HB1318: HB1318 Labor and industrial relations; actuarial study on state based paid family and medical leave insurance program; provide

Georgia currently has no state paid family and medical leave insurance program, and most workers in the state cannot take paid leave to care for a new child, a sick family member, or their own serious illness. This bill does not create such a program. Instead, it adds a new chapter to Georgia's labor code directing the Department of Labor to hire a qualified outside actuary by October 1, 2026 to study what a program would cost and how it could be designed. The study must examine possible coverage rules, contribution splits between employers and workers, wage replacement rates, leave length, and administrative costs, drawing on other states' programs and federal data. The Department of Labor would work with the Office of the State Treasurer to complete the study by January 15, 2027 and post it publicly by February 15, 2027. The new chapter would automatically repeal on June 30, 2027, and the whole act only takes effect if the General Assembly separately appropriates funding for it.

• Creates a new chapter in Georgia's labor code (O.C.G.A. Title 34) requiring an actuarial study of a possible state paid family and medical leave insurance program.
• Requires the Department of Labor to hire a qualified outside actuary, someone not employed by the state and meeting American Academy of Actuaries standards, by October 1, 2026.
• Directs the actuary to model at least two different program designs and estimate costs like premiums, reserves, and administrative expenses.
• Requires the Department of Labor and the Office of the State Treasurer to complete the study by January 15, 2027 and share it with top state officials.
• Requires the Commissioner of Labor to post the completed study on the department's website by February 15, 2027.
• Sets the new chapter to automatically repeal on June 30, 2027, and makes the whole act contingent on a specific future funding appropriation.

The Department of Labor and its Commissioner, the Office of the State Treasurer, and other state agencies that must help produce the study; the outside actuary hired to do the work; and indirectly, Georgia workers, employers, and small businesses who could eventually be covered by any future paid leave program the study informs.

The bill itself does not create paid family and medical leave, only a study of what one could look like and cost. Its findings, due in early 2027, would give lawmakers concrete cost and design estimates to decide whether to pursue an actual program covering Georgia workers and employers.

• Section 1 lists legislative findings on labor force participation, caregiving demands, and the lack of paid leave access for most Georgia workers.
• New Code Section 34-11-1 defines key terms including 'qualified third-party actuary' and 'paid family and medical leave insurance program.'
• New Code Section 34-11-2 requires the actuarial study to address start-up costs, administrative costs, premium contributions needed for solvency, and program parameters like eligible leave purposes, covered workers, and family definitions.
• New Code Section 34-11-2(6) directs the study to model a 50/50 employer-employee premium split, with options to exempt small employers with 15 or fewer employees and self-employed workers from certain contributions.
• New Code Section 34-11-2(7) directs the study to model a wage replacement rate of 90 percent of lower wages and 66 percent of wages above half the state average weekly wage.
• New Code Section 34-11-4 sets a January 15, 2027 deadline to complete the study and a February 15, 2027 deadline to publish it on the department's website.
• New Code Section 34-11-6 automatically repeals the entire new chapter on June 30, 2027.
• Section 3 makes the act's effective date contingent on the General Assembly passing a specific appropriation funding it.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
2. 2026-02-19House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-18House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-17House Hopper (House)

• Kasey Carpenter (R, HD-004)Primary sponsor
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Dewey McClain (D, HD-109)
• Stacey Evans (D, HD-057)

• paid family leave
• labor policy
• Department of Labor
• state budget
• workers' benefits