SB124: SB124 Education; State School Superintendent and the Department of Education to take all steps reasonably necessary to implement guidance documents from a federal agency; require

This bill adds a new section to Georgia's education code directing the State School Superintendent and the Department of Education to take all steps reasonably necessary to carry out guidance documents issued by federal agencies, especially ones about expanding educational options for families. It defines what counts as a federal 'guidance document' very broadly, covering everything from formal memos to press releases, but excludes rules adopted through the federal government's formal notice-and-comment process. The Department would have to publish qualifying guidance documents on a dedicated, searchable webpage within 15 days, post a written response within 45 days explaining how it will implement or object to the guidance, track any guidance that gets rescinded, and report all of this to the General Assembly every year. The bill separately amends Georgia's promise scholarship (voucher) program so that children of active duty military members stationed in Georgia automatically qualify for a scholarship account, no matter their neighborhood school zone. If funding is limited, new qualifiers under this provision are excluded in low-funding years and prioritized over higher-income families when funding is abundant. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Requires the State School Superintendent and Department of Education to take all steps reasonably necessary to implement guidance documents issued by federal agencies.
• Defines 'guidance document' broadly to include memos, bulletins, press releases, and digital or audio materials, but not formally adopted federal rules.
• Requires the Department of Education to publish relevant federal guidance on a dedicated, searchable webpage within 15 days and post a written implementation response within 45 days.
• Requires tracking and public listing of any guidance documents that are later rescinded, plus an annual report to the General Assembly.
• Allows the State Board of Education to adopt rules to carry out these requirements.
• Makes children of active duty military members stationed in Georgia automatically eligible for promise scholarship accounts (the state's school voucher program) regardless of their assigned school zone, subject to funding limits and prioritization rules.

The State School Superintendent, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education, which take on new implementation and reporting duties; Georgia families overall, whose access to educational options may shift based on federal guidance; and military families stationed in Georgia, whose children gain new access to promise scholarship accounts.

Georgians would see the Department of Education post and respond to federal education guidance on a public webpage, giving more visibility into how federal policy shapes state schooling. Military families stationed in Georgia would gain automatic access to voucher-style scholarship accounts without regard to their local school zone, subject to funding limits.

• Section 1 creates O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37, defining 'federal agency' and 'guidance document' broadly, including nearly any communication short of a formally adopted federal rule.
• Subsection (b) requires the Superintendent and Department of Education to take all steps reasonably necessary to implement such federal guidance, including on 'educational freedom' initiatives.
• Subsection (c) sets deadlines: publish relevant guidance within 15 days, post a written implementation response within 45 days, and update the site within 15 days if guidance is rescinded.
• Subsection (d) requires all published guidance to appear on a dedicated, searchable Department of Education webpage linked from the site's home page.
• Subsection (e) requires an annual report to the General Assembly, and subsection (f) authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt implementing rules.
• Section 2 creates O.C.G.A. § 20-2B-22.1, making children of active duty military stationed in Georgia eligible for promise scholarship accounts regardless of school attendance zone.
• Under the new section, new qualifiers are excluded in years when program funding is too low, and are prioritized over families above 400 percent of the federal poverty level when funding is sufficient.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without signature.

1. 2025-03-10House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-04Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-03-04Senate Third Read (Senate)
5. 2025-03-03Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2025-02-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-02-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-06Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)Primary sponsor
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   37 yea, 16 nay (2 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #144

• education policy
• promise scholarship accounts
• school vouchers
• federal guidance
• military families