SB 124: Education; State School Superintendent and the Department of Education to take all steps reasonably necessary to implement guidance documents from a federal agency; require

This bill fills in a currently reserved section of Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37) with new requirements. It directs the State School Superintendent and the Department of Education to take all steps reasonably necessary to carry out guidance documents issued by federal agencies, especially guidance related to expanding educational choice for families. It defines what counts as a 'federal agency' and a 'guidance document' broadly, covering everything from formal directives to press releases and digital files. The Department of Education would have to publish qualifying federal guidance documents on a dedicated, searchable web page within 15 days of receiving them, post a written response within 45 days explaining how it will implement or object to the guidance, and track any documents that get rescinded. The Superintendent must report on this activity to the General Assembly every year, and the State Board of Education may adopt rules to carry this out. Separately, the bill adds a new Code section making children of active duty military members stationed in Georgia eligible for Promise Scholarship accounts (the state's school voucher-like program) regardless of their assigned school attendance zone, subject to funding limits and priority rules. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Requires the State School Superintendent and Department of Education to implement guidance documents issued by federal agencies, including directives on educational choice for families.
• Defines 'federal agency' and 'guidance document' broadly to include memos, bulletins, press releases, digital files, and other formats.
• Sets deadlines for the Department of Education to publish relevant federal guidance (15 days), post a written implementation response (45 days), and flag rescinded guidance (15 days) on a dedicated, searchable web page.
• Requires the State School Superintendent to report annually to the General Assembly on this guidance-tracking process.
• Lets children of active duty military service members stationed in Georgia qualify for Promise Scholarship accounts regardless of their home school attendance zone, subject to funding limits and priority rules.
• Sets continued eligibility rules for these military family students, ending when they return to public school, graduate, or turn 20 (21 for special education students).

The State School Superintendent and Department of Education, which take on new tracking and reporting duties; the State Board of Education, which gains rule-making authority; and children of active duty military families stationed in Georgia, who gain expanded access to Promise Scholarship accounts.

Georgia families with active duty military parents would gain an easier path to Promise Scholarship funds without being limited by their home school zone, though funding limits could still restrict who qualifies. The Department of Education would also face new public disclosure duties whenever it acts on federal guidance about school choice.

• Section 1 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37 to require the Superintendent and Department of Education to implement federal guidance documents, particularly on expanding educational freedom for families.
• Section 1 defines 'guidance document' broadly to include advisories, bulletins, memos, press releases, and digital or audio/video materials, but excludes formal rules adopted through notice-and-comment rulemaking.
• Section 1 requires publication of qualifying federal guidance within 15 days and a written implementation response within 45 days on a dedicated, searchable Department of Education web page.
• Section 1 requires the Superintendent to report annually to the General Assembly and authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt implementing rules.
• Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-2B-22.1, qualifying children of active duty military members stationed in Georgia for Promise Scholarship accounts regardless of school attendance zone.
• Section 2 limits new qualification under this provision in years when program funding is insufficient to cover all income-eligible students, and sets a priority order when funding is sufficient.
• Section 2 sets continued eligibility rules: funding continues until the student returns to public school, graduates, turns 20, or (for special education students) turns 21.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without signature.

1. 2025-03-10House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-04Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-03-04Senate Third Read (Senate)
5. 2025-03-03Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2025-02-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-02-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-06Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Shawn Still (R, SD-48)Primary sponsor
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-27)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
• John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-30)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-37)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   37 yea, 16 nay (2 not voting, 1 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #144

• education policy
• school choice
• Promise Scholarship accounts
• military families
• federal guidance