HB1174: HB1174 Federal Workforce Stability and Reemployment Priority Act; enact

Georgia is home to many federal workers in defense, logistics, aviation, and public health. This bill responds to job losses from federal shutdowns, long furloughs, position eliminations, base realignments, or workforce reductions by creating new state support for those workers, called 'displaced federal employees' in the bill. The Georgia Department of Labor would coordinate with the Technical College System of Georgia and the University System of Georgia to give these workers priority access to retraining programs and career transition services, and to waive, reduce, or subsidize their tuition where feasible. Separately, state agencies would have to interview any qualified displaced federal employee who meets a job's minimum requirements, unless the agency documents a legally valid operational reason not to, though this cannot 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.

• Defines 'displaced federal employee' as someone who worked for a federal agency in Georgia and lost their job to a shutdown, a furlough over 30 days, position elimination, 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 to give these workers priority access to retraining and career transition services.
• Allows tuition or program costs to be waived, reduced, or subsidized for these workers if the Department of Labor allows it and the schools can afford it.
• Requires state agencies to interview 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, and repeals any conflicting state laws.

Federal employees in Georgia who lose their jobs due to shutdowns, long furloughs, or federal downsizing; the Georgia Department of Labor; the Technical College System of Georgia and University System of Georgia; and Georgia state government agencies that hire staff and must now report annual hiring data.

Georgians who work for federal agencies and lose their jobs could get faster access to retraining, possible tuition help, and a guaranteed interview shot at state jobs, changing how quickly they might find new work and how state agencies handle their applications during federal workforce disruptions.

• Section 2 lists legislative findings, including that Georgia's economy depends on federal workers and that the state should offer them hiring preferences similar to those given to veterans.
• Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 34-1-11, defining 'displaced federal employee' and requiring Labor Department coordination with technical colleges and universities on retraining, tuition help, and expedited intake procedures.
• Section 3 also lets the Department of Labor make agreements with federal agencies to verify eligibility and share transition data.
• Section 4 adds a new Article 4 to Title 45, requiring state agencies to interview qualified displaced federal employees unless they document a valid operational reason not to.
• Section 4 clarifies this hiring requirement cannot override federal or court-ordered employment rules.
• Section 4 requires 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.

1. 2026-02-05House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-03House Hopper (House)

• Saira Draper (D, HD-090)Primary sponsor
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Shea Roberts (D, HD-052)
• Omari Crawford (D, HD-089)
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)

• federal workforce
• job retraining
• state hiring policy
• tuition assistance
• government shutdown