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HB 7 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Income tax; workforce-ready graduates employed in high-tech full-time jobs in rural counties; provide tax credit

Summary
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the imposition, rate, computation, exemptions, and credits relative to income taxes, so as to provide for a tax credit for workforce-ready graduates employed in high-tech full-time jobs in rural counties in this state; to require the Department of Labor to establish certain criteria; to provide for conditions and limitations; to provide for definitions; to provide for rules and regulations and forms; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Issues: ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credit for high-tech workers in rural counties, reducing taxable income and offering tax relief under income tax code amendments.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill provides tax credit for high-tech job creation in rural counties, directly funding workforce development in technology sector per its title and summary.95% confidence
Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2025 Last action Feb 26, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

LC 50 1191S/hs → LC 44 3498S/hs · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to delay key implementation dates by one year, shifting the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026, and moving the start of eligibility for workforce-ready graduates from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027. This change provides additional time for the Department of Labor to establish workforce readiness program criteria and for employers to prepare for the new tax credit program.
Scope change
The scope of the bill remains the same, but the applicability timeline was extended by one year to allow for better program preparation and implementation.
TIMELINE

The effective date of the Act was changed from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026.

The deadline for the Department of Labor to adopt workforce readiness program criteria was extended from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.

ELIGIBILITY

The date when individuals first employed in high-tech full-time jobs become eligible for the tax credit was delayed from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
6
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Feb 26, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
lower
Apr 4, 2025
Committee
House Withdrawn, Recommitted
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
lower
Jan 13, 2025
Introduced
House Hopper
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Dar'shun Kendrick
Dar'shun Kendrick
DDemocratic
GA
95