---
title: HB 1477. Special Education Advocate Registration Act; enact
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1477
cite_as: HB 1477, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1477
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1477.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1477/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73755
date: 2026-03-04
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1476.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1478.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1477.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1477
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-26
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Mary Ann Santos
- Long Tran
- Teddy Reese
- Eric Bell
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1477/2025
upstream_id: 2125945
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- special education
- disability rights
- education advocacy
- occupational licensing
- IDEA proceedings
---
# HB 1477. Special Education Advocate Registration Act; enact
## Text
House Bill 1477
By: Representatives Santos of the 117th, Tran of the 80th, Reese of the 140th, and Bell of the
75th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to State Board of Education, so as to provide a registration process for special
education advocates; to provide for qualifications for such registration; to provide for the
adoption of a code of ethics for special education advocates; to provide for the Department
of Education to maintain a list of registered special education advocates; to require notice to
parents and guardians of children with disabilities of such list; to provide definitions; to
provide for related matters; to provide a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Special Education Advocate Registration
Act."
SECTION 2.
Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to State
Board of Education, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-21.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Criminal background check' means a search of the criminal records maintained by
the Georgia Crime Information Center and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to
determine whether an individual has a criminal record.
(2) 'Criminal record' means any of the following:
(A) A conviction of a crime;
(B) An arrest, charge, and sentencing for a crime when:
(i) A plea of nolo contendere was entered to the charge;
(ii) First offender treatment without adjudication of guilt pursuant to the charge was
granted; or
(iii) Adjudication or sentence was otherwise withheld or not entered on the charge;
or
(C) An arrest and charge for a crime if the charge is pending, unless the time for
prosecuting such crime has expired pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 17.
(3) 'Department' means the Department of Education.
(4) 'Individuals with Disabilities Education Act' or 'IDEA' means the federal Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act.
(5) 'Special education advocate' means an individual who is not licensed to practice law
in this state who represents or consults with individuals with disabilities and their parents
in administrative proceedings conducted pursuant to IDEA in this state and who receives
payment for such representation or consultation. Such term does not include a parent or
guardian advocating on behalf of his or her own child.
(6) 'State board' means the State Board of Education.
(b) Each special education advocate shall register with the department. A person seeking
to register as a special education advocate shall submit an application and pay a registration
fee to the department. The department shall issue a registration to a special education
advocate who meets the qualifications for such registration and who submits a completed
application form and registration fee. Such registration shall be valid for a period of one
year and may be renewed for additional one-year periods. The state board shall develop
an application form and set the registration fee and renewal fee in amounts that reflect the
expenses incurred by the department as a result of processing applications and renewals
pursuant to this subsection.
(c) In order to qualify for a registration or renewal provided for in subsection (b) of this
Code section, a special education advocate shall:
(1) Submit to a criminal background check and not have a criminal record;
(2) Demonstrate competency, education, and experience in special education advocacy;
(3) Complete additional training on special education advocacy each year; and
(4) Comply with the code of ethics adopted by the state board pursuant to this Code
section.
(d)(1) The state board shall adopt a code of ethics for special education advocates, and
such code shall:
(A) Represent standards of conduct which are generally accepted by special education
advocates of this state;
(B) Be limited to professional ethics; and
(C) Include provisions related to ethical billing practices.
(2) In adopting such code of ethics, the state board shall seek the advice of special
education advocates and other relevant groups of this state.
(e) The department shall maintain a current list of all registered special education
advocates on its website. Each local school system and public school shall inform the
parents or guardians of a child with a disability of how to access such list at the same time
and in the same manner as the procedural safeguards notice provided pursuant to IDEA.
(f) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to regulate the practice of law or to
authorize any person not admitted to practice law to engage in the practice of law."
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 1477 would create a state registration system for special education advocates in Georgia, requiring background checks, training, and a code of ethics before they can be paid to help families in disability education disputes.
### Plain-language summary
Right now, people who charge parents of children with disabilities for help navigating special education disputes are not required to register with any state authority in Georgia. House Bill 1477, called the Special Education Advocate Registration Act, would change that by adding a new section to Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-2-21).
Under the bill, anyone who is not a licensed lawyer but represents or consults with families in administrative proceedings under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and who gets paid for it, would have to register with the Department of Education. Applicants would pass a criminal background check, show relevant competency and experience, complete yearly training, and follow a code of ethics the State Board of Education would write with advocates' input. Registrations would last one year and could be renewed. The department would post a public list of registered advocates, and schools would have to tell parents of children with disabilities how to find it.
### What it does
- Requires paid special education advocates who are not licensed attorneys to register annually with the Department of Education and pay a fee.
- Requires applicants to pass a criminal background check and have no disqualifying criminal record before being registered.
- Requires advocates to show competency, education, and experience, and complete additional training on special education advocacy each year.
- Directs the State Board of Education to write a code of ethics for advocates, covering professional conduct and ethical billing practices.
- Requires the Department of Education to post a public list of registered advocates and requires schools to tell parents of children with disabilities how to access it.
- Clarifies that the new registration system does not let advocates practice law or count as authorization to practice law.
### Who it affects
Paid special education advocates who help families in IDEA-related administrative proceedings, the Department of Education and State Board of Education, local school systems and public schools that must notify families, and parents or guardians of children with disabilities who rely on advocates.
### Why it matters
Families of children with disabilities who hire outside help for special education disputes would gain a way to check whether an advocate is registered, background-checked, and bound by an ethics code. Advocates would face new licensing-like requirements, fees, and yearly training obligations to keep working.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 gives the bill its short title, the 'Special Education Advocate Registration Act.'
- Section 2 adds new Code section 20-2-21, defining 'special education advocate' as a non-lawyer who is paid to represent or consult with families in IDEA proceedings, excluding parents advocating for their own child.
- Subsection (b) requires registration with the Department of Education, an application, a registration fee, and one-year renewable terms, with the State Board setting fee amounts based on processing costs.
- Subsection (c) sets qualification requirements: passing a criminal background check, showing competency and experience, completing yearly training, and following the ethics code.
- Subsection (d) directs the State Board to adopt a code of ethics covering professional conduct and ethical billing, developed with input from advocates and other relevant groups.
- Subsection (e) requires the Department to maintain a public list of registered advocates and requires schools to notify parents of children with disabilities about the list alongside IDEA procedural safeguards notices.
- Subsection (f) clarifies the section does not regulate the practice of law or authorize unlicensed practice of law.
- Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-26)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-04)
- Sponsors: Mary Ann Santos, Long Tran, Teddy Reese, Eric Bell
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73755
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1477.md?full=1