SB120: SB120 Education; public schools, local education agencies, and public postsecondary institutions shall not promote, support, or maintain any programs or activities that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion

This bill adds a new section to Georgia's education code barring local school districts and public postsecondary institutions (University System of Georgia schools and Technical College System schools) from promoting, supporting, or maintaining programs that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. It defines DEI broadly to include efforts that give different treatment based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation, as well as training or programming referencing a long list of concepts such as implicit bias, systemic oppression, and social justice. Colleges that violate the ban risk losing state funding and state-administered federal funding, including money for student scholarships, loans, and grants. The State Board of Education could withhold part of a district's funding for violations. The rule cannot be waived under several existing charter school and flexibility laws, though it does not override existing antidiscrimination laws. It would take effect July 1, 2025, starting with the 2025-2026 school year and academic year.

• Bars local school districts and public postsecondary institutions from promoting, supporting, or maintaining programs or activities that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Defines diversity, equity, and inclusion broadly, covering efforts tied to race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and related training or programming.
• Allows the state to withhold state funding or state-administered federal funding, including student scholarships, loans, and grants, from postsecondary institutions that violate the ban.
• Authorizes the State Board of Education to withhold part of a local school district's state funding for violations.
• Blocks school districts and charter schools from using several existing waiver laws to get around this rule.
• Sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying to the 2025-2026 school year for districts and academic year for colleges.

Public school districts (local education agencies), public colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia, and technical colleges in the Technical College System of Georgia are directly affected, along with their students, staff, and administrators who run diversity-related programs or trainings.

Schools and colleges that continue diversity, equity, and inclusion programming, including trainings on topics like implicit bias or systemic oppression, could lose state money or student financial aid funding. Districts and colleges would need to review and likely eliminate existing DEI offices, trainings, or initiatives to keep their funding.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 20-1-12, defining 'local education agency' and 'postsecondary institution' (University System and Technical College System schools) for purposes of the ban.
• Subsection (b) prohibits promoting, supporting, or maintaining DEI programs, with a five-part definition of what counts as DEI, including preferential treatment based on protected characteristics and postsecondary advocacy for concepts like systemic oppression or gender ideology.
• Subsection (c) allows withholding of state or state-administered federal funding from violating postsecondary institutions, including scholarship, loan, and grant funding for their students.
• Subsection (d) lets the State Board of Education withhold part of a violating local school district's state funding under existing Code Section 20-2-243.
• Subsection (e) exempts this rule from being waived under several existing charter system, charter school, and strategic waivers laws.
• Subsection (f) clarifies the ban does not require violating existing state or federal antidiscrimination laws.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying starting with the 2025-2026 school year and academic year.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
3. 2025-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)
4. 2025-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
5. 2025-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
6. 2025-02-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
7. 2025-02-06Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)Primary sponsor
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-053)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)

• diversity equity and inclusion
• public schools
• higher education funding
• education policy
• school funding