Today and tomorrow at the state Capitol

The House and Senate have completed their work for the day. Among the highlights today:

The Senate Rules Committee has placed SB 1 on the calendar for tomorrow for a vote by the full state Senate. The bill would require transgender girls and women to compete only on sports teams according to the gender on their birth certificate, except for teams identified as co-ed. "Males shall not be allowed to participate in any interscholastic competition on any team that is designated as female."

It also requires separate facilities, such as locker rooms. 'Sex' is defined as a student's biological sex based exclusively on the student's reproductive biology and genetics at birth.

The bill applies to public schools, apparently from elementary school through college. Private schools are affected only to the extent they compete against a public school or schools. The bill includes state sanctions for schools that violate the proposed bill and permits individual lawsuits against them.

The House Rules Committee today placed HB 67, the $40.5 million mid-year, supplemental budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, on its agenda for tomorrow. The bill could be before the full House tomorrow.

Freshman state Sen. RaShaun Kemp has filed legislation to prohibit the use of the three-cueing system, SB 93. In a news release, Sen. Kemp defines "three-cueing" as a method that relies on meaning, structure, and syntax, and visual cues to help students identify words. Kemp states that eleven states have banned the method. GAE strongly opposes the bill.

The Senate Education Committee meets tomorrow at 1 p.m. to consider SB 4, a bill that proposes to create a new and revised model code of ethics and related training for local boards of education.

The House Education Committee's Curriculum Subcommittee also meets at 1 p.m. Three bills are on the agenda:

HB 105: Would double the disability or death benefits to a public school teacher or employee injured on the job from $75,000 to $150,000.

HB 192: "The Top State for Talent Act," would update the High-demand Career List published by the State Workforce Development Board with respect to the State Board of Education's minimum course of study in career education for students in grades six through 12.

HB 81: "The Interstate Compact for School Psychologists," if enacted, would to "facilitate the interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings, and in so doing to improve the availability of school psychological services." The Compact is intended to establish a pathway to allow school psychologists to obtain equivalent licenses to provide school psychological services."

Immediately following, the House Education Committee's Subcommittee on Education Policy will assemble to hear another three bills:

HB 12: Pertains to lowering the millage threshold for a school system to receive equalization grants. SB 44 is a similar bill in the Senate.

HB 37: Would require local school systems to notify employees regarding Social Security withholdings and eligibility for certain other retirement benefits. GAE strongly supports this bill.

HB 118: Would require child care learning centers and family child care learning homes have on site at least one portable airway clearance device and that each employee of such center or home who cares for or supervises children at such center or home is certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Newly introduced legislation

HB 235 requires school systems to provide leaves of absence to their employees for the donation of bone marrow and organs.

HB 245 has been introduced by Rep. Phil Olaleye, which creates a new Quality Basic Education (QBE) Act funding weight for students living in poverty of 1.75. Two of the six sponsors are Republicans, Rep. Tyler Paul Smith and Rep. Gerald Greene.

HB 267: Yesterday Speaker Jon Burns and House Republicans held a news conference "to unveil his legislative initiative for protecting girls’ sports." The proposal now has a bill number, HB 267. The 22-page bill is similar in much of its language to SB 1, which will be voted on tomorrow by the state Senate.

HB 268 pertains to the juvenile justice system and the transfer of student records, among other things.

HB 269 would require child care learning centers and family child care learning homes to maintain a commercial general liability insurance policy or policies affording coverage for bodily injury and property damage in an amount not less than $500,000.00 for a single occurrence and $1 million in the aggregate.

A new Georgia state Senate bill, SB 71, filed on Monday would exempt NIL compensation received by college athletes from the state income tax, many of whom earn millions and millions of dollars in product endorsements. Introduced by Sens. Brandon Beach, Greg Dolezal, Ben Watson, Carden Summers, and Frank Ginn, the bill's sponsors say the bill would create a distinct recruiting advantage for Georgia universities.

What is going on in Washington, D.C.?!?

President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing an executive order that would direct his Secretary of Education to "start winding down the agency," while urging Congress to pass a law eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. Meanwhile, a number of employees at the U.S. Education Department were put on paid administrative leave in response to Trump's order banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government.

The "Educational Choice for Children Act" (HR 817 in the U.S. House and S. 292) has been introduced, a federal tuition tax credit voucher legislation designed to fuel the growth of taxpayer funding for private schools.

The White House has also announced action to expand vouchers nationally through Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and to direct his Secretary of Education to to find ways to cut federal funding to schools that teach certain topics related to race, sex, and gender.

A "freeze" on federal grants for 90 days, issued by Executive Order by President Trump, to halt funding for critical education grants including school meal programs, student loans, Head Start, and Title I has apparently has been rescinded and placed on hold by the courts.

Another Trump Executive Order, to officially recognize only male and female sexes and to attempt to end federal support for providers of gender transition care for people under the age of 19, is being challenged in the courts. The Order has led to many hospitals suspending gender-affirming services. Today, Trump signed another Order to prevent transgender students from participating in "women’s sports." The order directs agencies to pull federal funding from schools that do not comply.

The Social Security Administration has updated its FAQ on the implementation of the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Profits (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that President Joe Biden signed into law in January. The FAQ notes: "We cannot yet provide an estimated time frame for when we will adjust a person's past or future benefits, but we will continue to provide updates on this webpage." Interested members may sign up for email updates with SSA here.

Today and tomorrow at the state Capitol

Newly introduced legislation

What is going on in Washington, D.C.?!?

Next Legislation Contact Team (LCT) meeting is Feb. 13

Next Legislative Update: Thursday, February 6