HR 1754: House Study Committee on Georgia Teacher Planning and Duty-Free Lunch; create

Georgia teachers are supposed to get protected planning time and a duty-free lunch, but the resolution notes that many school districts waive these requirements because of staff shortages, required training, or a lack of substitute teachers. It also points out that state funding for substitutes has not increased since the Quality Basic Education Act passed in 1985. This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Georgia Teacher Planning and Duty-Free Lunch, made up of six House members chosen by the Speaker, who also picks the chairperson. The committee would study the problem and recommend legislation or other action. Members get standard legislative allowances for up to five days of meetings, paid from House funds. The committee must file a report, if it adopts one, before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.

• Creates a six-member House study committee on teacher planning time and duty-free lunch, with members and a chairperson appointed by the Speaker.
• Directs the committee to study why planning time and duty-free lunch requirements are often waived and recommend legislation or other action.
• Allows the committee to hold meetings wherever and whenever needed, called by the chairperson, to carry out its study.
• Gives legislative members standard allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless more are approved, paid from House funds.
• Requires the committee to file an approved report or, if none is approved, meeting minutes with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026.

Members of the House of Representatives who serve on the committee, Georgia public school teachers whose planning time and lunch breaks are at issue, school districts that currently waive these protections, and substitute teachers whose funding levels are part of the study.

The resolution itself makes no funding or policy changes; it only sets up a committee to study the issue and recommend fixes. Any real change for teachers, such as more substitute funding or firmer lunch and planning protections, would depend on legislation the committee proposes later.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Teacher Planning and Duty-Free Lunch.
• Paragraph (2) sets the committee at six House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying the issue and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, limited to five paid days unless more are authorized, funded through the House of Representatives budget.
• Paragraph (6) requires filing an approved report with the Clerk of the House before abolishment, or meeting minutes if no report is approved.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-20House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-19House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-18House Hopper (House)

• Karen Lupton (D, HD-083)Primary sponsor
• Akbar Ali (D, HD-106)
• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)

• teacher planning time
• duty-free lunch
• substitute teachers
• education policy
• study committee