GSSA Capitol Report – Day 40 – SINE DIE

GSSA Capitol Report

Thursday, April 2 – – Legislative Day 40, Sine Die

Both Chambers approved the Conference Committee Report of the FY27 Budget (HB974) which adds $70.4 Million to add literacy coaches to the QBE formula.

The House met and considered the following:

HB445 (Martin – R) Revises the language required to be included in the notices of current assessment and adding a hearing officer review for tax assessment of certain business personal property. AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (171-1)

SB556 (Payne – R) Creates dual credit courses and academic eligibility requirements to receive the HOPE scholarship by providing for the inclusion of advanced placement (AP) and international baccalaureate (IB) fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages for determining student eligibility for the HOPE scholarships and other scholarships. – PASSED (167-2) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

SB513 (Dickerson – R)  “Every Day Counts Act:”   Creates a multi-tier framework for addressing chronic student absenteeism with mandatory attendance intervention plans and consequences. Prohibits chronically absent students from participating in extracurricular activities and potentially obtaining driver’s licenses until compliance with attendance plans. Excludes students of completion special schools.  – FAILED (80-90)

HB1116 (Blackmon – R) Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026; enact (Substitute) – AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (102-73) *Failed in Senate; see below and see SB33

HB1396 (Efstration -R) – State government; require certain privately funded organizations that operate a shelter or provide outreach services to homeless individuals participate in the Georgia Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) (Substitute) – AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE (93-75)

*THIS BILL WAS NOT HEARD IN THE SENATE AND FAILED TO PASS

This bill was stripped of its contents and became an omnibus education bill which contained the following:

• HB971 (Townsend – R) Permits home study students and private school students to enroll in college and career academies located in certain RESA service areas and adjacent local school system
• HB1023 (Efstration – R) Requires all public-school districts to install weapon detection systems at main entry points of school buildings where students are present.
• HB1114 (Yearta – R) Allows for students in ninth and tenth grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement and provides for digital literacy requirements and standards grades K-8
• HB1269 (Wade – R) Provides for content standards for digital literacy
• SB425 (Harbin – R)   Requires all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade. The bill now also includes language from HB629 requiring “bleeding control kits” (AKA “Stop the Bleed” kits) to be stored with AEDs in schools as part of emergency action plans and SB557 establishing mandatory policies allowing teachers to transfer to similar positions after experiencing physical violence from students or parents.
• SB498 (Dixon – R) Establishes the Georgia Charter School Facilities Authority to provide loans and financial assistance to charter schools for constructing and renovating educational facilities. Authorizes the state to issue general obligation bonds to finance charter school facilities and establishes loan limits and terms for qualified charter school organizations.

HB651 (Powell – R) requires a local referendum by to deploy speed cameras in school zones if approved would require renewal in six years. It allows existing contracts to continue until expiration.  Camera operation is restricted to one hour before school and one hour after school. Caps on fees and surcharges to be implemented.  – AGREED TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE (156-14) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

SB33 (Kirkpatrick – R) “Georgia Hemp Farming Act”; total THC concentration of consumable hemp products; provide limits (Substitute) – AGREED TO SENATE AMENDMENT TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE (97-72) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

This bill was completely stripped of its contents by the Senate and contains the property tax provisions described briefly below in Senate action section.

HB1409 (Camp – R) Allows for secure, web-based mandated reporting of child abuse (Substitute) – AGREED TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE (155-12) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

The Senate met and considered the following:

SB431 (Kirkpatrick – R) )  Requires enrollment of foster care students no later than three school days of a request for enrollment by such student’s parent or legal custodian. School districts are prohibited from enrolling in virtual instruction while waiting for records.AGREED TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE (51-0) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

HB1114 (Yearta – R) Allows for students in ninth and tenth grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement and provides for digital literacy requirements and standards grades K-8 PASSED AS AMENDED (46-4) DID NOT RECEIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE

HB1409 (Camp – R) Allows for secure, web-based mandated reporting of child abuse (Substitute) – PASSED AS AMENDED (52-0)

HB52 (Rice – R) Extends homestead property exemptions for disabled veterans to include future homestead property owned by unremarried surviving spouses or minor children. PASSED BY SUBSTITUTE (50-0) DID NOT RECEIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE

HB445 (Martin – R) Revises the language required to be included in the notices of current assessment and adding a hearing officer review for tax assessment of certain business personal property. AGREED TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE (52-0) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

HB463 (Blackmon – R) Provides for a state-wide homestead exemption from ad valorem taxes for certain senior citizens who volunteer with local governments in an amount to be determined by such local governments and was amended to contain state income tax reduction verbiage from SB477. AGREED TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE (33-20) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

Reduces the state income tax to 4.99% for 2026 and by .125% annually beginning in 2027 until the rate reaches 3.99% if certain conditions are met.

HB328 (Carpenter – R) Increases in the aggregate limit for contributions to student scholarship organizations from $120M to $150M. The bill also now includes language from HB1220 which would waive public school attendance requirements for military students and students with disabilities to obtain a scholarship. The bill also now contains Peach Tax Credit provisions and increases the cap from $15 to $25 Million.  Finally, the bill now contains language from HB1259 which prohibits virtual instruction to out-of-system students if the local school system has a College and Career Ready Performance Index below a specified average and excludes out of district students from equalization calculations. AGREED TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE (30-22) TO GOVERNOR FOR SIGNATURE

HB1116 (Blackmon – R) Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026:contains language that mandates the floating homestead exemption, allows exemptions into the local digest for schools funding formulas (local fair share calculations), caps increases at 3% or CPI whichever is greater with exceptions for growth and emergencies, and requires a referendum to exceed those caps. The bill allows for school districts to increase reserve funding from 15 to 25%. The bill adds the ability for cities/counties to utilize an LHOST for property tax relief purposes.  AGREED TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE – FAILED (28-24) *See SB33

SB33 (Kirkpatrick – R) “Georgia Hemp Farming Act”; total THC concentration of consumable hemp products; provide limits (Substitute) – – AGREED TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED (32-21)

This bill was stripped of its contents and amended to add language similar to that of SB382 which opts school districts back into the provision of HB581 (3% or CPI cap on assessments). The bill does allows exemptions into the local digest for schools funding formulas (local fair share calculations). Final version of the bill has yet to be posted and will continue to be analyzed. It increases the reserve cap from 15% to 25%.

HB295 (Gaines – R) Creates procedures for real property owners to make claims for compensation for loss of property value or expenses incurred – AGREED TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE AMENDMENT (34-19) BILL WAS NOT RECONSIDERED BY SENATE

Contains an amendment which waives sovereign and governmental immunities for local governments and their officials and employees for a violation of the prohibition on immigration sanctuary policies

Bills that failed to receive final passage:

SB475 (Kemp – D) requires local boards of education to treat local charter schools no less favorably than other local school regarding expenditure of the proceeds of a special purpose local option sales tax and provisions that require 10% rather than 25% of registered voters to petition to consolidate independent and county school districts

SB513 (Dickerson – R)  “Every Day Counts Act:”   Creates a multi-tier framework for addressing chronic student absenteeism with mandatory attendance intervention plans and consequences. Prohibits chronically absent students from participating in extracurricular activities and potentially obtaining driver’s licenses until compliance with attendance plans. Excludes students of completion special schools.  –

HB1116 (Blackmon – R) Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026:contains language that mandates the floating homestead exemption, allows exemptions into the local digest for schools funding formulas (local fair share calculations), caps increases at 3% or CPI whichever is greater with exceptions for growth and emergencies, and requires a referendum to exceed those caps. The bill allows for school districts to increase reserve funding from 15 to 25%. The bill adds the ability for cities/counties to utilize an LHOST for property tax relief purposes. 

SB382 (Hufstetler – R) Mandates that all local governments in Georgia provide the state-wide base year homestead exemption to property owners. Removes certain requirements for special district sales tax referendums and revises property tax relief calculations.

HB971 (Townsend – R) Permits home study students and private school students to enroll in college and career academies located in certain RESA service areas and adjacent local school system

HB1023 (Efstration – R) Requires all public-school districts to install weapon detection systems at main entry points of school buildings where students are present.

HB1114 (Yearta – R) Allows for students in ninth and tenth grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement and provides for digital literacy requirements and standards grades K-8

HB1269 (Wade – R) Provides for content standards for digital literacy

SB425 (Harbin – R)   Requires all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade. The bill now also includes language from HB629 requiring “bleeding control kits” (AKA “Stop the Bleed” kits) to be stored with AEDs in schools as part of emergency action plans and SB557 establishing mandatory policies allowing teachers to transfer to similar positions after experiencing physical violence from students or parents.

SB498 (Dixon – R) Establishes the Georgia Charter School Facilities Authority to provide loans and financial assistance to charter schools for constructing and renovating educational facilities. Authorizes the state to issue general obligation bonds to finance charter school facilities and establishes loan limits and terms for qualified charter school organizations.

HB970 (Townsend – R) Expands in which healthcare professionals may conduct student athlete physical examinations to include nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Requires cardiovascular prescreening as part of these examinations beginning in the 2026-27 school year.

HB634 (Barrett – R) Amends the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act to revise scholarship calculation methods and payment procedures for students with disabilities.

HB419 (Hawkins – R) Provides for reports regarding student attendance; improved reporting for the special needs scholarship, Promise scholarship, chronic absenteeism

HB310 (Olaleye – D) Student Teacher Promotion Act establishes a grant program that would provide payments up to $7,500 to Pell grant-eligible student teachers completing their required student teaching component in Georgia public schools

HB52 (Rice – R) Extends homestead property exemptions for disabled veterans to include future homestead property owned by unremarried surviving spouses or minor children.

HB295 (Gaines – R) Creates procedures for real property owners to make claims for compensation for loss of property value or expenses incurred; waives sovereign and governmental immunities for local governments and their officials and employees for a violation of the prohibition on immigration sanctuary policies

SB10 (Goodman – R) Allows local and state charter school petitioners to lease, utilize or buy facilities which have not been used by LEAs for the previous two school years and give the right of first offer and/or refusal to charter schools

HB1396 (Efstration -R) – State government; require certain privately funded organizations that operate a shelter or provide outreach services to homeless individuals participate in the Georgia Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) (Substitute)

This bill was stripped of its contents and became an omnibus education bill which contained the following:

• HB971 (Townsend – R) Permits home study students and private school students to enroll in college and career academies located in certain RESA service areas and adjacent local school system
• HB1023 (Efstration – R) Requires all public-school districts to install weapon detection systems at main entry points of school buildings where students are present.
• HB1114 (Yearta – R) Allows for students in ninth and tenth grade to complete the high school graduation financial literacy course requirement and provides for digital literacy requirements and standards grades K-8
• HB1269 (Wade – R) Provides for content standards for digital literacy
• SB425 (Harbin – R)   Requires all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade. The bill now also includes language from HB629 requiring “bleeding control kits” (AKA “Stop the Bleed” kits) to be stored with AEDs in schools as part of emergency action plans and SB557 establishing mandatory policies allowing teachers to transfer to similar positions after experiencing physical violence from students or parents.
• SB498 (Dixon – R) Establishes the Georgia Charter School Facilities Authority to provide loans and financial assistance to charter schools for constructing and renovating educational facilities. Authorizes the state to issue general obligation bonds to finance charter school facilities and establishes loan limits and terms for qualified charter school organizations.