---
title: HR 99. General Assembly; Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund; authorize creation - CA
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr99
cite_as: HR 99, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr99
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr99.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr99/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69674
date: 2025-02-03
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/hr98.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr100.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr99.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 99
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-01-29
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Kim Schofield
- Carolyn Hugley
- Viola Davis
- Park Cannon
- Sandra Scott
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR99/2025
upstream_id: 1947685
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- baby bonds
- constitutional amendment
- state trust fund
- child savings accounts
- higher education funding
---
# HR 99. General Assembly; Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund; authorize creation - CA
## Text
House Resolution 99
By: Representatives Schofield of the 63rd, Hugley of the 141st, Davis of the 87th, Cannon of
the 58th, and Scott of the 76th
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that the General Assembly shall
be authorized to provide by law to expend or authorize the expenditure of public funds for
baby bond savings programs without the need for benefit in return; to authorize the creation
of the Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund; to provide for the redesignation of a current
subparagraph of the Constitution; 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 VI, Paragraph VI of the Constitution is amended by redesignating the
second subparagraph (g), relating to a program of indemnification for certain state highway
employees, as subparagraph (h) and by adding a new subparagraph to read as follows:
"(i) The General Assembly is authorized to provide by law and may expend or authorize
the expenditure of public funds for the state or any political subdivision or instrumentality
thereof to institute baby bond savings programs, to provide that any such program shall not
be subject to any limitations of debt provided for in this Constitution, to provide that
amounts on deposit in the trust fund shall not constitute property of the state, to provide
that it shall not be commingled with state funds, and to provide that the state shall not have
claim or interest in such funds other than for reasonable fees and charges assessed for
administration costs."
SECTION 2.
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 general law for the creation of a
Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund to be administered by a board established by general
law. Moneys from the fund shall be used for qualified expenses as provided by general law
and may include paying for higher education, purchasing a home, investments, and other
purposes provided by the board or once a beneficiary reaches a certain age. The General
Assembly may provide by general law for the dedication and deposit of revenues raised
from specified sources for the purposes of the fund into the fund. Any other appropriation
from the Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund shall be void. Contributions and revenues
deposited into the fund shall not lapse and shall not be subject to the limitations of
subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph or of Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II."
SECTION 3.
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 provide by law to expend or authorize the use of public funds
( ) NO to institute baby bond savings programs without the need for benefit in
return and provide by general law for the Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust
Fund?"
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 would ask voters to amend the state Constitution to let the General Assembly create 'baby bond' savings accounts and a trust fund to pay for things like college or a first home.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia's Constitution generally requires that public money be spent only in exchange for some benefit to the state, which has blocked programs like 'baby bonds' that give money to individuals with no return required. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment letting the General Assembly authorize the state or local governments to run baby bond savings programs without needing a benefit in return, and clarifies that money in such programs would not count as state debt or become state property.
The resolution also lets the General Assembly create a Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund run by a board, with money usable for higher education, buying a home, investments, or other purposes once a beneficiary reaches a certain age. Contributions to the fund would not lapse each year like most state money does. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it must be approved by Georgia voters in a statewide ballot before taking effect.
### What it does
- Amends the Georgia Constitution to let the General Assembly spend public funds on baby bond savings programs without requiring a benefit back to the state in return.
- Declares that money in these baby bond programs is not counted against the state's constitutional debt limits and is not state property.
- Authorizes creation of a Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund, run by a board set up under general law, to hold and manage baby bond money.
- Allows trust fund money to be used for higher education, buying a home, investments, or other purposes set by the board or triggered when a beneficiary reaches a certain age.
- Exempts contributions to the trust fund from the usual rule that unspent state funds lapse at year's end.
- Sends the proposed amendment to Georgia voters for a statewide yes-or-no vote.
### Who it affects
Georgia voters, who would decide the amendment at the ballot box; state and local governments, which could set up baby bond programs; the future board managing the trust fund; and potential beneficiaries of baby bond accounts, likely children who could use the funds later for education, housing, or other purposes.
### Why it matters
If ratified, Georgia could launch savings programs that give money to individuals such as children without requiring anything back from them, something the Constitution currently restricts. This would open the door to state-funded savings accounts for education, homeownership, or other future needs.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 amends Article III, Section VI, Paragraph VI to authorize spending public funds on baby bond programs without requiring a benefit in return, and states such funds are not subject to constitutional debt limits or state property claims.
- Section 1 also redesignates an existing subparagraph about state highway employee indemnification from (g) to (h) to make room for the new provision.
- Section 2 amends Article III, Section IX, Paragraph VI to authorize a Baby Bond Savings Plan Trust Fund managed by a board created under general law.
- Section 2 specifies trust fund money can pay for higher education, home purchases, investments, or other board-approved purposes, and exempts deposits from normal fund-lapsing rules.
- Section 2 voids any appropriation from the trust fund other than for its stated purposes.
- Section 3 sets the exact ballot language voters will see and requires the amendment to be ratified by statewide vote before becoming part of the Constitution.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-29)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-03)
- Sponsors: Kim Schofield, Carolyn Hugley, Viola Davis, Park Cannon, Sandra Scott
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69674
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr99.md?full=1