HB 1438: Tariff Transition Advisory Councils Act; enact

Tariffs imposed by the federal government or other countries can hit different parts of Georgia's economy unevenly, affecting farmers, manufacturers, logistics companies, and small businesses in different ways. This bill responds by adding a new chapter to Georgia law that sets up five regional tariff transition advisory councils, covering Northwest Georgia, Northeast Georgia, Metro Atlanta, Middle Georgia, and South Georgia, all housed within the Department of Economic Development. Each nine-member council would include representatives from business, labor, agriculture, local development authorities, and higher education or technical colleges, serving two-year unpaid terms with expense reimbursement. The councils would gather data on tariff impacts, reach out to affected businesses and workers, develop mitigation strategies like workforce retraining and export support, and coordinate with other state agencies. The Department of Economic Development must submit a public report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker by December 31 each year, and may seek outside grants or funding to support the councils' work.

• Creates five regional tariff transition advisory councils within the Department of Economic Development, covering distinct regions of Georgia.
• Sets council membership at nine people each, drawn from business, labor, agriculture, local development groups, and education or research institutions.
• Directs councils to collect data, conduct outreach, and develop mitigation strategies such as workforce retraining and export support for tariff-affected industries.
• Requires the Department of Economic Development to file a public annual report by December 31 to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker.
• Allows the Department of Economic Development to seek federal grants or philanthropic funding to pay for council activities.
• Requires councils to comply with Georgia's open meetings law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 50-14) and publish minutes and findings.

Georgia businesses in manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and small business sectors; workers and labor organizations; local development authorities and chambers of commerce; technical colleges and universities; and the Department of Economic Development, which would staff and fund the new councils.

If enacted, Georgia would get a standing structure to track how tariffs affect different regions and recommend responses, potentially shaping state policy on workforce retraining, supply chains, and small business support. The councils have no regulatory power themselves, only advisory and reporting duties.

• Section 3 adds new Code Section 50-41-1, creating five regional councils within the Department of Economic Development, with the commissioner setting regional boundaries.
• Code Section 50-41-2 sets each council at nine appointed members representing business, labor, agriculture, local development, and education, serving unpaid two-year terms.
• Code Section 50-41-3 lists council duties, including data collection, outreach, developing mitigation strategies, and recommending policy to the Department of Economic Development and the General Assembly.
• Code Section 50-41-3(6) requires councils to follow Georgia's open meetings law and publish minutes and findings publicly.
• Code Section 50-41-4 requires an annual public report by December 31 to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and House Speaker summarizing findings and proposed actions.
• Code Section 50-41-5 authorizes the Department of Economic Development to provide administrative support and to seek federal or philanthropic funding for the councils.

1. 2026-02-26House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-25House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-24House Hopper (House)

• Anne Westbrook (D, HD-163)Primary sponsor
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Michelle Au (D, HD-050)
• Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)
• L.C. Myles (D, HD-126)

• tariffs
• economic development
• agriculture policy
• workforce development
• state advisory boards