---
title: HB 1328. University of North Georgia military scholarships; authorize selection committee to select additional scholarship recipients
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1328
cite_as: HB 1328, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73259
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1327.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1329.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 949
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1328
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01
sponsors:
- Will Wade
- Josh Bonner
- Lee Hawkins
- Matt Dubnik
- Houston Gaines
- Carter Barrett
- Steve Gooch
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1328/2025
upstream_id: 2118520
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- military scholarships
- University of North Georgia
- Georgia Army National Guard
- higher education funding
---
# HB 1328. University of North Georgia military scholarships; authorize selection committee to select additional scholarship recipients
## Text
House Bill 1328 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Wade of the 9th, Bonner of the 73rd, Hawkins of the 27th, Dubnik of the
29th, Gaines of the 120th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Subpart 5A of Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to University of North Georgia military scholarships, so as to
authorize the selection committee to select additional scholarship recipients; to authorize
additional nominations for candidates to receive a scholarship; to provide a limit on the
number of scholarships that can be awarded; to provide criteria for selecting scholarship
recipients; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Subpart 5A of Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to University of North Georgia military scholarships, is amended by
revising Code Section 20-3-422, relating to nomination of candidates for scholarships, as
follows:
"20-3-422.
The authority shall establish and promulgate, consistent with this subpart, criteria for the
eligibility and award of such scholarships. The authority shall, on or before February 1 of
each year, select and nominate not less than six and not more than ten persons from each
congressional district in Georgia from a list of persons recommended to the authority by
members of the General Assembly. From the persons so nominated, at least three persons
from each congressional district shall be selected as scholarship recipients as provided in
Code Section 20-3-423."
SECTION 2.
Said subpart is further amended in Code Section 20-3-423, relating to creation and
composition of selection committee and duties of selection committee, by revising
subsection (b) as follows:
"(b) It shall be the duty of the selection committee to select, from the six nominees from
each congressional district submitted to the committee pursuant to Code Section 20-3-422,
three persons from each congressional district to receive a scholarship under this subpart.
In the event a congressional district does not have three qualified candidates, the committee
may select a candidate or candidates at large from alternate nominees among the original
candidates without regard to the congressional district of residence. Subject to available
funding, the committee shall be authorized to select additional candidates to receive a
scholarship under this part; provided, however, that in no event shall the total number of
persons receiving scholarship assistance under this part exceed 70 percent of the Georgia
Army National Guard cadets enrolled in the University of North Georgia or 210 persons,
whichever is less. When selecting such additional candidates to receive a scholarship, the
committee shall make selections in such a manner as to award scholarships equally
between congressional districts and cadet cohorts, to the extent practicable. Upon selecting
the recipients of scholarships, the committee shall:
(1) Notify each recipient of the scholarship;
(2) Notify each member of the legislative delegation from each congressional district of
the names of the recipients of the scholarships from that congressional district; and
(3) Notify the authority of the names and addresses of the recipients of the scholarships."
SECTION 3.
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.
House Bill 1328 would let the University of North Georgia's military scholarship selection committee award more scholarships beyond the standard three per congressional district, up to a set statewide cap.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently sets up a scholarship program for University of North Georgia military students in which members of the General Assembly recommend candidates, and a selection committee picks three recipients from each congressional district. This bill changes how many candidates get nominated and how many can ultimately receive scholarships.
Under the bill, the General Assembly must nominate at least six candidates per congressional district, up to a maximum of ten. The selection committee must still pick at least three recipients per district, but the bill lets the committee award additional scholarships if funding allows. There is a statewide cap: total scholarship recipients cannot exceed 70 percent of the Georgia Army National Guard cadets enrolled at the university or 210 people, whichever is smaller. When picking extra recipients, the committee must try to spread scholarships evenly across congressional districts and cadet cohorts.
### What it does
- Requires the General Assembly to nominate at least six and no more than ten scholarship candidates per congressional district each year, up from a flat six.
- Lets the selection committee award scholarships to additional candidates beyond the standard three per district, if funding is available.
- Caps total scholarship recipients statewide at 70 percent of Georgia Army National Guard cadets enrolled at the University of North Georgia or 210 people, whichever is less.
- Directs the committee to try to distribute the additional scholarships evenly across congressional districts and cadet cohorts.
- Keeps the existing rule allowing at-large selection when a district lacks three qualified candidates.
### Who it affects
University of North Georgia students who are Georgia Army National Guard cadets and apply for military scholarships, members of the General Assembly who recommend candidates, and the scholarship selection committee that reviews nominees and awards funding.
### Why it matters
More cadets at the University of North Georgia could receive scholarship assistance than under current law, since the committee gains authority to fund additional recipients rather than only three per district, though the total is still capped statewide.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-3-422 so the General Assembly nominates not less than six and not more than ten candidates per congressional district, instead of a fixed six.
- Section 1 keeps the requirement that at least three nominees per district be selected as scholarship recipients.
- Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 20-3-423(b) to let the committee select additional scholarship recipients beyond the standard three per district, subject to available funding.
- Section 2 sets the overall cap: total recipients cannot exceed 70 percent of enrolled Georgia Army National Guard cadets at the University of North Georgia or 210 persons, whichever is less.
- Section 2 requires the committee to award additional scholarships as evenly as practicable across congressional districts and cadet cohorts.
- Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Will Wade, Josh Bonner, Lee Hawkins, Matt Dubnik, Houston Gaines, Carter Barrett, Steve Gooch
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73259
> The history, votes, and amendments (949 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328.md?full=1