--- title: SB 326. Handicapped Persons; a program for support service providers to assist blind and deaf-blind individuals in navigating employment and higher education opportunities; provide collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb326 cite_as: SB 326, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb326 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb326.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb326/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71241 date: 2025-03-10 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-09-11 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/sb325.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb327.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 95 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb326.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 326 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-03-06 last_action: Senate Read and Referred sponsors: - Gail Davenport - Kenya Wicks - Kim Jackson - Harold Jones - Tonya Anderson - Donzella James - Michael Rhett - Randal Mangham text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB326/2025 upstream_id: 1994328 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - disability services - blind and deaf-blind assistance - vocational rehabilitation - higher education access - employment support --- # SB 326. Handicapped Persons; a program for support service providers to assist blind and deaf-blind individuals in navigating employment and higher education opportunities; provide ## Text 25 LC 52 0824 Senate Bill 326 By: Senators Davenport of the 17th, Wicks of the 34th, Jackson of the 41st, Jones II of the 22nd, Anderson of the 43rd and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, re lating to handicapped1 persons, so as to provide for a program for support service pro viders to assist blind and2 deaf-blind individuals in navigating employment and higher educ ation opportunities; to3 provide for a short title; to provide for a legislative purpose ; to provide for definitions; to4 establish an advisory committee; to provide for membership, duties, and meetings; to provide5 for program administration by the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency; to provide for6 criteria, standards, and eligibility; to provide for prioritiza tion; to provide for annual7 reporting; to provide for publication of information; to provide for related matters; to provide8 for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 Title 30 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to handicapped persons, is12 amended by adding a new chapter to read as follows:13 S. B. 326 - 1 - 25 LC 52 0824 "CHAPTER 1114 30-11-1.15 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the 'Georgia Su pport Service Provider16 Act of 2025.'17 30-11-2.18 The purpose of this chapter is to:19 (1) Establish a program to provide, arrange, and fund support service providers to assist20 blind and deaf-blind individuals in navigating employment and h igher education21 opportunities;22 (2) Reduce barriers to workforce participation and postsecondary education for blind and23 deaf-blind individuals; and24 (3) Enhance economic independence and social inclusion of blin d and deaf-blind25 individuals by offering personal and real-time employment assis tance and higher26 education assistance.27 30-11-3.28 As used in this chapter, the term:29 (1) 'Advisory committee' means the Support Service Provider Pr ogram Advisory30 Committee created under Code Section 30-11-4.31 (2) 'Agency' means the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency.32 (3) 'Blind' means having vision that is 20/200 or less in the best corrected eye or having33 vision that subtends an angle of not greater than 20 degrees in the best corrected eye.34 (4) 'Deaf-blind' means having a combined loss of vision and hearing which prevents the35 individual's vision or hearing from being used as a primary sou rce for accessing36 information.37 S. B. 326 - 2 - 25 LC 52 0824 (5) 'Employment assistance' means assisting a blind or deaf-blind individual with:38 (A) Job application support, including assisting with job sear ches, application39 completion, resume writing, and interview preparation;40 (B) Workplace orientation, including helping a blind or deaf-blind employee navigate41 new workplaces, understand spatial layouts, and access assistive technology; and42 (C) Transportation coordination, including facilitating accessible transportation to and43 from job interviews and employment sites.44 (6) 'Higher education assistance' means assisting a blind or deaf-blind individual with:45 (A) College enrollment support, including assisting with admis sions, financial aid46 applications, and orientation programs;47 (B) Classroom and campus navigation, including providing guida nce to locate48 classrooms, libraries, and student resources; and 49 (C) Academic support, including helping blind and deaf-blind students access adaptive50 technology, note-taking services, and tutoring accommodations.51 (7) 'Program' means the Support Service Provider Program created under this chapter.52 (8) 'Support service provider' means an individual who is spec ially trained to provide53 employment assistance and higher education assistance to blind and deaf-blind54 individuals.55 30-11-4.56 (a) There is created a Support Service Provider Program Advisory Committee to provide57 recommendations and guidance to the agency in establishing, imp lementing, and58 administering the program established pursuant to this chapter.59 (b) The advisory committee shall consist of nine members appointed by the Governor who60 shall be blind or deaf-blind individuals, disability advocates, business leaders or employers,61 representatives of higher education institutions, and support s ervice providers. The62 Governor shall designate one member as chairperson.63 S. B. 326 - 3 - 25 LC 52 0824 (c) The term of each member of the advisory committee shall be for two years, provided64 that of the members first appointed, five shall be appointed for terms of one year and four65 for terms of two years. Whenever any vacancy in membership of the advisory committee66 occurs, the Governor shall appoint a qualified person to fill t he unexpired term. Each67 member shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified. No member shall serve68 more than two consecutive terms.69 (d) The advisory committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson and shall meet at least70 quarterly. No later than January 1, 2026, the advisory committ ee shall provide initial71 recommendations to the agency.72 (e) Members of the advisory committee shall serve as such without compensation but shall73 receive the same expense allowance as that received by members of the General Assembly74 and the same mileage allowance for the use of a personal car or a travel allowance of actual75 transportation cost if traveling by public carrier as that received by all other state officials76 and employees.77 (f) The agency shall provide reasonable administrative support to the advisory committee.78 30-11-5.79 (a) The agency is authorized to establish and administer the S upport Service Provider80 Program to provide, arrange, or fund support service providers to provide employment81 assistance and higher education assistance to blind and deaf-blind individuals residing in82 this state.83 (b) The agency, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall establish standards and84 criteria for the program, support services, support service pro viders, and applicants to85 receive support services.86 (c) No later than January 1, 2027, the program shall be fully operational.87 S. B. 326 - 4 - 25 LC 52 0824 (d) The agency shall contract with qualified nonprofit organiz ations and independent88 support service providers to deliver employment assistance and higher education assistance89 to blind and deaf-blind individuals through the program. 90 (e) Any resident of this state who is blind or deaf-blind and seeking employment or91 postsecondary education shall be eligible for support services; provided, however, that92 priority shall be given to individuals from low-income backgrou nds and residing in93 underserved rural areas.94 30-11-6.95 (a) The agency shall be authorized to accept donations, contri butions, and gifts and to96 receive, hold, and use grants, devises, and bequests of real, personal, and mixed property97 on behalf of the state to enable the agency to carry out the functions and purposes of this98 chapter.99 (b) The agency shall be authorized to pursue federal funding o pportunities and100 collaborations with private entities, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic101 organizations to fund the program established pursuant to this chapter.102 30-11-7.103 Beginning December 1, 2027, the agency shall prepare and submit to the Governor, the104 President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives an annual report105 evaluating the effectiveness of the program established pursuan t to this chapter. Such106 report shall include the number of individuals served, employme nt and education107 outcomes, budget expenditures and financial accountability, and recommendations for108 program expansion or improvement. The agency shall publish such reports on its website109 in a prominent location."110 S. B. 326 - 5 - 25 LC 52 0824 SECTION 2.111 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law112 without such approval.113 SECTION 3.114 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.115 S. B. 326 - 6 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate bill would create a state program to help blind and deaf-blind residents find jobs and pursue college by funding trained support service providers through the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency. ### Plain-language summary Georgia currently has no dedicated program to pay for personal assistants who help blind or deaf-blind residents navigate job searches and college life. This bill would add a new chapter to Title 30 of Georgia's code creating the 'Georgia Support Service Provider Act of 2025.' It sets up a Support Service Provider Program run by the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, which would contract with nonprofits and independent providers to offer help such as job application support, workplace orientation, college enrollment assistance, and campus navigation. A nine member advisory committee appointed by the Governor would guide the program's design. The program must be fully operational by January 1, 2027, and priority for services goes to low-income residents and those in underserved rural areas. Starting December 1, 2027, the agency must file annual public reports on outcomes. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law. ### What it does - Creates a new Support Service Provider Program inside the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency to fund trained providers who assist blind and deaf-blind residents. - Establishes a nine-member Support Service Provider Program Advisory Committee appointed by the Governor to guide how the program is built and run. - Directs the agency to contract with nonprofit organizations and independent providers to deliver employment and higher education assistance. - Requires the program to be fully operational by January 1, 2027, and gives priority access to low-income and rural residents. - Allows the agency to accept private donations and pursue federal funding to pay for the program. - Requires the agency to publish an annual public report starting December 1, 2027 on how many people were served and the outcomes achieved. ### Who it affects Blind and deaf-blind Georgians seeking jobs or postsecondary education, the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, nonprofit organizations and independent contractors who would provide the services, disability advocates and business leaders serving on the new advisory committee, and higher education institutions. ### Why it matters Blind and deaf-blind Georgians who currently lack personal help navigating job applications, workplaces, or college campuses could gain access to trained assistants paid for through a state-run program, potentially making it easier to find work or complete a degree, especially for low-income and rural residents given priority. ### Key provisions - Code Section 30-11-3 defines key terms including 'blind,' 'deaf-blind,' 'employment assistance,' and 'higher education assistance.' - Code Section 30-11-4 creates the nine-member advisory committee, sets two-year terms, and requires quarterly meetings and initial recommendations by January 1, 2026. - Code Section 30-11-5 puts the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency in charge of running the program, requires it to be fully operational by January 1, 2027, and directs priority for low-income and rural residents. - Code Section 30-11-6 authorizes the agency to accept private donations and pursue federal funding to support the program. - Code Section 30-11-7 requires an annual public report starting December 1, 2027 covering people served, outcomes, spending, and recommendations. - Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill otherwise becoming law. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-03-06) - Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-03-10) - Sponsors: Gail Davenport, Kenya Wicks, Kim Jackson, Harold Jones, Tonya Anderson, Donzella James, Michael Rhett, Randal Mangham - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71241 > The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb326.md?full=1