Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 1232: Education; certain students be excused from school for participating in certain officially sanctioned visits to the state capitol; provide
Last action March 6, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
A Georgia House bill would let students who are Girl Scouts count an official Girl Scout visit to the state capitol as present, not as an absence.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Under current Georgia law, students who miss school for various activities are tracked through the state's compulsory attendance rules, and absences, even for approved trips, can sometimes count against a student's attendance record. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's compulsory attendance law (O.C.G.A. Title 20, Chapter 2) called the 'Teagan Church Act.' It says that a student who is a member of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and takes part in an officially sanctioned Girl Scout visit to the Georgia State Capitol must be marked present by their school, treated the same as if they were on an educational field trip. The bill specifies that this participation cannot be counted as either an excused or unexcused absence. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Creates a new Code section (20-2-692.5) requiring schools to mark Girl Scout students present when they attend an official Girl Scout visit to the Georgia State Capitol.
- Names the new law the 'Teagan Church Act.'
- Prohibits schools from counting the sanctioned capitol visit as either an excused or unexcused absence.
- Treats the capitol visit the same way schools already treat educational field trips for attendance purposes.
- Repeals any existing Georgia laws that conflict with this new rule.
Who it affects
Students enrolled in Georgia public schools who are members of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, along with the schools and school administrators responsible for tracking student attendance records.
Why it matters
Attendance records can affect things like academic standing and truancy tracking. This bill means Girl Scouts who go on an official trip to the state capitol will not see that day counted against their attendance, similar to how a school field trip is treated.
Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 20-2-692.5 to Georgia's compulsory attendance law (O.C.G.A. Title 20, Chapter 2, Article 16, Subpart 2).
- The new section names itself the 'Teagan Church Act' in subsection (a).
- Subsection (b) defines the covered student as a Girl Scouts of the United States of America member, referencing the federal charter definition in Title 36 of the United States Code.
- Subsection (b) requires schools to credit the student as present, the same as an educational field trip, for an official Girl Scout sanctioned visit to the Georgia State Capitol.
- Subsection (b) specifies the visit cannot be recorded as either an excused or unexcused absence.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“A student who serves as a member of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, as defined in Title 36 of the United States Code, and participates in an official Girl Scout sanctioned visit to the Georgia State Capitol shall be credited as present”
“participation in such sanctioned visit shall not be counted as an absence, either excused or unexcused."”
Discussed in meetings (7)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Education Committee, March 2, 2026
From 0:57:48 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the substitute would provide excused absences for Girl Scouts attending sanctioned Capitol visits, prompted by a family member's school refusing an excused absence. Asked why state action was needed, the sponsor cited that experience. Members questioned limiting protection to one organization and proposed adding Boy Scouts of America. Legislative counsel said existing law counts participants in 4-H activities and General Assembly pages as present, but could not immediately confirm coverage for student government. The chair said districts can grant excused absences but are not required to grant these without legislation. The sponsor opposed expansion, saying the bill addressed a known problem and broader coverage could create opposition. Several members supported including both scouting organizations. After a question about the current name, Scouting America, legislative counsel said federal law still used Boy Scouts of America. The committee adopted an amendment adding that organization, with opposition audible but no count stated. The committee then approved the substitute as amended by voice vote.
House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026
From 0:33:48 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A committee member moved to return HB 1232 to the Education Committee. The chair announced that it was returned without objection. No provisions were discussed.
House Education Committee, March 5, 2026
From 1:12:56 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair said HB 1232 had been returned to the committee after earlier amendments. Presenting for the sponsor, the vice chair asked to restore a Girl Scouts-only version of the school attendance measure, removing the earlier addition of Boy Scouts. The vice chair said this reflected the sponsor's original intent and did not oppose separate legislation covering Boy Scouts. One member questioned making the measure so narrow and asked what harm broader inclusion would cause. A second member questioned revisiting a bill already approved by the committee and said including Boy Scouts would still honor the sponsor's granddaughter. Another member asked how existing attendance rules treated students visiting the Capitol. The vice chair said the sponsor's granddaughter's visit had interrupted a perfect-attendance record. The chair said pages and certain other groups were counted present under existing law. A member sought to offer another amendment, but the chair declined to consider it. After audible opposition in the voice vote, the chair called for a hand vote and announced that the bill carried. No count was stated.
- Read aloud: House floor session, February 9, 2026 (legislative day 15), 0:23:16
- Read aloud: House floor session, February 10, 2026 (legislative day 16), 0:43:08
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26, AM), 0:48:22
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, AM), 1:08:05
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)
- Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)
- Matt Dubnik (R, HD-29)
- Bethany Ballard (R, HD-147)
- Scott Hilton (R, HD-48)
- Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
Topics
- school attendance
- Girl Scouts
- state capitol visits
- education law