HR1582: HR1582 House Study Committee on Veteran Teacher Compensation; create

Georgia's statewide teacher salary schedule currently stops adding step increases after 21 years of service, even though the average teacher's career runs about 25.5 years, short of the 30 years needed for full retirement. Some school districts add local pay supplements for longer-serving teachers, but others cannot afford to. This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Veteran Teacher Compensation to look into ways to reward and retain experienced teachers, following a December 2025 recommendation from the Georgia Roundtable for Strategic Educator Recruitment and Retention to add a salary step at year 28. The committee would have six House members appointed by the Speaker, who would also name a chairperson. It can hold meetings, study the issue, and recommend legislation. Members get standard legislative allowances for up to five meeting days unless more are approved, paid from House funds. The committee must file a report or meeting minutes before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Veteran Teacher Compensation to examine pay for experienced teachers.
• Directs the Speaker of the House to appoint six House members to the committee and designate a chairperson.
• Authorizes the committee to study salary step increases beyond 21 years of service and recommend legislation.
• Allows committee members to receive standard legislative meeting allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days unless more are approved.
• Requires the chairperson to file a report or, if none is approved, meeting minutes with the Clerk of the House.
• Sets December 1, 2026 as the date the committee is abolished.

Veteran public school teachers with long careers, especially those beyond 21 years of service, school districts deciding whether to fund local salary supplements, the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, and the six House members appointed to serve on the study committee.

If the committee's work leads to a new salary step, such as the recommended Year 28 increase, veteran teachers statewide could see higher pay in their later career years, potentially reducing turnover in a state already facing a persistent teacher shortage.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Veteran Teacher Compensation.
• 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 veteran teacher compensation issues and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) limits paid allowances to five meeting days unless additional days are authorized, funded through House appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires a report or, absent one, committee minutes to be filed with the Clerk of the House before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-16House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
2. 2026-03-06House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-04House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-03-03House Hopper (House)

• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)Primary sponsor
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)
• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)

• teacher pay
• education policy
• teacher retention
• legislative study committees