HB 127: Education; number of accumulated sick leave days for teachers and other school personnel; increase from three to five

Although this bill is titled as an increase to teacher sick leave, the substitute version adopted by the Senate Committee on Education and Youth replaces that content entirely. It adds a new section to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12) prohibiting local school districts and public postsecondary institutions (University System of Georgia schools and Technical College System units) from promoting, supporting, or maintaining programs or activities that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The bill defines DEI broadly, covering efforts to give different treatment based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation, and for colleges, promoting official positions on concepts like implicit bias, systemic oppression, or intersectionality. Athletics programs and restroom or locker room policies are exempted. Violating institutions risk losing state or state-administered federal funding. The change would take effect July 1, 2025, applying to the 2025-2026 school and academic years.

• Adds a new Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-1-12) banning local school districts and public colleges from promoting, supporting, or maintaining DEI programs or activities.
• Defines diversity, equity, and inclusion broadly, including any differential treatment or benefits based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
• Adds a special rule for public colleges and technical schools barring official promotion of concepts like implicit bias, systemic oppression, or intersectionality as widely contested positions.
• Exempts athletics programs and multiple occupancy restrooms, locker rooms, or changing areas from the DEI restriction.
• Allows the state to withhold funding, including scholarships, loans, and grants, from postsecondary institutions that violate the ban, and lets the State Board of Education withhold funding from noncompliant school districts.
• Sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying starting with the 2025-2026 school year for districts and academic year for colleges.

Local school districts and their employees, public university and technical college administrators and staff, and students at Georgia's public K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions are all affected, since these institutions would face funding penalties for maintaining DEI programs or activities.

If enacted, Georgia school districts and public colleges would have to eliminate or avoid diversity, equity, and inclusion programming or risk losing state funding, including student financial aid at colleges. This would change hiring, training, and programming practices across the state's public education system.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 20-1-12 defining 'local education agency,' 'multiple occupancy restroom or changing area,' and 'postsecondary institution.'
• Subsection (b) prohibits local education agencies and postsecondary institutions from promoting, supporting, or maintaining programs advocating diversity, equity, and inclusion, with five listed categories of covered conduct.
• Subsection (c) exempts athletics programs and restroom, locker room, or changing area policies from the ban.
• Subsection (d) allows withholding of state or state-administered federal funding, including student scholarships, loans, and grants, from violating postsecondary institutions.
• Subsection (e) authorizes the State Board of Education to withhold funding from a violating local education agency under O.C.G.A. § 20-2-243.
• Subsection (f) states the section cannot be waived under several existing charter school or strategic waiver provisions.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025, applying to the 2025-2026 school year and academic year.

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

• Brent Cox (R, HD-28)Primary sponsor
• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
• Carmen Rice (R, HD-139)
• Carter Barrett (R, HD-24)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-32)
• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-3)
• Max Burns (R, SD-23)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   172 yea, 3 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #246

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   33 yea, 21 nay (0 not voting, 2 excused)

   MOTION TO REMOVE FROM THE TABLE: Senate Vote #434

3. FailedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   21 yea, 33 nay (1 not voting, 1 excused)

   MOTION TO TABLE: Senate Vote #435

4. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   33 yea, 22 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

   SHALL THE RULING OF THE CHAIR BE SUSTAINED: Senate Vote #437

5. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   33 yea, 22 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

   MOTION TO RESOLVE DEBATE: Senate Vote #438

6. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   33 yea, 22 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

   SHALL THE RULING OF THE CHAIR BE SUSTAINED: Senate Vote #439

7. FailedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   22 yea, 33 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

   MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE MOTION TO RESOLVE DEBATE: Senate Vote #440

8. FailedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   22 yea, 33 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

   MOTION TO TABLE: Senate Vote #441

9. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   33 yea, 21 nay (1 not voting, 1 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #442

10. FailedSenate voteApril 3, 2025

    22 yea, 33 nay (0 not voting, 1 excused)

    MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION: Senate Vote #443

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