Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB569 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 46 1141
2	2	House Bill 569
3	3	By: Representatives Howard of the 71
4	4	st
5	5	and Werkheiser of the 157
6	6	th
7	7
8	8	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
9	9	AN ACT
10	10	To amend Chapter 8 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
11	11	1
12	12	employment security, so as to revise certain notice provisions relating to benefits and2
13	13	appeals; to provide a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective3
14	14	date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4
15	15	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5
16	16	SECTION 1.6
17	17	Chapter 8 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to employment7
18	18	security, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:8
19	19	"34-8-53.
20	20	9
21	21	As used in this chapter, the term 'issue date' means the date on which the department10
22	22	releases a determination or decision to an interested party by mail, hand delivery, or with11
23	23	the consent of the party, electronically. The issue date shall be printed on a determination12
24	24	or decision issued by the department. Through the promulgation of administrative rules,13
25	25	the Commissioner is authorized to waive, alter, extend, or set aside the time limit14
26	26	provisions of the law by which a determination or decision of the department becomes15
27	27	H. B. 569
28	28	- 1 - 25 LC 46 1141
29	29	final; provided, however, that any such rule shall be consistent with due process to all16
30	30	interested parties, and the purpose and policy of this chapter."17
31	31	SECTION 2.18
32	32	Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (c) of Code Section 34-8-192, relating19
33	33	to initial determination and redetermination of eligibility for, amount of, and duration of20
34	34	benefits, as follows:21
35	35	"(c) A determination shall be final unless a party entitled to notice applies for22
36	36	reconsideration of the determination or appeals the determination within 15 days after the23
37	37	notice was mailed to the party's last known address or otherwise delivered to the party issue24
38	38	date printed on the determination. Before a determination becomes final as provided in this25
39	39	Code section, the Commissioner may issue a redetermination if good cause is shown. Such26
40	40	redetermination is subject to further appeal by any party entitled to notice as provided in27
41	41	this chapter."28
42	42	SECTION 3.29
43	43	Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 34-8-220, relating30
44	44	to appointment of hearing officers to hear and decide appealed decisions, as follows:31
45	45	"(b) Unless an appeal is withdrawn, an administrative hearing officer, after affording the32
46	46	parties reasonable opportunity for fair hearing, shall affirm or modify the findings of fact33
47	47	and initial determination or shall make a decision after hearing on issues referred by the34
48	48	Commissioner pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 34-8-192. The parties shall be35
49	49	duly notified of such decision, together with the reasons therefor, which shall be deemed36
50	50	to be the final decision of the Commissioner, unless within 15 days after the date of37
51	51	notification or mailing of such decision issue date printed on the decision further appeal is38
52	52	initiated pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 34-8-221."39
53	53	H. B. 569
54	54	- 2 - 25 LC 46 1141
55	55	SECTION 4.
56	56	40
57	57	Said chapter is further amended by revising subsections (a) and (b) of Code Section41
58	58	34-8-221, relating to review of decision of hearing officer by board of review, as follows:42
59	59	"(a) The board of review may on its own motion affirm, modify, or set aside any decision43
60	60	of an administrative hearing officer on the basis of the evidence previously submitted in44
61	61	such case or direct the taking of additional evidence or may permit any of the parties to45
62	62	such decision to initiate further appeals before the board of review. The board of review46
63	63	shall promptly notify the parties to any proceedings of its findings and decision. The47
64	64	decision of the board shall become final 15 days from the date the decision is mailed to the
65	65	48
66	66	parties after the issue date printed on the decision.49
67	67	(b) The board of review may, in its discretion and on its own motion, reconsider its50
68	68	decision at any time within 15 days from the date the decision is mailed to the parties issue51
69	69	date printed on the decision. The board shall notify all concerned parties of its intent to52
70	70	reconsider a final decision. Such notice shall stay the process of judicial review until a53
71	71	final decision is released by the board."54
72	72	SECTION 5.55
73	73	Said chapter is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 34-8-223, relating 56
74	74	to procedure for judicial review of final decision of board of review, as follows:57
75	75	"(a) Any decision of the board of review, in the absence of a reconsideration as provided58
76	76	in subsection (b) of Code Section 34-8-221, shall become final 15 days after the date of59
77	77	notification or mailing issue date printed on the decision. Judicial review shall be60
78	78	permitted only after any party claiming to be aggrieved thereby has exhausted his or her61
79	79	administrative remedies as provided by this chapter. The Commissioner shall be deemed62
80	80	to be a party to any judicial action involving any such decision and shall be represented in63
81	81	any such judicial action by the Attorney General."64
82	82	H. B. 569
83	83	- 3 - 25 LC 46 1141
84	84	SECTION 6.
85	85	65
86	86	This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.66
87	87	SECTION 7.67
88	88	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.68
89	89	H. B. 569
90	90	- 4 -