March 3, Legislative Day 26
The Senate Committee on Education and Youth met at 9:00 AM and considered the following:
SB 589 (Brass-R): “Quality Basic Education Act”; revises the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade. DO PASS AS AMENDED BY SUBSTITUTE
- Allows for parents to determine whether or not their child will attend pre-k after turning the age of five. The sponsor requested an amendment that removed his recommended date changes so the bill does not change September 1 to August 1.
SB445 (Dolezal – R): “Georgia Promise Scholarship Act”; provides public schools with a state-wide attendance zone and certain charter schools shall not be included in the separate list of public schools annually reported by the Office of Student Achievement. DO PASS AS AMENDED BY SUBSTITUTE
Georgia Student Finance Commission presented this as a “clean-up” bill. Sets a deadline for accreditation for participating schools; requires virtual schools to have physical presence in the State; extends public school attendance exemption to K-1; etc.
SB 557 (Payne – R): Revises various provisions regarding student discipline and working conditions of teachers and other school personnel. NO ACTION ON THE BILL WAS TAKEN
Allows school teacher victims of violence to transfer without penalty, removes disciplinary data from School Star Climate data, etc. It was suggested that administrators under-report disciplinary data so as to not affect school climate ratings.
SB 554 (Payne – R): Provides a grant program to expand access to childcare and preschool programs. HEARING ONLY
Grant eligibility and programming was discussed.
The Senate Retirement Committee met and considered:
SB209 (Goodman – R) Permits PSERS members to make an irrevocable election to become members of TRS. DO PASS
Local school districts would be required to pay the employer contribution.
FULL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ACTIVITY
HB 1045 (Herring – D) You Are Not Alone Awareness Act; enact (Substitute)(Ed-Herring-145th) PASSED HOUSE
Requires schools that have student IDs to print the 988 crisis hotline number on the badge.
HB1116/HR1114 Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026 were discussed and debated for two-plus hours. Just prior to returning to general session, the Rules Committee approved substitutes for both bills. Constitutional Amendment failed to get 2/3 vote (99-73) 120 required for passage
Chairman Blackmon moved to reconsider the vote on the next legislative day.
FULL SENATE ACTIVITY
SB 471 (Dolezal – R)
Repeals provision which requires a student to wear a face mask or face covering while present on school property PASSED 51-1
SB 497 (Dixon – R)
Requires written notification to a parent when a student receives certain noninstructional services from certain school employees PASSED 34-18
The full House Education Committee scheduled for this afternoon was moved to Thursday at 1 p.m.
Current agenda as presented:
HB 1257 (Rice – R) Revises provisions for incentive grants for local boards of education to approve charter school petitions
HB1062 (Rice – R) Requires the GaDOE to publish relevant and applicable federal guidance documents and related information
HB 1056 (Townsend – R) Replaces the term auto-injectable epinephrine with epinephrine and consolidates provisions relating to epinephrine and schools
HB 669 (Meeks – R) Awards low-wealth capital outlay grants to qualifying local school systems that award certain contracts for roofing improvements to suppliers that meet certain criteria
