---
title: HB 203. Board of Regents; include members who are graduates of a historically black college or university that is a unit of the University System of Georgia; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb203
cite_as: HB 203, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb203
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb203.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb203/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69719
date: 2025-02-04
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.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb203.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 203
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-30
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Floyd Griffin
- Carolyn Hugley
- L.C. Myles
- Mack Jackson
- Al Williams
- Regina Lewis-Ward
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB203/2025
upstream_id: 1949605
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- higher education
- Board of Regents
- historically black colleges and universities
- University System of Georgia
---
# HB 203. Board of Regents; include members who are graduates of a historically black college or university that is a unit of the University System of Georgia; provide
## Text
House Bill 203
By: Representatives Griffin of the 149th, Hugley of the 141st, Myles of the 126th, Jackson of
the 128th, Williams of the 168th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the Board of Regents, so as to provide that the Board of Regents shall
include members who are graduates of a historically black college or university that is a unit
of the University System of Georgia; to provide for a definition; 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 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to the Board of Regents, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"20-3-21.1.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'historically black college or university' means
an institution that meets the eligibility requirements of 34 C.F.R. Section 608.2 as of
January 1, 2025, and which is a unit of the University System of Georgia.
(b)(1) Beginning January 1, 2028, at least one at-large member of the board shall be a
graduate of a historically black college or university.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2031, at least two at-large members of the board shall be
graduates of a historically black college or university."
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.
House Bill 203 would require Georgia's Board of Regents to include at least one, and later two, members who graduated from a historically black college or university within the University System of Georgia.
### Plain-language summary
The Board of Regents oversees Georgia's public colleges and universities. This bill adds a new section to Georgia law requiring that some of the board's at-large members have graduated from a historically black college or university (HBCU) that is part of the University System of Georgia.
The bill defines an HBCU using federal eligibility standards (34 C.F.R. Section 608.2) as they existed on January 1, 2025, combined with the requirement that the school be a University System of Georgia unit. Starting January 1, 2028, at least one at-large board member must be a graduate of such an institution. Starting January 1, 2031, that number rises to at least two at-large members. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not change any other part of the Board of Regents' structure or duties.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-3-21.1) requiring representation on the Board of Regents from graduates of historically black colleges or universities in the University System of Georgia.
- Defines 'historically black college or university' using federal eligibility standards in effect as of January 1, 2025, limited to schools that are units of the University System of Georgia.
- Requires at least one at-large board member to be an HBCU graduate starting January 1, 2028.
- Increases that requirement to at least two at-large board members starting January 1, 2031.
- Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these new requirements.
### Who it affects
The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, future appointees to at-large board seats, and graduates of Georgia's historically black colleges and universities such as Albany State, Fort Valley State, and Savannah State, whose alumni would gain a guaranteed path onto the board.
### Why it matters
If enacted, the makeup of the board that sets policy for Georgia's public universities and colleges would change, guaranteeing HBCU graduates a voice in decisions on tuition, campus policy, and system leadership starting in 2028, with representation increasing further in 2031.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 20-3-21.1 defining 'historically black college or university' by reference to federal regulation 34 C.F.R. Section 608.2 as of January 1, 2025, and requiring the school be part of the University System of Georgia.
- Section 1 requires at least one at-large Board of Regents member to be an HBCU graduate beginning January 1, 2028.
- Section 1 raises that requirement to at least two at-large members beginning January 1, 2031.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting state laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-30)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-04)
- Sponsors: Floyd Griffin, Carolyn Hugley, L.C. Myles, Mack Jackson, Al Williams, Regina Lewis-Ward
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69719
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb203.md?full=1