SB 154: United States Department of Education; references from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise or remove

Many sections of Georgia law, covering teacher certification, professional licensing (counselors, dental hygienists, massage therapists, optometrists, nurses, and others), and student loan programs, refer by name to the United States Department of Education. This bill inserts the phrase 'or its successor' (or ', or its successor,') after those references throughout Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, so the laws would still work if that federal agency's functions were transferred elsewhere. Separately, the bill updates the foster and adopted student tuition waiver law (O.C.G.A. § 20-3-660) to replace an outdated reference to a federal 'Student Aid Report' with the current 'Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission summary,' which is the document colleges now use to verify a student's financial aid eligibility. The FAFSA update takes effect once the Governor signs the bill. But the 'successor' language changes (Sections 1 and 2) only take effect if Congress actually passes a law abolishing the U.S. Department of Education.

• Adds the phrase 'or its successor' after references to the United States Department of Education in ten Georgia Code sections covering education, peace officer training, and professional licensing.
• Adds similar successor-agency language to eleven more Code sections covering teacher certification, student data privacy, and several types of student loan programs.
• Updates the foster and adopted student tuition waiver law to replace the old 'Student Aid Report' reference with the FAFSA submission summary, the document currently used to verify financial aid.
• Makes the successor-agency changes contingent: they only become effective if Congress passes a law abolishing the U.S. Department of Education.
• Makes the FAFSA terminology update effective immediately once signed by the Governor, regardless of what happens with the federal department.

Georgia public school teachers and school districts, peace officer training programs, licensed professionals such as counselors, dental hygienists, massage therapists, optometrists, nurses, and audiologists, and college students, including foster and adopted students who use the tuition waiver program and student loan programs tied to the federal department.

If Congress ever abolishes the U.S. Department of Education, Georgia's laws referencing it by name would still function because they'd automatically apply to whatever agency takes over its duties. The FAFSA wording update takes effect now, keeping the foster student tuition waiver law aligned with the financial aid document colleges currently use.

• Section 1 inserts ', or its successor,' after U.S. Department of Education references in ten Code sections spanning education, peace officer certification, and professional licensing compacts.
• Section 2 inserts 'or its successor' after similar references in eleven more Code sections covering teacher certification, student data privacy, and multiple student loan programs.
• Section 3 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 20-3-660(d) to replace the 'Student Aid Report from the United States Department of Education' with the 'Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission summary' for calculating tuition waiver coverage.
• Section 4 sets the general effective date as the date of the Governor's signature, but makes Sections 1 and 2 effective only if Congress passes an act abolishing the U.S. Department of Education.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date
2. 2025-05-14Act 291
3. 2025-05-14Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-07Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2025-03-21House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2025-03-21House Third Readers (House)
8. 2025-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)Primary sponsor
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)
• John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
• John Albers (R, SD-56)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-6)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-30)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-27)
• Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
• Max Burns (R, SD-23)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-21)
• Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-46)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-49)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-47)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-8)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-13)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-19)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-37)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-29)

1. FailedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   21 yea, 32 nay (1 not voting, 2 excused)

   ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 14TH: Senate Vote #155

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2025

   37 yea, 17 nay (0 not voting, 2 excused)

   PASSAGE: Senate Vote #156

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 21, 2025

   144 yea, 15 nay (7 not voting, 14 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #294

4. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

   44 yea, 8 nay (1 not voting, 3 excused)

   AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #363

• education law
• student financial aid
• professional licensing
• foster youth tuition waiver
• federal agency references