Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB600 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 52 0749
2	2	House Bill 600
3	3	By: Representatives Jackson of the 68
4	4	th
5	5	, McClain of the 109
6	6	th
7	7	, Holly of the 116
8	8	th
9	9	, Sanchez
10	10	of the 42
11	11	nd
12	12	, Alexander of the 66
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16	AN ACT
17	17	To amend Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial
18	18	1
19	19	relations, so as to increase the minimum wage for certain employees and to provide for grants2
20	20	to certain employers; to provide for definitions; to increase the minimum wage for3
21	21	agricultural workers and state employees; to provide for the Department of Labor to4
22	22	implement a grant program for certain employers; to provide for criteria; to provide for5
23	23	annual reporting; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for related matters; to6
24	24	provide for a short title; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for7
25	25	other purposes.8
26	26	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9
27	27	SECTION 1.10
28	28	This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Minimum Wage and Second Chance Act11
29	29	of 2025."12
30	30	SECTION 2.13
31	31	Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations,14
32	32	is amended in Chapter 4, relating to minimum wage law, by revising Code Section 34-4-3,15
33	33	H. B. 600
34	34	- 1 - 25 LC 52 0749
35	35	relating to amount of minimum wage to be paid by employers and employers and employees
36	36	16
37	37	covered by the chapter, as follows:17
38	38	"34-4-3.18
39	39	(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Code section and Code Sections 34-4-7
40	40	19
41	41	and 34-4-8, every employer, whether a person, firm, or corporation, shall pay to all covered20
42	42	employees a minimum wage which shall be not less than $5.15 per hour for each hour21
43	43	worked in the employment of such employer.22
44	44	(b) This chapter shall not apply with respect to:23
45	45	(1) Any employer that has sales of $40,000.00 per year or less;24
46	46	(2) Any employer having five employees or less;25
47	47	(3) Any employer of domestic employees;26
48	48	(4) Any employer who is a farm owner, sharecropper, or land renter Reserved;27
49	49	(5) Any employee whose compensation consists wholly or partially of gratuities;28
50	50	(6) Any employee who is a high school or college student;29
51	51	(7) Any individual who is employed as a newspaper carrier; or30
52	52	(8) Any individual who is employed by a nonprofit child-caring institution or long-term31
53	53	care facility serving children or mentally disabled adults who are enrolled in such32
54	54	institution and reside in residential facilities of the institution, if such employee resides33
55	55	in such facilities, receives without cost board and lodging from such institution, and is34
56	56	compensated on a cash basis at an annual rate of not less than $10,000.00.35
57	57	(c) This chapter shall not apply to any employer who is subject to the minimum wage36
58	58	provisions of any act of Congress as to employees covered thereby if such act of Congress37
59	59	provides for a minimum wage which is greater than the minimum wage which is provided38
60	60	for in this Code section."39
61	61	SECTION 3.40
62	62	Said title is further amended in said chapter by adding new Code sections to read as follows:41
63	63	H. B. 600
64	64	- 2 - 25 LC 52 0749
65	65	"34-4-7.42
66	66	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:43
67	67	(1) 'Agricultural industry' means any business in this state that is centered on the44
68	68	processing, packing, or storage of agricultural products, including preparing crops and45
69	69	livestock for consumption, sale, and distribution.46
70	70	(2) 'Covered employee' means an individual who works for salary, wages, or other47
71	71	remuneration for a covered employer in the agricultural industry.48
72	72	(3) 'Covered employer' means an individual or legal entity that employs ten or more49
73	73	covered employees in the agricultural industry.50
74	74	(b) A covered employer in the agricultural industry shall pay a covered employee a51
75	75	minimum wage for each hour worked in the employment of such employer which shall be52
76	76	not less than $15.00 per hour from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026; $18.00 per hour from53
77	77	July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027; $21.00 per hour from July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028; and54
78	78	$27.00 per hour on or after July 1, 2028.55
79	79	34-4-8.56
80	80	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:57
81	81	(1) 'State agency' means any agency, authority, department, institution, board, bureau,58
82	82	commission, committee, office, or instrumentality of the executive, legislative, or judicial59
83	83	branch of government of this state.60
84	84	(2) 'State employee' means an officer, official, employee, or independent contractor of61
85	85	a state agency.62
86	86	(b) A state agency shall pay to a state employee a minimum wage which shall be not less63
87	87	than $20.00 per hour for each hour worked in the employment of such agency.64
88	88	34-4-9.65
89	89	(a) As used in this Code section, the term:66
90	90	H. B. 600
91	91	- 3 - 25 LC 52 0749
92	92	(1) 'Qualifying employer' means an employer in this state that has employed a67
93	93	rehabilitated offender as a full-time employee for at least one year.68
94	94	(2) 'Rehabilitated offender' means an individual who was convicted of a certain69
95	95	misdemeanor or felony as determined by the department and who is hired not more than70
96	96	five years after release from prison for such offense.71
97	97	(3) 'Second chance grant' means a grant to a qualifying employer that has employed a72
98	98	rehabilitated offender as a full-time employee for at least one year.73
99	99	(b) Subject to appropriations, the department shall establish a grant program for the74
100	100	purpose of compensating qualifying employers that have employed rehabilitated offenders75
101	101	as full-time employees for at least one year.76
102	102	(c) The department shall:77
103	103	(1) Establish criteria for determining any restrictions on permitted offenses committed78
104	104	by rehabilitated offenders;79
105	105	(2) Certify rehabilitated offenders for employment;80
106	106	(3) Establish criteria for the second chance grant;81
107	107	(4) Implement an application process; and82
108	108	(5) Distribute any second chance grants to qualifying employers.83
109	109	(d) No later than December 31, 2026, and annually thereafter, the department shall submit84
110	110	a report to the chairpersons of the House Committee on Industry and Labor and the Senate85
111	111	Insurance and Labor Committee on the effect and implementation of this Code section,86
112	112	including the number and amount of grants distributed, the number of rehabilitated87
113	113	offenders employed, the number and names of qualifying employers, the types of positions,88
114	114	the industry impacted, and any recommendations for improving the program.89
115	115	(e) The department shall promulgate such rules and regulations that are necessary to90
116	116	implement the provisions of this Code section."91
117	117	H. B. 600
118	118	- 4 - 25 LC 52 0749
119	119	SECTION 4.
120	120	92
121	121	This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law93
122	122	without such approval.94
123	123	SECTION 5.95
124	124	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.96
125	125	H. B. 600
126	126	- 5 -