---
title: HB 1335. Emergency management; certain longshoremen and related maritime, port, warehouse, and logistics workers to be considered essential workers; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1335
cite_as: HB 1335, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1335
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1335.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1335/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73272
date: 2026-02-19
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1334.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1336.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1335.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1335
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-17
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Kim Schofield
- Ron Stephens
- El-Mahdi Holly
- Carl Gilliard
- Al Williams
- Mike Cameron
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1335/2025
upstream_id: 2118518
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- emergency management
- port workers
- essential workers
- hazard pay
- supply chain
---
# HB 1335. Emergency management; certain longshoremen and related maritime, port, warehouse, and logistics workers to be considered essential workers; provide
## Text
House Bill 1335
By: Representatives Schofield of the 63rd, Stephens of the 164th, Holly of the 116th, Gilliard
of the 162nd, Williams of the 168th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
emergency management, so as to provide for certain longshoremen and related maritime,
port, warehouse, and logistics workers to be considered essential workers; to provide for
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to emergency
management, is amended in Code Section 38-3-58, relating to state-wide system to facilitate
the transport and distribution of essentials in commerce during a state of emergency and
certification of organizations and businesses, by adding a new subsection to read as follows:
"(c.1) During a state of emergency declared by the Governor, longshoremen and related
maritime, port, warehouse, and logistics workers that are employed by or under contract
with organizations and business entities certified pursuant to this Code section shall:
(1) Be classified as essential workers for purposes of the transport or distribution of
essentials;
(2) Not be unreasonably impeded from reporting to work and performing their duties by
emergency orders, curfews, or movement restrictions from the Georgia Emergency
Management and Homeland Security Agency or local officials;
(3) Receive priority access to personal protective equipment, testing, vaccinations, and
other protective resources as determined by the Department of Public Health; and
(4) Be eligible to receive temporary hazard pay, premium pay, or emergency
compensation as authorized by the Governor."
SECTION 2.
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.
House Bill 1335 would classify Georgia longshoremen and related port, warehouse, and logistics workers as essential workers during a state of emergency, guaranteeing them certain protections and access to work.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law already lets the Governor certify organizations and businesses to keep essential goods moving during a declared state of emergency, under a system set out in the state's emergency management law (O.C.G.A. § 38-3-58). This bill adds a new section covering longshoremen (dockworkers) and related maritime, port, warehouse, and logistics workers employed by or contracted with those certified organizations.
Under the bill, these workers would be officially classified as essential workers for moving and distributing essential goods. Emergency orders, curfews, or movement restrictions from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency or local officials could not unreasonably stop them from getting to work. They would get priority access to protective equipment, testing, and vaccinations as decided by the Department of Public Health, and would be eligible for temporary hazard pay or emergency compensation if the Governor authorizes it. The bill does not include a separate effective date section, so it would take effect under Georgia's standard rules once signed.
### What it does
- Adds workers such as longshoremen, port workers, warehouse workers, and logistics workers to the essential worker classification during a state of emergency declared by the Governor.
- Bars emergency orders, curfews, or movement restrictions from state or local officials from unreasonably keeping these workers from reporting to their jobs.
- Gives these workers priority access to protective equipment, virus testing, vaccinations, and other protective resources as decided by the Department of Public Health.
- Makes these workers eligible for temporary hazard pay, premium pay, or emergency compensation if the Governor authorizes it.
- Limits these protections to workers employed by or under contract with organizations and businesses already certified under Georgia's essential goods transport system (O.C.G.A. § 38-3-58).
### Who it affects
Longshoremen and other maritime, port, warehouse, and logistics workers in Georgia, the businesses and organizations that employ or contract with them and are certified under the state's essential goods system, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, local officials who issue emergency orders, and the Department of Public Health.
### Why it matters
During emergencies like storms or pandemics, curfews or movement restrictions could otherwise keep port and logistics workers from their jobs, disrupting the flow of goods. This bill would guarantee those workers can keep working, get priority protective supplies, and possibly receive extra pay during declared emergencies.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 38-3-58 by adding subsection (c.1), which applies only during a state of emergency declared by the Governor.
- Paragraph (1) classifies covered longshoremen and logistics workers as essential workers for transporting or distributing essential goods.
- Paragraph (2) protects these workers from being unreasonably blocked from reporting to work by emergency orders, curfews, or movement restrictions.
- Paragraph (3) grants priority access to protective equipment, testing, and vaccinations as determined by the Department of Public Health.
- Paragraph (4) makes these workers eligible for hazard pay, premium pay, or emergency compensation if authorized by the Governor.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-17)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-19)
- Sponsors: Kim Schofield, Ron Stephens, El-Mahdi Holly, Carl Gilliard, Al Williams, Mike Cameron
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73272
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1335.md?full=1