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Thirty-sixth legislative day - Monday, March 23, 2026
Adjournment is next week.
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Senate Passes 3 Education Bills
The Senate today passed three bills affecting public education today.
HB 1009 effectively bans high school students from the use of their cell phones during the school day. The bill passed 52-0. A floor amendment by Sen. RaShaun Kemp, D-Atlanta, to give students access to their phones between classes failed. The bill will be sent to the governor for approval or veto.
"The Math Matters Act," HB 1030, would require that middle and high school students have access to advanced math classes and that students in the 4th and 5th grades receive an hour daily or 300 minutes weekly core math instruction. The bill passed 51-0. The bill returns to the House for concurrence.
HB 1164, to improve transparency and fiscal soundness of school systems, would require the State Board of Education to appoint an audit committee and would revise provisions for financial audits of local school systems. The bill passed 49-2.
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The Senate also approved HB 154, to move Georgia from the Eastern Time Zone to the Atlantic Time Zone, which would mean the state would observe year-round Daylight Saving Time and not adjust clocks twice a year. The bill passed 45-5. The move would have to be approved by the federal government.
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House Education Committee passes 7 bills today
SB 589 which would revise the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade.
Specifically the bill states: "Each child who attains the age of either four or five by September 1 shall be eligible for enrollment in a voluntary pre-kindergarten program provided and operated as part of Georgia's Pre-K Program, and each such child shall be enrolled in such program at the request of his or her parent or guardian; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not be construed or applied to require or permit a child to be enrolled in such a program for more than one year; and, provided, further that children ages four and five shall be treated on the same basis relative to selection for available seats in such programs."
The bill passed the committee, with an amendment requiring that student identification badges include the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline information, language originally found in Rep. Tangie Herring's bill, HB 1045.
SB 472 provides for the suspension of local school board members for financial mismanagement or misconduct as determined by a state audit. The bill was triggered by financial crisis in the Dublin City Schools, where the system owed $7 million in unpaid state health benefits premiums, and the system was predicted to have a budget deficit of $15 million this year. The bill passed the committee and will now go to the House Rules Committee.
SB 515 makes changes to the the teacher recruitment and retention tax credit program. The bill would extend but lower a tax credit for up to 1,200 "recently hired" teachers in no more than 100 schools statewide, prioritizing "turnaround eligible" schools or "public schools on the separate list of public schools that performed in the lowest 25 percent of all public schools."
Only educators in these schools and those teaching in mathematics, special education, career, technical, and agricultural education or reading, writing, or English language arts are eligible for the tax credit. Educators in reading, writing, or English language arts must also hold a current dyslexia or reading endorsement approved by the Professional Standards Commission. The bill passed.
SB 425 would require that 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 applies to private schools as well which raised concern by Rep. Scott Hilton. Language was added to the bill requiring "stop the bleed" kits in school and allows educators who have been assaulted by students to transfer to another school if they choose without penalty or prejudice (see SB 557). The bill passed committee.
SB 431 would require the enrollment of foster care students within two school days of a request for enrollment by such student's parent or legal custodian. The bill passed.
SB 513 addresses chronic student absenteeism allowing for the suspension of students from extracurricular activities who are absent without excuse for more than five days in the first 50 days of the school year or, after 50 days, for more than 10% of school days. Drivers permits may be suspended for excessive absences. The state Department of Education shall provide schools with model guidance. An amendment was offered in committee to exempt students in completition schools from the possibly of a drivers license suspension since transportation is not furnished to them. The amendment, by Rep. Lydia Glaize, D-Fairburn, was adopted. SB 513 won the committee's approval.
SB 475 would require that local boards of education treat local charter schools "no less favorably than other local schools" for E-SPLOST funding. The bill also revises provisions for the dissolution of independent school districts that propose to consolidate with county school districts.
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Senate Public Safety Committee
considers bill to require "weapons
detection systems" in schools
HB 1023 is legislation that would require "weapon detection system" in schools, meaning a security technology or integrated set of devices designed to detect, through electronic, visual, or analytical means the presence of weapons, including, but not limited to, firearms and hazardous objects.
"A weapon detection system shall, at a minimum, be utilized at all main points of entry to such permanent buildings ... except any point of entry to or exit from such permanent buildings that remains locked, is equipped with an alarm, and is not intended for student use or is intended for student use only on an emergency basis." Such systems must be employed by January 1, 2028. With some tinkering, the bill passed unanimously.
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House Committee moves resolution forward that calls
for the dissolution of the U.S. Department of Education
The House Special Rules Committee passed a House Resolution, HR 1789, "expressing support for dissolving the United States Department of Education and restoring educational authority to the states."
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| Sen. Freddie Powell Sims resigns her seat today
State Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, a long-time public educator, former middle school principal, and champion of public schools in the legislature, today resigned her seat. The Albany Herald newspaper reports that her husband is very ill. Her district includes Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell and Webster counties.
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EARLY VOTING IN APRIL 7 SPECIAL
ELECTION RUNOFFS BEGINS MARCH 30
Special election runoffs are scheduled for April 7 including the following districts. Early, in-person voting begins next Monday:
SENATE DISTRICT 53 (Chattooga, Dade, Walker, and portions of Catoosa and Floyd counties). Republican Lanny Thomas and Democrat Jack Zibluk are the candidates. Thomas is a former teacher and head basketball coach at Trion High School in Chattooga County and mayor of Trion. Zibluk is a college professor.
HOUSE DISTRICT 94 (DeKalb and Gwinnett counties). GAE has endorsed Venola Mason, a former educator.
HOUSE DISTRICT 130 (Richmond County). Democrat former State Rep. Sheila Nelson and Republican Thomas McAdams are the two candidates in the runoff special election runoff.
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 14: (Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties as well as portions of Cobb County). Clay Fuller, a lawyer who has been endorsed by President Donald Trump, and former Brigadier General and former public school educator Shawn Harris are the two candidates in the special election runoff. GAE has endorsed Gen. Harris. Volunteer opportunities are abundant.
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The next Legislative Alert will be Wednesday, March 25
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