Separately, it requires state agencies to interview qualified displaced federal employees who meet minimum job requirements for open positions, unless the agency documents a legally valid operational reason not to, and this does not override federal or court-ordered hiring rules. State agencies must report hiring data on these workers each year starting January 10, 2027. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.
### What it does
- Creates a legal definition of 'displaced federal employee' covering those who lose federal jobs in Georgia to shutdowns, long furloughs, position cuts, base realignment, or workforce reduction.
- Directs the Georgia Department of Labor to work with the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia on priority retraining, tuition help, and faster intake for these workers.
- Allows the Department of Labor to make data-sharing agreements with federal agencies to verify who qualifies as a displaced federal employee.
- Requires state agencies to interview all qualified displaced federal employees for open positions unless they document a valid operational reason not to, without overriding federal or court hiring rules.
- Requires each state agency to report yearly to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker on how many displaced federal employees applied, interviewed, and were hired.
- Sets the law to take effect July 1, 2026.
### Who it affects
Federal employees in Georgia who lose their jobs to shutdowns, long furloughs, or workforce cuts; the Georgia Department of Labor; the Technical College System of Georgia and University System of Georgia; and Georgia state agencies, which must adjust hiring and reporting practices for these workers.
### Why it matters
Federal workers who lose their jobs in Georgia would get faster access to retraining, possible tuition breaks, and a guaranteed interview for qualifying state jobs, which could speed up their return to work and soften the economic hit to their families and communities.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 names the bill the 'Federal Workforce Stability and Reemployment Priority Act.'
- Section 2 states legislative findings about the economic impact of federal workforce disruptions on Georgia.
- Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 34-1-11, defining 'displaced federal employee' and requiring Department of Labor coordination with technical colleges and universities on retraining, tuition relief, and expedited services.
- Section 4 adds a new Article 4 to Title 45, requiring state agencies to interview qualified displaced federal employees absent a documented operational reason, with a carve-out for federal or court-ordered requirements.
- Section 4 also creates O.C.G.A. § 45-2-52, requiring annual reports on applications, interviews, and hires of displaced federal employees, due each January 10 starting in 2027.
- Section 5 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-03)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-05)
- Sponsors: Saira Draper, Samuel Park, Shea Roberts, Omari Crawford, Mary Oliver
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72785
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1174.md?full=1