Senate Bill 154
By: Senators Hatchett of the 50th, Gooch of the 51st, Kennedy of the 18th, Robertson of the
29th, Anavitarte of the 31st and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
education, law enforcement officers and agencies, and professions and businesses,
respectively, so as to revise or remove references to the United States Department of
Education from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to replace a reference to student aid
reports with FAFSA submission summary; to provide for related matters; to provide for an
effective date and contingent effectiveness; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, law
enforcement officers and agencies, and professions and businesses, respectively, are
amended by inserting ", or its successor," after "United States Department of Education" or
"U.S. Department of Education" wherever the latter terms appear in:
(1) Code Section 20-2-148, relating to elective course in history and literature of the Old
and New Testaments and religious neutrality;
(2) Code Section 20-2-286, relating to innovative assessment pilot program, procedure,
and reporting;
(3) Paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-250.5, relating to administration
and general powers and duties;
(4) Code section 35-8-8, relating to requirements for appointment or certification of
persons as peace officers and preemployment attendance at basic training course and
"employment related information" defined;
(5) Code Section 43-10A-3, relating to definitions relative to licensing provisions for
professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists;
(6) Code Section 43-11-71, relating to qualifications of applicants for license and criminal
background check relative to dental hygienists;
(7) Code Section 43-24A-3, relating to definitions relative to massage therapy practice;
(8) Code Section 43-30-1, relating to definitions relative to optometrists;
(9) Code Section 43-39-22, relating to the terms of the "Psychology Interjurisdictional
Compact (Psypact)"; and
(10) Code Section 43-44-31, relating to the text of compact relative to the "Audiology and
Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Act."
SECTION 2.
Titles 20 and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education and
professions and businesses, respectively, are amended by inserting "or its successor" after
"United States Department of Education" wherever the latter appears in:
(1) Code Section 20-2-206, relating to alternative teacher certification program and
creditable service;
(2) Code Section 20-2-664, relating to role of department of education relative to student
data privacy, accessibility, and transparency;
(3) Code Section 20-3-250.3, relating to educational institutions exempted from
application of part;
(4) Subsection (e) of Code Section 20-3-250.5, relating to administration and general
powers and duties;
(5) Code Section 20-3-395, relating to definitions relative to direct loans to students on
basis of need and merit;
(6) Code Section 20-3-400.1, relating to definitions relative to Graduate on Time student
loans;
(7) Code Section 20-3-405.1, relating to definitions relative to education for public service
student loans;
(8) Code Section 43-10A-61, relating to the enactment and text of the Social Work
Licensure Compact;
(9) Code Section 43-21A-3, relating to definitions relative to the "Industrial Hygiene,
Health Physics, and Safety Profession Recognition and Title Protection Act";
(10) Code Section 43-26-3, relating to definitions relative to the "Georgia Registered
Professional Nurse Practice Act"; and
(11) Code Section 43-26-32, relating to definitions relative to licensed practical nurses.
SECTION 3.
Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended in
Code Section 20-3-660, relating to tuition waiver program for qualifying foster and adopted
individuals, by revising subsection (d) as follows:
"(d) For each student who meets the requirements provided for in subsection (c) of this
Code section, such student's public postsecondary educational institution shall waive tuition
and all fees as necessary to cover all assessed costs of attendance, as defined in 20 U.S.C.
Section 1087ll, that are not covered by all available federal and nonfederal student aid
sources identified in the student's <del>Student Aid Report from the United States Department
of Education</del> <ins>Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission summary,
</ins>
excepting student loans and any work-study program provided for in 42 U.S.C.
2751-2756b."
SECTION 4.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval; provided, however, that Sections 1 and 2 of this Act shall only
become effective upon an act of Congress repealing the establishment of the United States
Department of Education or otherwise abolishing the United States Department of Education.
SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.