# Georgia HB 1302: Education and Workforce Strategy Act; enact

Georgia HB 1302, Education and Workforce Strategy Act; enact, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Matt Dubnik (Republican), Chris Erwin (Republican), Matthew Gambill (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1302-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia HB 1302
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Education and Workforce Strategy Act; enact
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-12
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Matt Dubnik (Republican), Chris Erwin (Republican), Matthew Gambill (Republican), Scott Hilton (Republican), Devan Seabaugh (Republican), Will Wade (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Education, Higher Education, General Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 4 (278 yes, 38 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 7

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Students keep grants beyond course cap: benefit, medium. Dual Enrollment students who qualify for a HOPE grant can use it for eligible career, technical, and agricultural education courses. This access continues even after students reach the Dual Enrollment credit-hour cap. The law removes the June 30, 2028 end date for this access.
- Online guidance for students and jobseekers: benefit, low. The Office must create and maintain a secure online tool for students, parents, counselors, educators, and job seekers. It brings together education, job-training, financial-aid, and career credential information. State education, college, labor, and student-finance agencies must provide data and h…
- Georgia assigns staff to literacy support: benefit, low. The Office provides staff support for the Council on Literacy and hires a Georgia Literacy Coach to coordinate that support. Money specifically set aside for the Council must support its work. The law removes the former requirement to coordinate this support with the Alliance of Education Agency He…
- Georgia coordinates education and job training: benefit, low. The Office of Education and Workforce Strategy leads a statewide plan and meets with partner agencies at least quarterly. The plan includes programs, outcomes, credentials, and required reports, and follows federal workforce and career-education planning cycles. Education and technical college agen…
- Career academies must prove job readiness: cost, low. Applicants seeking certification for new or existing college and career academies must show that they meet education and training standards. These cover student achievement, technical skills, dual credit, work-based learning, workforce development, and local governance. When applicable, applicants…
- Georgia expands education data and oversight: mixed, low. State education and workforce agencies must provide needed information and share or connect systems only as state and federal law allow. The Office holds regular coordination meetings and gains access to the statewide education information system. It replaces the Alliance of Education Agency Heads…
- State apprenticeship support comes with limits: mixed, low. The law names the Technical College System of Georgia as the state apprenticeship agency. Federal approval is required before it registers and oversees programs, helps sponsors and apprentices, and issues certificates; federal oversight continues. Registration is limited to occupations covered by f…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Matt Dubnik (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Chris Erwin (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Matthew Gambill (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Scott Hilton (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Devan Seabaugh (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Will Wade (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-18 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 48 | 1 | 4 |
| 2026-03-18 | Senate | MOTION FOR THE PREVIOUS QUESTION | pass | 29 | 19 | 5 |
| 2026-03-18 | Senate | SHALL THE RULING OF THE CHAIR BE SUSTAINED | pass | 29 | 16 | 8 |
| 2026-03-04 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 172 | 2 | 4 |

## Actions (15)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-11: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-11: Act 474
- 2026-04-06: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2026-03-18: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-16: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-03-04: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2026-02-26: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2026-02-17: House Second Readers (House)
- 2026-02-12: House Hopper (House)
- 2026-02-12: House First Readers (House)

## Bill text

- HB 1302/AP* (v9): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/246485)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [HB 1302/AP* (v9) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/246485)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
- [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills)
- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1302-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).