Legislators worked late into the evening on Friday, and will be expected to do so this week as well.
The Senate Rules Committee is scheduled to meet Monday. Legislative Day 39 will take place Tuesday, with adjournment expected late into the evening. Due to the anticipated timing, the next legislative update will be shared Wednesday.
Members are also reminded that special election activity is ongoing. Engagement in these elections remains critical to supporting public education across Georgia.
Senate Education and Youth Committee
The Senate Education and Youth Committee held its final meeting of the session this week, where all items on the agenda passed. The agenda included
SR 545 – Senate Paid Student Teaching Study Committee
SR 553 – Senate Study Committee on Funding for Charter School Capital Improvements
SR 952 – Create Rosenwald Schools Study Committee
HB 1259 – Prohibit virtual instruction to out-of-system students if the local school system has a College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCPI) below the state average
HB 419 – Sen. Hatchett, Provide for reports regarding student attendance
HB 629 – Duty-Free Lunch and Planning Periods
Language was added to HB 629, which primarily addresses stop the bleed kits and defibrillator use in schools, to prohibit waivers for duty-free lunch and planning periods.
House Floor Action
Several education-related bills passed the House this week:
SB 150 – Retiree Return to Work
This bill includes compromise language extending the retiree return-to-work program through 2030. It requires the Department of Education and GOSA to identify high-need areas by school system rather than by RESA. Eligible areas include science, special education, mathematics, CTAE, and ELA. Retirees returning in ELA must hold a dyslexia or reading endorsement. The bill maintains the requirement that retirees must have had 30 years of service and be retired for at least one year.
SB 369 – Completion Charter Schools
Revises evaluation criteria for completion charter schools, aligning them more closely with similarly situated local schools.
SB 589 – Virtual Students and School Participation
Allows virtual school students to participate in extracurricular activities at their zoned school. The bill also provides parents with discretion in determining whether five-year-old students enroll in Pre-K or Kindergarten.
Postponed Legislation
SB 446 – Voucher Program
This bill, which would enshrine Georgia’s participation in a federal voucher program into state law, was postponed for the second time.
Senate Floor Action
The Senate passed several House bills before adjourning at 7:35 PM:
HB 451 – Released Time for Instruction
Originally related to hunting safety education, this bill was amended to allow students to participate in character, moral, or religious instruction during the school day. Parents are required to provide transportation if the instruction occurs off school grounds.
HB 1118 – Paid Parental Leave
Provides eligible full-time employees with 120 hours of paid maternal leave following childbirth. When combined with previously passed parental leave, this allows for up to six weeks of paid leave for birth mothers.
HB 1284 – Diplomas for Terminally Ill Students
Allows for the awarding of diplomas to students with terminal illnesses.
HB 1107 – Educator Preparation Programs
Addresses the evaluation of educator preparation programs.
Tabled Legislation
HB 1114 – Financial Literacy Course Requirement
This bill, which would have allowed 9th and 10th grade students to complete the required financial literacy course, was tabled.
Stay Engaged
GAE will continue to monitor developments closely and keep members informed. These final days of session are critical, and we encourage members to remain engaged and prepared to take action on issues impacting Georgia’s public schools.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS MONDAY
IN APRIL 7 SPECIAL ELECTION RUNOFFS
Special election runoffs are scheduled for April 7 including in the following districts. Early, in-person voting begins next Monday but only for four days:
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.
>>> In addition, Gov. Brian Kemp has set May 19 for the special election to fill the Senate seat formerly held by Nabilah Islam Parkes (Senate District 7 - Gwinnett) and May 12 for the special election to fill the House seat formerly held by Rep. Dexter Sharper (House District 177 - Lowndes). Both legislators recently resigned their seats. <<<
