Share this:
|
Fifteenth legislative day - Monday, February 9, 2026
| |
The latest from the state Capitol
SB 74, sponsored by state Sen. Max Burns, R-Sylvania, would expose librarians to prison time for allowing students to access books and materials that could be determined to be "harmful to minors"- the definition of which is highly subjectively" - passed the House Non-Civil Judiciary Committee Friday.
The bill was brought up Thursday in the committee but a vote was not called. Postponed to Friday, the bill passed by one vote.
The bill was amended in the House Committee to only permit criminal charges against librarians if they "fail to comply with their library or school board decisions concerning complaints about books and other materials," an improvement to the bill. “If the librarian follows what the governing board says, then that’s it, the end,” said Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville, a member of the committee.
The bill now moves to the House Rules Committee for a potential vote by the full House this week.
| |
Bill would ELIMINATE waivers for
duty-free lunch and planning time laws
Newly elected state Rep. Akbar Ali, D-Gwinnett (endorsed by GAE during his recent special election) has filed legislation - in consultation with GAE - to prevent school systems from waiving state laws regarding duty-free lunch time for grades K-5 and planning time for teachers in K-12. GAE strongly support this legislation, HB 1244. Two Republicans are co-sponsors of the measure. If enacted, the bill would be effective on July 1, 2026.
Meanwhile, a bi-partisan bill that states that "teachers shall not be required to supervise students during their duty-free lunch period or planning period except in cases of extreme emergency was filed this week, HB 1231, by Rep. John Corbett, R-Lowndes County, the sponsor of the original duty-free lunch bill.
Extreme emergency, under Corbett's bill, is defined as "severe weather conditions, interference caused by electrical or mechanical failure at a school, a disruption caused by an armed attack or threat directed at a school, a disruption of transportation systems resulting in significant changes in the availability of teachers, or the illness or death of one or more teachers. The mere lack of an available substitute teacher shall not constitute an extreme emergency."
| |
Senate extends law to allow retired teachers to
return to the classroom in high-demand subject areas
The state Senate today passed SB 150, 48-1, a bill to extend a program that allows retired teachers - after one year in retirement and with a minimum of 25 years of experience - to qualify for a program to return to the classroom to assume hard-to-fill subject positions.
The bill is sponsored by state Sen. Billy Hickman, R-Statesboro. The difficult-to-fill subjects in the bill are identified to include English language arts, science, social studies, special education, CTAE, and mathematics. The current law was to expire this year but would now be extended to 2034 should it become law. The bill now moves to the House.
| |
House Education Subcommittee passes GAE bill
to provide compensation to student teachers
Two sessions ago, GAE and current House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley worked together to craft a bill to provide student teachers some sort of compensation for their time and efforts and in recognition of the financial hardships some face in their desire to become educators. These students or interns are enrolled in their post-secondary education programs, student teaching in their assigned schools, and many are working another job to make ends meet. [Some post-secondary institutions try to prevent, by contract, their students from holding another job.]
If Georgia wants to address the current shortage of teachers in the state and continue to attract highly qualified educators, this bill is a terrific place to start.
Even students who are education majors are choosing other professions because of the state's low starting salary. Starting salaries for classroom teachers in Georgia have now fallen below those in other Southern states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Georgia's starting teacher salary is just $500 greater than that in Mississippi.
The bill is HB 310, by Rep. Phil Olaleye, D- Cobb and a GAE Honor Roll award winner, with several Republican co-sponsors, cleared the House Education Subcommittee on Curriculum and Academic Achievement this afternoon and moves on to the full House Education Committee. To be implemented, the bill will need to be funded by the state budget.
A committee substitute was offered to include a $2,500 signing bonus and $5,000 in compensation over the period of student teaching for a pilot program for up to 500 student teachers a year. Rep. Jan Jones, Speaker Pro Tempore, R-Milton, was critical and skeptical of the bill.
| |
|  |
GAE Aspiring Educator Solomon Clemens of Morehouse College in Atlanta testified today in support of HB 310 along with Skylar Nunley, who leads the GAE Aspiring Educators program among other things.
| |
| | |
GAE represented at rally for U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff SaturdayThe Tiffany Twins
| |
|  | GAE member Vivian Brooks at the re-election
rally for Jon Ossoff rally Saturday!
| |
| | |
GAE Day at the Capitol on March 5!
| |
HB 333 would require the state minimum
salary schedule for teachers be updated annually
Rep. Tangie Herring, D-Macon, has filed a bill, HB 333, so that the minimum salary schedule would be updated each year by December 1 of each year based on inflation.
| |
Bill calls for comprehensive QBE study
State Rep. Lydia Glaize, D-Fairburn and a member of the GAE Honor Roll, has filed a resolution - HR 1242 - to require a comprehensive study of the Quality Basic Education (QBE) and Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) funding formulas to ensure that they adequately meet the needs of all students.
| |
The next Legislative Alert will be Tuesday, February 10
| |
|
|
|
|
|
100 Crescent Center Pkwy, Suite 500 | Tucker, GA 30084 US
|
|
