Georgia House Bill HR1754

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/18/26

Caption

House Study Committee on Georgia Teacher Planning and Duty-Free Lunch; create

Summary

House Resolution 1754 creates a House Study Committee on Georgia Teacher Planning and Duty-Free Lunch. The resolution states that teachers need adequate planning time to prepare lessons, create materials, and complete professional responsibilities, and that duty-free lunch time supports teacher well-being and performance. It also notes that planning time is often lost when teachers must cover classes for absent colleagues, especially when substitute teachers are unavailable, and that substitute teacher funding has not increased since the Quality Basic Education Act of 1985. The committee is tasked with studying the conditions, needs, and problems related to teacher planning time, substitute coverage, and duty-free lunch, and with recommending any legislation or other action it deems appropriate. The committee will be composed of six House members appointed by the Speaker, may meet as needed, may receive legislative allowances, and must report its findings before it is abolished on December 1, 2026. The resolution is a study measure rather than a direct change to education law, but it is intended to inform future policy and funding decisions.

Impact

HR 1754 does not directly amend the Georgia Code or change teacher scheduling requirements, substitute teacher funding, or duty-free lunch rules. Instead, it establishes a temporary legislative study committee to examine whether current law and funding levels are sufficient to protect teacher planning time and lunch breaks, and to consider possible recommendations for future legislation. Its practical impact is to create a formal process for reviewing educator working conditions and potential budget or statutory changes affecting school districts, teachers, and substitute teachers.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is supportive of teachers and favorable toward studying ways to protect their planning time and duty-free lunch. The bill’s findings emphasize educator recruitment, retention, and working conditions, and cite a prior strategic recommendation to increase substitute funding and preserve planning time. Because no committee transcript or vote record is provided, there is no evidence of recorded opposition or divided sentiment in the available materials.

Contention

The main issues highlighted in the resolution are the loss of teacher planning time due to substitute shortages, the adequacy of substitute teacher funding, and the frequent waiver of duty-free lunch and planning requirements by school districts because of staffing shortages and professional learning demands. These concerns suggest likely tension between educator support goals and operational constraints faced by districts, such as staffing shortages and funding limitations. However, no specific legislators, districts, or stakeholder groups are identified as opposing the measure in the available record.