---
title: HR 396. General Assembly; creation of Georgia's Children First Trust Fund; authorize - CA
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr396
cite_as: HR 396, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr396
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr396.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr396/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70827
date: 2025-02-28
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
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/hr395.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr397.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr396.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 396
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-26
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Lisa Campbell
- Carolyn Hugley
- Tanya Miller
- Lydia Glaize
- Karlton Howard
- Carl Gilliard
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR396/2025
upstream_id: 1985923
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- child care funding
- constitutional amendment
- state budget surplus
- Georgia ballot measures
---
# HR 396. General Assembly; creation of Georgia's Children First Trust Fund; authorize - CA
## Text
House Resolution 396
By: Representatives Campbell of the 35th, Hugley of the 141st, Miller of the 62nd, Glaize of
the 67th, Howard of the 129th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to authorize the General Assembly to
provide by law for the creation of the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund; to provide for the
appropriation of moneys into such fund, including a one-time appropriation from the
Revenue Shortfall Reserve; to provide that moneys appropriated into such fund shall not
lapse and shall be used to provide scholarships, grants, or other forms of financial assistance
for child care services; to provide for the investment and reinvestment of a portion of the
moneys appropriated into such fund; to provide that returns on such investments shall be
used for financial assistance for child care services; to provide for related matters; to provide
for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI of the Constitution is amended by adding a new
subparagraph to read as follows:
"(s) The General Assembly is authorized to provide by law for the creation of the
Georgia's Children First Trust Fund for the purpose of providing, in accordance with the
provisions of this subparagraph, financial assistance for child care services in this state.
Upon the creation of the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund, the General Assembly shall
make a one-time appropriation in the amount of $3 billion into such fund, which shall be
appropriated from the Revenue Shortfall Reserve. The General Assembly shall be
authorized, but not required, to appropriate additional amounts into such fund. All moneys
appropriated into the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund shall not be subject to the
provisions of Article III, Section IX, Paragraph IV(c), relating to the lapsing of funds, and
shall be used to provide scholarships, grants, or other forms of financial assistance for child
care services in this state; provided, however, that a portion of the moneys appropriated to
the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund shall be invested and reinvested in a manner as
provided by law. Moneys received from returns on such investments and reinvestments
shall be deposited into the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund and shall be used to provide
scholarships, grants, or other forms of financial assistance for child care services in this
state. The General Assembly shall be authorized to provide by law for any matters relating
to the purpose or provisions of this subparagraph."
SECTION 2.
The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the
above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following:
"( ) YES Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General
Assembly to use a portion of the state's historic, multiyear revenue surplus
( ) NO to create a self-sustaining Georgia's Children First Trust Fund for the
purpose of providing access to child care services in this state?"
All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes."
All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If
such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall
become a part of the Constitution of this state.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House resolution proposes a constitutional amendment letting the General Assembly create a Children First Trust Fund, seeded with a one-time $3 billion transfer, to pay for child care assistance.
### Plain-language summary
This resolution asks Georgia voters to amend the state constitution to authorize a new fund called the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund. If created by law, the General Assembly would make a one-time $3 billion appropriation into the fund, drawn from the state's Revenue Shortfall Reserve (the state's savings account). Lawmakers could also choose to add more money later, though they would not be required to.
Money in the fund would not be subject to Georgia's normal rule that unspent state funds lapse (revert) at the end of the budget year. Instead, the money would stay available to provide scholarships, grants, or other financial assistance for child care services. Part of the fund would be invested, and any investment returns would also go toward child care assistance. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it must be approved by Georgia voters in a statewide referendum before taking effect.
### What it does
- Authorizes the General Assembly to create by law the Georgia's Children First Trust Fund to help pay for child care services statewide.
- Directs a one-time $3 billion appropriation into the fund from the state's Revenue Shortfall Reserve once the fund is created.
- Allows, but does not require, the General Assembly to appropriate additional money into the fund in future years.
- Exempts the fund's money from Georgia's constitutional rule that unspent state funds lapse at the end of the fiscal year.
- Requires part of the fund to be invested and reinvested, with investment returns used for child care scholarships, grants, or financial assistance.
- Places the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot for Georgia voters to ratify or reject.
### Who it affects
Georgia families seeking child care assistance, child care providers who may receive funding through scholarships or grants, the General Assembly and state budget officials who manage the Revenue Shortfall Reserve, and Georgia voters who must approve the amendment at the ballot box.
### Why it matters
If voters approve it, Georgia would set aside a large, ongoing pool of money specifically for child care assistance instead of letting related state funds lapse or go unused, potentially expanding access to scholarships or grants for families and child care providers over time.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 amends Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI of the Georgia Constitution to add a new subparagraph authorizing the trust fund.
- The fund receives a one-time $3 billion appropriation from the Revenue Shortfall Reserve once created, with additional contributions left to the General Assembly's discretion.
- Fund money is exempted from the constitutional lapsing rule in Article III, Section IX, Paragraph IV(c), so it can carry over between budget years.
- A portion of the fund must be invested and reinvested as provided by law, and any returns must be used for child care scholarships, grants, or assistance.
- Section 2 requires the amendment to be published and submitted to voters under Article X, Section I, Paragraph II, with specific ballot language quoted in the resolution.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-26)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-28)
- Sponsors: Lisa Campbell, Carolyn Hugley, Tanya Miller, Lydia Glaize, Karlton Howard, Carl Gilliard
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70827
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr396.md?full=1