HB 235: Georgia Supporting Living Donor Educators Act; enact

Currently, Georgia law does not specifically guarantee paid time off for public school employees or public college employees who want to donate bone marrow or organs. House Bill 235, called the Georgia Supporting Living Donor Educators Act, adds a new section to Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12) to fix that. Public school teachers and employees would get up to seven paid days off for bone marrow donation and up to 30 paid days off for organ donation, and this time would count toward retirement and pension service and would not be taken out of their sick or annual leave. Employees of the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia (except emergency or temporary workers) get the same seven and 30 day paid leave allowances, though without the retirement service credit. Employees must give their employer a doctor's or hospital administrator's statement confirming the donation at least seven days before the leave starts. Schools and districts cannot waive this requirement even if they otherwise operate under state waiver flexibility.

• Creates a new Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12) guaranteeing paid leave for bone marrow and organ donation for public school and postsecondary employees.
• Grants public school teachers and employees up to 7 paid days for bone marrow donation and up to 30 paid days for organ donation, counted as retirement service.
• Grants postsecondary employees at University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia institutions the same 7 and 30 day paid leave allowances, without retirement service credit.
• Requires employees to submit a doctor's or hospital administrator's statement confirming the donation at least seven days before taking the leave.
• Bars strategic waivers school systems, local boards of education, and charter systems from waiving this leave requirement.

Public school teachers and staff, employees of the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, school districts and charter systems that employ them, and doctors or hospital administrators who must provide donation verification statements.

Employees considering bone marrow or organ donation would no longer have to use up sick or vacation time or risk lost pay to do so, which could make it easier for school and college staff to become living donors without financial or job-security concerns.

• Section 1 names the law the 'Georgia Supporting Living Donor Educators Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 20-1-12, defining 'organ,' 'public school employee,' 'public school teacher,' and 'postsecondary employee.'
• Subsection (b) gives public school teachers and employees up to 7 days paid leave for bone marrow donation and up to 30 days for organ donation, counted toward retirement.
• Subsection (c) gives postsecondary employees the same 7 and 30 day paid leave allowances, without retirement service credit.
• Subsection (d) requires a medical or hospital statement confirming the donation at least 7 days before the leave is scheduled.
• Subsection (e) prohibits waiving this leave requirement under existing school system waiver laws.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
2. 2025-04-28Act 14
3. 2025-04-28House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-09House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-04Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-04Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-04-04Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
8. 2025-04-02Senate Tabled (Senate)

• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)Primary sponsor
• Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
• Todd Jones (R, HD-25)
• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)
• Lynn Heffner (D, HD-130)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-3)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2025

   173 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 4 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #168

2. PassedSenate voteApril 4, 2025

   54 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 2 excused)

   PASSAGE: Senate Vote #459

• organ donation
• teacher benefits
• paid leave
• public school employees
• higher education staff