---
title: HB 1099. Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1099
cite_as: HB 1099, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1099
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1099.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1099/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72615
date: 2026-02-03
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1099.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1099
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-29
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Robert Flournoy
- Teddy Reese
- Karlton Howard
- Segun Adeyina
- Robert Dawson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1099/2025
upstream_id: 2102310
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- special education
- Braille literacy
- blind and visually impaired students
- teacher licensing
- textbook requirements
---
# HB 1099. Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1099
By: Representatives Flournoy of the 74th, Reese of the 140th, Howard of the 129th, Adeyina
of the 110th, and Dawson of the 65th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to educational programs in elementary and secondary education, so as
to enact the "Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act"; to provide
definitions; to require an evaluation of a blind or visually impaired student to determine such
student's need for Braille instruction; to require Braille instruction in the Individualized
Education Program of a blind or visually impaired student as appropriate; to provide
additional requirements for the Individualized Education Program of a blind or visually
impaired student; to provide requirements for textbook publishers relating to electronic
materials; to provide license requirements relating to Braille for certain teachers; to provide
for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 3 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to educational programs in elementary and secondary education, is amended by
adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-152.3.
(a) This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the 'Blind Persons' Braille
Literacy Rights and Education Act.'
(b) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Blind or visually impaired student' means an individual who is eligible for special
education services pursuant to Code Section 20-2-152 and the federal Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Section 1400, et seq., and:
(A) Has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the stronger eye with correcting lenses;
(B) Has a limited field of vision such that the widest diameter subtends an angular
distance of no greater than 20 degrees; or
(C) Has a medically indicated expectation of visual deterioration.
(2) 'Braille' means the system of reading and writing through touch and includes what
is commonly known as standard English Braille or Unified English Braille Code and the
Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation.
(3) 'Individualized Education Program' or 'IEP' shall have the same meaning as provided
in Section 614(d) of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C.
Section 1414(d).
(4) 'Textbooks or other instructional materials' means any literary or nonliterary works
obtained for use in a course of study, including texts in electronic media.
(c) Public schools in this state shall be authorized to provide Braille instruction for blind
or visually impaired students.
(d) In developing the Individualized Education Program for a blind or visually impaired
student, provisions shall be made for instruction in Braille and the use of Braille except
when the student's IEP team expressly determines that such instruction is not appropriate
for the student based on the outcome of an evaluation of the student's current reading and
writing skills and specific needs using appropriate reading and writing media and of the
student's need for instruction in Braille or the use of Braille, as provided in paragraph (6)
of subsection (e) of this Code section. Such evaluation shall be conducted by a teacher
with a special education visual impairment endorsement from the Professional Standards
Commission. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to require instruction in
Braille or the use of Braille if other special education services are appropriate to the blind
or visually impaired student's educational needs. The provision of other appropriate
services shall not preclude instruction in Braille or the use of Braille.
(e) The instruction in Braille reading and writing included in a blind or visually impaired
student's Individualized Education Program shall be sufficient to enable such student to
communicate effectively and efficiently with the same level of proficiency expected of the
student's peers of comparable ability and grade level. Each such Individualized Education
Program shall include:
(1) The outcomes obtained from the evaluation required under subsection (d) of this
Code section;
(2) How Braille will be implemented as the primary mode for learning through
integration with other classroom activities unless other special education services are
appropriate to the student's educational needs;
(3) The date on which Braille instruction will commence unless other special education
services are appropriate to the student's educational needs;
(4) The length of the period of instruction and the frequency and duration of each
instructional session;
(5) The level of competency in Braille reading and writing to be achieved by the student
by the end of a designated period of time and the objective assessment measures to be
used to determine the level of competency; and
(6) For each blind or visually impaired student for whom Braille instruction is not
indicated following the evaluation required in subsection (d) of this Code section:
(A) A statement that the decision by such student's IEP team to not include Braille
instruction in his or her Individualized Education Program was reached after a review
of currently relevant literature addressing the use of Braille instruction with blind or
visually impaired students;
(B) A statement that the absence of Braille instruction will not impair such student's
ability to read and write effectively; and
(C) A statement of the evidence relied upon by the IEP team to determine that such
student's ability to read and write effectively without Braille instruction will not be
impaired.
(f) No local board of education or other public school governing body shall purchase a
textbook or other instructional materials unless such textbook or other instructional
materials includes an electronic version in which the content is encoded in text suitable for
conversion into Braille or synthesized speech and has been prepared using a markup
language which maintains the formatting of the information and can be processed by
Braille translation software.
(g) On and after July 1, 2026, the Professional Standards Commission shall not issue or
renew a special education visual impairment endorsement unless the educator has, as part
of his or her standard renewal requirements:
(1) Completed a course in Braille instruction approved by the commission;
(2) Demonstrated competence in reading and writing Braille by holding a nationally
recognized certificate in Braille approved by the commission; or
(3) Passed a test in Braille approved by the commission."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would require schools to evaluate blind and visually impaired students for Braille instruction needs and add Braille requirements to their special education plans. It also sets new rules for textbook electronic formats and teacher certification.
### Plain-language summary
Currently Georgia law does not specifically require an evaluation of whether a blind or visually impaired student needs Braille instruction as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP), the special education plan required under federal law. This bill, called the 'Blind Persons' Braille Literacy Rights and Education Act,' adds a new Code section requiring that evaluation, conducted by a teacher with a special education visual impairment endorsement, and spells out what the IEP must include: how Braille will be taught, when it starts, how long sessions last, and how competency will be measured. If a student's IEP team decides Braille is not appropriate, the team must document its reasoning based on a review of relevant literature and evidence that the student can read and write effectively without it.
The bill also bars local school boards from buying textbooks or instructional materials unless an electronic version exists that can be converted into Braille or synthesized speech. Starting July 1, 2026, the Professional Standards Commission could not issue or renew a visual impairment teaching endorsement unless the educator completes Braille coursework, holds a national Braille certificate, or passes a Braille test.
### What it does
- Requires an evaluation of a blind or visually impaired student's reading and writing needs to determine whether Braille instruction should be part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP).
- Specifies that the evaluation must be conducted by a teacher holding a special education visual impairment endorsement from the Professional Standards Commission.
- Requires that when Braille instruction is included in an IEP, the plan detail implementation timing, session length and frequency, and competency benchmarks.
- Requires documentation and evidence if an IEP team decides not to include Braille instruction for a student.
- Bars local school boards from purchasing textbooks or instructional materials unless an electronic version exists that can be converted into Braille or synthesized speech.
- Requires teachers seeking or renewing a visual impairment endorsement after July 1, 2026 to complete Braille coursework, hold a Braille certificate, or pass a Braille test.
### Who it affects
Blind and visually impaired public school students in Georgia, their IEP teams and teachers, local school boards responsible for purchasing textbooks and instructional materials, textbook publishers, and teachers seeking or renewing a special education visual impairment endorsement through the Professional Standards Commission.
### Why it matters
Families of blind or visually impaired students would gain a formal process ensuring Braille needs are assessed and documented rather than left unaddressed. School districts would face new textbook purchasing requirements, and teachers pursuing visual impairment endorsements would need demonstrated Braille competency starting in 2026.
### Key provisions
- Adds new Code Section 20-2-152.3, defining 'blind or visually impaired student' using visual acuity, field of vision, or expected deterioration thresholds tied to eligibility for special education services.
- Defines 'Braille' to include standard English Braille, Unified English Braille Code, and the Nemeth Code for math and science notation.
- Subsection (d) requires an evaluation before an IEP team can decide against Braille instruction, and the evaluation must be done by a teacher with a visual impairment endorsement.
- Subsection (e) lists required IEP components when Braille instruction is included, such as implementation timeline, session frequency, and competency assessment measures.
- Subsection (e)(6) requires documented justification, including a literature review and supporting evidence, if a team decides Braille instruction is not needed.
- Subsection (f) prohibits local school boards from purchasing textbooks or instructional materials lacking an electronic version convertible into Braille or synthesized speech.
- Subsection (g) requires, starting July 1, 2026, that the Professional Standards Commission only issue or renew visual impairment endorsements to educators who complete Braille training, hold a national certificate, or pass a Braille test.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-01-29)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-03)
- Sponsors: Robert Flournoy, Teddy Reese, Karlton Howard, Segun Adeyina, Robert Dawson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72615
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1099.md?full=1