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Friday, May 23, 2025 - Governor Signs Ed Bills
The Georgia General Assembly adjourned on Friday, April 4.
From the time bills were officially transmitted to the governor, he had 40 days to sign or veto legislation. That 40-day period has ended. Below are education bills that he signed into law.
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ED BILLS THAT PASSED GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AND WERE SIGNED IN LAW BY THE GOVERNOR
HB 37 will require local school systems to notify employees of all Social Security withholdings and eligibility for other retirement benefits, at the time of employment, every five years, and at the time of employment separation. An amendment was added during the session to allow local school board members to elect family medical coverage under the State Health Benefit Plan. Premiums for the coverage would be fully paid by the board member. The language permits but does not require districts offer family coverage for board members. Signed May 13.
A last-minute compromise between the House and Senate produced a final budget (HB 68) for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The final version increased funding for the new private school voucher law by $100 million over the House version and eliminated the $28 million for a QBE (Quality Basic Education) "poverty weight" that the House proposed. The final budget also increased sparsity grants by about $6 million, provided about $20 million for student mental health support, and $18 million to fund literacy coaches. The budget also deleted $7.5 million that had been earmarked for teachers to purchase school supplies, pursuant to SB 464, which passed in 2024. Signed May 9.
HB 81 will allow Georgia join the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists to facilitate the interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings and to increase the availability of qualified, licensed school psychologists. Signed April 28.
HB 105, which will double the permanent disability and death benefits to a public school teacher or school employee injured or killed on the job from $75,000 to $150,000. Signed May 8.
HB 235 will require districts to provide employees leaves of absence for the donation of bone marrow and organs. Signed April 28.
HB 268, a 57-page school safety bill, will provide for reimbursement grants to local school systems that hire "qualified student advocacy specialists" and to provide for suicide awareness and prevention programs. The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, will establish the essential duties and minimum qualifications for qualified specialists hired by local school systems. The bill includes language from SB 17 that creates a panic alert system and means to improve communications between schools and first responders in the event of an emergency and requires schools to provide school mapping data to local, state, and federal safety agencies. Language that would have created a state database on students with disciplinary history was struck though more limited student data transfers may occur. Signed April 28.
HB 340, will require schools to have policies prohibiting the use of cell phones by students, K-8, was signed on May 9. The bill is effective July 1, 2026.
SB 1 limits a student's participation to school sports team that align with their sex identified at birth. The bill also applies to the use of locker rooms and restrooms. SB 1 also contemplates loss of state funding for school districts that fail to comply and private rights of action against schools. The governor signed the bill on April 28. The bill is effective on July 1, 2025.
SB 63 requires each local school system that offers the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, PreACT, or ACT or an advanced placement exam must make such tests available to home-schooled students living in the district. Signed May 14 and is effective July 1.
SB 82, "The Local Charter School Authorization and Support Act of 2025," is designed to grow the number of locally approved chartered schools by "incentivizing" local school boards to approve more local charter school petitions. School systems that approve new charter schools are to receive "an incentive grant" of up to $750,000. The House presenter said that districts that fail to grant more local charters will "be held accountable." Signed April 28 and is now in effect.
SB 93 will limit the use of MSV reading techniques to "non-verbal" students whose parents have given their permission to teach their children using MSV to decode words and comprehend text as part of a student's IEP plan. The bill also requires the Professional Standards Commission (PSC) to adopt rules to establish criteria for core curriculum for educator preparation programs. HB 307, which also passed, contains similar language but also would provide additional resources to support reading programs for dyslexic students. Signed April 30 and effective July 1, 2025.
SB 123 concerns school absenteeism. Among other things, the new law would add to Georgia law the following sentence: "No student shall be expelled from a public school in this state due solely to such student's absences from school." The bill establishes new reporting requirements and supports to address absenteeism. Signed April 28.
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GAE's annual Leadership Development Academy (LDA) - Register today
The annual GAE Leadership Development Academy (LDA) is right around corner. Breakout sessions include how local associations can effectively lobby their local school board. Sign up today.
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House Speaker names members of study committee on student attendance
House Speaker Jon Burns named members to the House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education. This study committee will provide a comprehensive review of student attendance in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 to examine the root causes of chronic absenteeism, evaluate best practices for improving student attendance and engagement, and recommend legislative and policy initiatives to improve student attendance and engagement. The study committee was formed by the passage of HR 711.
Members of the study committee include Reps. Donatucci, Glaize, Dubnik, Erwin, Townsend, and Wade.
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Judge halts Trump plan to eliminate
the U.S. Department of Education
A federal judge yesterday put a stop to President Trump's Executive Order to shut down the U.S. Department of Education and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs. In March of this year, Trump cut half of the staff at the department.
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Rep. Blackmon named to lead study committee on reducing mandates for public school administration
House Speaker Jon Burns has named Shaw Blackmon, R-Houston County, to chair the House Study Committee on Reducing and Prioritizing Mandates for Public School Administration. Created by HR 887, this study committee will conduct a review of existing mandates relating to public school administration to evaluate best practices for reducing and prioritizing mandates for public school administrators and recommend legislative and policy initiatives to that end.
Others named to the study committee include: Reps. Ballard, Dawson, Erwin, Horner, and Persinger.
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