HB 451: Quality Basic Education Act; local boards shall be authorized to provide instruction in hunting safety in grades six through 12; provide

This bill, now called the Student Character Development Act, adds a new section to Georgia's compulsory attendance law (O.C.G.A. Title 20). It requires every local school district (called a local education agency) to adopt, by August 1, 2026, a policy letting students be excused from school for at least one hour per school week to attend a 'released time course,' meaning religious moral instruction taught by an outside person or group away from public school control. Parents must consent in writing, the outside provider must keep attendance records and take responsibility for the student during the course, and transportation is generally the family's job unless the provider agrees to handle it with parental consent. Districts may allow academic credit for these courses if graded on the same secular standards as similar courses, and may host them on school property under equal-access rules. Providers must pass a criminal records check, districts are shielded from liability for private transportation, and the Department of Education must maximize state and federal funding regardless of participation and publish model policies. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Requires every Georgia school district to adopt, by August 1, 2026, a policy letting students leave school for at least one hour a week for outside religious instruction.
• Requires written parental consent, attendance recordkeeping by the outside provider, and provider responsibility for student safety during the course.
• Allows, but does not require, districts to award academic credit for these courses using the same secular grading standards used for similar classes.
• Requires a criminal records check for anyone providing the religious instruction under this policy.
• Protects school districts and employees from civil lawsuits over injuries during private transportation to or from these courses.
• Bars students from being marked absent while attending the religious instruction course.

Public school students in grades covered by compulsory attendance and their parents, local school districts and their staff who must write and enforce the new policy, outside religious organizations or individuals who teach the courses, and the Georgia Department of Education, which must issue model policies and protect district funding levels.

Families who want religious instruction during the school week would gain a formal, legally protected option, with districts required to accommodate it and shield themselves from certain liability. Districts must build new policies, verify criminal background checks, and decide whether to grant academic credit for outside religious coursework.

• Section 1 names the law the 'Student Character Development Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 20-2-692.5, defining a 'released time course' as religious moral instruction offered independently of public schools.
• Subsection (b) requires districts to adopt an excusal policy by August 1, 2026, covering parental consent, attendance records, transportation responsibility, and provider liability for students during the course.
• Subsection (c) requires a criminal records check for instructors providing released time courses.
• Subsection (d) lets districts award academic credit for these courses using secular grading criteria such as instruction hours, syllabus review, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications.
• Subsection (e) shields districts and employees from civil liability for injuries during private transportation to these courses.
• Subsection (f) states that a student attending a released time course is not counted as absent from school.
• Subsection (g) directs the Department of Education to protect districts' state and federal funding regardless of participation levels and to publish model policies.

1. 2026-03-27Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Third Read (Senate)
3. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
5. 2025-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2025-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)

• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)Primary sponsor
• Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   159 yea, 16 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #228

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   32 yea, 18 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 37th: Senate Vote #831

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2026

   33 yea, 18 nay (0 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #832

• religious education
• public schools
• school attendance policy
• student character development act