ATLANTA (March 31, 2025) — Last week, the Senate unanimously passed House Bill 579, which broadly revises occupational licensing regulations in Georgia. This legislation is a result of the Joint Blue-Ribbon Committee on Licensing, upon which Sen. Walker served. It grants the professional licensing board division staff the ability to routinely issue licenses for the profession’s licensing boards when the applicant meets all license requirements. HB 579 also enables the division director to provisionally license an individual before they take their examination and extends the timetable for renewing licenses after they expire.
“The current bureaucratic occupational licensing process only makes it more difficult for skilled workers to do their jobs,” said Sen. Walker. “With HB 579, we are streamlining the rules and procedures for occupational licensure to stimulate the growth of our businesses and trades. By removing the red tape that impedes our trained professionals and removing this barrier to work, this legislation still maintains the integrity of our licensed workforce, ultimately promoting the welfare of all Georgians. The full passage of House Bill 579 is an especially significant win for Senate District 20, and I believe it will be a tremendous boon for hundreds of thousands of skilled Georgia workers working in licensed trades.”
With the Senate’s bipartisan support, House Bill 579 now advances to the Governor’s desk for final approval. For more information about the legislation, click here.
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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Secretary of the Majority Caucus and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as portions of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.