SB85: SB85 Grants for Foster Children; a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility requirements, subject to specific appropriations; establish

Georgia currently has a tuition waiver program for foster and adopted youth, but this bill adds a new, separate grant program called the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship. It would be run by the Georgia Student Finance Authority and could pay eligible students' tuition, room, board, meal plans, and books, minus any other grants or scholarships they already receive, up to $30,000 per year. To qualify, a student must be under 26, enrolled or accepted at an eligible college, and connected to the foster care system in specific ways, such as currently in state custody, in an independent living program, or a former foster child who spent at least six months in custody after turning 14. The Authority could contract with a nonprofit 'grant coordinating organization' to run the program, and colleges could be examined for compliance and suspended from the program if they fail to refund misused money. Making false statements to get a grant would be a misdemeanor. The whole program only takes effect once the General Assembly specifically appropriates money for it.

• Creates a new Part 2 in Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Title 20, Chapter 3, Article 12) called the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act, separate from the existing foster tuition waiver program.
• Defines who counts as an eligible student, covering current foster youth, certain adopted youth, aging foster children, and former foster youth who spent at least six months in custody after age 14.
• Caps each grant at the student's cost of tuition, room, board, meals, and books minus other aid, with a yearly maximum of $30,000.
• Limits eligibility to undergraduate study and cuts it off after a bachelor's degree, 127 semester hours attempted, or ten years of receiving the scholarship.
• Lets the Georgia Student Finance Authority contract with a nonprofit coordinating organization to run the program and requires all appropriated funds to go toward student grants.
• Makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly submit false information to help an ineligible student get a grant, and allows colleges to be suspended from the program for failing to refund misused money.

Former and current foster youth under 26 who are in or aging out of Georgia's foster care system, adopted youth placed after age 14, colleges and universities that enroll them, the Georgia Student Finance Authority, and any nonprofit organization the Authority contracts with to run the program.

If funded, eligible former foster youth could receive up to $30,000 a year toward college costs, potentially making postsecondary education more affordable for a group that often lacks family financial support. Colleges would face new compliance checks, and misuse of the program would carry a criminal penalty.

• Section 1 adds new Code Sections 20-3-670 through 20-3-676, creating the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act as Part 2 of the existing foster/adopted student grant law.
• Section 20-3-671 defines 'eligible student' broadly to include current foster youth, those in independent living programs, certain adopted youth, and former foster youth who spent six months in custody after age 14.
• Section 20-3-672 directs the Georgia Student Finance Authority to run the program and allows it to contract with a grant coordinating organization, requiring 100 percent of funds to go to student grants.
• Section 20-3-673 sets the per-semester and per-year ($30,000) grant caps and lists conditions for continued eligibility, including academic progress and enrollment status.
• Section 20-3-674 authorizes examinations of colleges for proper certification of student eligibility and lets the Authority suspend institutions that fail to refund improperly paid grants.
• Section 20-3-675 makes it a misdemeanor to knowingly submit false statements to help an ineligible student obtain a grant.
• Section 2 makes the entire Act contingent on the General Assembly passing a specific appropriation for the program before it takes effect.

1. 2025-05-12Act 120
2. 2025-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
3. 2025-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-04Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
5. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
6. 2025-03-27House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
8. 2025-03-06House Second Readers (House)

• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)Primary sponsor
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 0 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #126

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   166 yea, 2 nay (5 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #320

3. PassedSenate voteApril 4, 2025

   53 yea, 1 nay (0 not voting, 2 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #452

• foster care
• college financial aid
• education funding
• child welfare
• Georgia Student Finance Authority