HB1345: HB1345 State Workforce Development Board; approval of certain eligible workforce training programs relative to implementing the federal Workforce Pell Grant program; provide

Congress created a new type of federal financial aid called the Workforce Pell Grant, which helps pay for short-term job training programs instead of traditional college degrees. States need a process for deciding which training programs in Georgia can actually use this federal money. House Bill 1345 adds a new section to Georgia's workforce law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 14 of Title 34) defining an 'eligible workforce training program' as one that qualifies for the federal Workforce Pell Grant under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025. The bill puts the Governor, working with the State Workforce Development Board, in charge of approving these programs and coordinating with other state and federal job training efforts so the same training doesn't get funded twice. It also blocks any other state agency from writing its own rules on this, though the Board can set procedures for deciding which programs qualify. The bill repeals conflicting laws.

• Adds a new Code section defining an 'eligible workforce training program' as one that qualifies for the federal Workforce Pell Grant under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.
• Gives the Governor, in consultation with the State Workforce Development Board, the power to approve all eligible workforce training programs in Georgia.
• Requires the Governor and Board to coordinate approvals with other federal and state workforce programs to avoid duplicate funding for the same training.
• Bars any other state agency or department from adopting rules to implement this new section, while letting the Board set procedures for judging eligibility.
• Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with the new provisions.

The State Workforce Development Board, the Governor's office, technical colleges and other training providers seeking Workforce Pell Grant eligibility, Georgians who might enroll in short-term job training programs, and other state agencies that are now barred from regulating this process.

Georgia training providers and students seeking short-term career training will depend on this state-level approval process to access new federal Workforce Pell Grant money, and the coordination requirement is meant to keep the same training from drawing multiple layers of public funding.

• New Code Section 34-14-6.1 defines 'eligible workforce training program' by reference to Section 8302 of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025.
• Subsection (b) requires the Governor, working with the State Workforce Development Board, to approve all eligible workforce training programs.
• Subsection (b)(2) requires coordination with other federal and state workforce programs to prevent duplicative funding for the same purpose.
• Subsection (c) prohibits any other state agency or department from adopting policies, rules, or regulations to implement this section, but allows the Board to set its own eligibility procedures.
• Section 2 repeals all conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-09Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-03-06House Passed/Adopted (House)
3. 2026-03-06House Third Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-26House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
5. 2026-02-19House Second Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-18House First Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-17House Hopper (House)

• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-034)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   168 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #654

• workforce training
• Workforce Pell Grant
• job training programs
• State Workforce Development Board
• education funding