Though the House and Senate were in recess Tuesday, there was plenty of education news from the Gold Dome.
Read Bowl Winners from Waynesboro, Kingsland, Albany, and Chattahoochee Announced
PAGE joined Malcolm Mitchell and a number of legislators in celebrating growing readers and awarding Read Bowl trophies to students from:
Waynesboro Elementary in Waynesboro
Ranier Elementary in Kingsland
Albany Middle School in Albany
Chattahoochee High School in Cusseta
Congrats to these growing readers as well as Georgia Reads Community Award Winners!
Tuition Tax Credit Voucher Cap Increase Heard in House Ways and Means – PAGE Testifies in Opposition
The House Ways and Means Income Tax Subcommittee heard HB 328 by Rep. Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton), which increases the cap for the student scholarship organization tuition tax credit voucher program from $120 to $140 million. The bill initially raised the cap to $200 million, but a substitute version of the bill limited the raise to $140 million. The substitute also clarifies that tax credits cannot be carried forward year-to-year and makes some revisions to how insurance companies can contribute to SSOs. PAGE Legislative Services Specialist Josh Stephens testified in opposition to the bill, citing PAGE’s longstanding opposition to sending public tax dollars to private schools. Stephens also requested the legislature reconsider any additional voucher program expansions since SB 233, the Georgia Promise Scholarship voucher program, is not slated to begin until this summer. PAGE appreciates the compromise version of the bill to limit the cap increase to $140 million but remains opposed to any voucher increases.
As this was the bill's first hearing, the subcommittee did not take a vote.
Senate Ed Passes Bills to Expand Voucher Program and Remove Protections for Librarians
The Senate Education and Youth Committee passed two bills, both of which PAGE opposes.
The first bill, SB 152 by Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming), would modify the “Georgia Promise Scholarship” voucher program created by SB 233 (2024) so that the adopted and biological children of foster parents would be eligible for a voucher regardless of their attendance zone. These children would also move up on the priority list for the voucher. The bill does not apply to foster children themselves.
PAGE Legislative Communications Specialist Robert Aycock testified on the bill, stating that PAGE believes the new voucher program should not be modified before fully going into effect. He also asked the committee to consider adding additional reporting requirements or a tuition increase cap for participating private schools.
Sen. RaShaun Kemp (D-Atlanta) attempted to expand the bill to include foster children, but this change was not accepted due to the lack of a fiscal note.
The second bill, SB 74, by Sen. Max Burns (R-Sylvania), would subject librarians to criminal prosecution for distributing harmful materials to minors. The bill provides an affirmative defense to librarians who make a good-faith effort to identify all physical and electronic materials deemed harmful to minors and remove them from their access. The committee amended it to extend this affirmative defense to everyone employed in a public library. The amendment language was not available at the time of publication. Though PAGE, and many advocates opposed to the bill, signed up to provide testimony, no public comments were allowed.
Both bills passed the committee and now await consideration by the Senate Rules Committee.
Senate Return-to-Work Bill Moves Forward
The Senate Retirement Committee passed SB 150 by Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro), which extends the sunset date on Georgia’s return-to-work program, which is set to expire in 2026 unless legislators act. The program allows retired educators with at least 30 years of service to return to work full time while drawing TRS benefits. Educators can only return to work after a 12-month waiting period, and must teach in a high-needs subject area as determined by their local RESA. TRS reports that 428 retired educators are currently serving students through this program, and that the most commonly utilized high-needs areas are special education, math, and science.
SB 150 seeks to reauthorize return-to-work until 2034, drops the required years of service to 25 and the waiting period to 60 days, and would allow educators to return in any area other than athletics or coaching.
TRS Executive Director Buster Evans shared more information about return-to-work utilization, and PAGE testified in support before the committee unanimously voted to send the bill for required actuarial study.
Senate Public Safety Subcommittee Hears from Local Governments on School Zone Speed Cameras
A Senate Public Safety subcommittee, chaired by Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula), met for an in-depth discussion with city officials, law enforcement, and camera vendors regarding school zone speed cameras. What has become a hot media topic has generated spirited discussion in both the House and Senate for several years. The Senate and House have differing approaches to regulating the devices, with SB 75 by Sen. Max Burns (R-Sylvania), which regulates the cameras, and HB 225 by Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon), which would repeal all laws allowing speed cameras in school zones.
City of Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett and Police Chief Scott Richardson, Conyers Police Chief Scott Freeman, and Hamilton Police Chief Eric Weiss were each invited to share statistics and logistical information about their school zone speed camera programs. Representatives from Blueline Solutions and RedSpeed, speed camera vendors contracted by many cities and counties throughout the state, also shared technical details about how their cameras work.
Since there are two competing bills to regulate the cameras, a compromise will likely be negotiated between the chambers. A recording of the hearing is available below.
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 26 - Legislative Day 23
House Ed. Curriculum Subcommittee, 8 a.m., 515 CLOB
House Ed. Policy Subcommittee, 9 a.m., 515 CLOB
Senate Public Safety, 1 p.m., 450 CAP
Thursday, Feb. 27 - Legislative Day 24
Senate Ed & Youth, 1 p.m., 450 CAP
Friday, Feb. 28 - Legislative Day 25