PRIA Logo™
GeorgiaHB 1922025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Top State for Talent Act; enact

Sponsored By: Matt Dubnik (Republican), Matthew Gambill (Republican), Soo Hong (Republican), Lauren McDonald III (Republican), Will Wade (Republican)

Became Law

EducationHigher EducationGeneral Bill

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Career planning and work training in grades 6-12

The law requires a career education course for grades 6-12. It includes career exploration, internships, apprenticeships, co-ops, and employer-backed credentials where offered. Each student makes an individual graduation, college, and career plan by the end of eighth grade and updates it each year. Starting in ninth grade, students create a GAfutures account and use Georgia MATCH. Schools must give Dual Enrollment info and counseling by February 1 each year and get a signed parent acknowledgment before enrollment. Charter schools must follow these planning rules. The law also updates definitions, such as what counts as a chronically low-performing high school.

High-demand careers list guides funding

Each year by December 31, the State Workforce Development Board publishes a High-demand Career List with the skills and credentials employers require. The Education Department and Technical College System also post a yearly list of employer-required industry credentials before grants open. State agencies and school systems must use the High-demand list when spending federal and state education money on programs that lead to those credentials. The State Board runs an annual competitive equipment grant, giving priority to programs with employer support and college partnerships.

Job results and credit transfer reports

The Education Department makes a yearly report on industry credential attainment and business needs and sends it to the workforce board and the state budget office. In even-numbered years, the Workforce Board approves a return-on-investment report by December 1 and posts it by December 31, showing employment, retention, and wage growth at 2, 5, and 10 years. The Board also posts a report on course transfer and alignment across K-12, technical colleges, and universities, with lists of articulated and transferable courses and reverse transfer work. Agencies and schools must share data within privacy rules and keep working so credits transfer between systems. The State Board of Education issues rules to carry out these parts.

HOPE covers career dual enrollment through 2028

Beginning July 1, 2023, HOPE pays for eligible career, technical, and agricultural (CTAE) Dual Enrollment courses with no credit-hour cap. This applies to students who are HOPE grant–eligible and enrolled in Dual Enrollment CTAE classes. The extra coverage ends June 30, 2028. The Georgia Student Finance Commission and Technical College System collect three years of data starting July 1, 2023, send interim reports by January 1 each year, and a final report by December 1, 2028.

Old grant and reporting rules removed

The law repeals the old competitive grant authority under the prior workforce act and removes a former rules section. It also removes one listed duty from the Office of Student Achievement. Programs that used that grant authority may lose a funding option, but these changes are mainly administrative.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • Matt Dubnik

    Republican • House

  • Matthew Gambill

    Republican • House

  • Soo Hong

    Republican • House

  • Lauren McDonald III

    Republican • House

  • Will Wade

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Drew Echols

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 203 • No: 2

Senate vote • 3/28/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 48 • No: 1

House vote • 2/21/2025

PASSAGE

Yes: 155 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective Date

    7/1/2025

  2. House Date Signed by Governor

    5/12/2025House

  3. Act 117

    5/12/2025

  4. House Sent to Governor

    4/10/2025House

  5. Senate Third Read

    3/28/2025Senate

  6. Senate Passed/Adopted

    3/28/2025Senate

  7. Senate Read Second Time

    3/25/2025Senate

  8. Senate Committee Favorably Reported

    3/21/2025Senate

  9. Senate Read and Referred

    2/24/2025Senate

  10. House Third Readers

    2/21/2025House

  11. House Passed/Adopted

    2/21/2025House

  12. House Committee Favorably Reported

    2/11/2025House

  13. House Second Readers

    2/4/2025House

  14. House First Readers

    2/3/2025House

  15. House Hopper

    1/30/2025House

Bill Text

  • HB 192/AP* (v3)

    PDF

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation