---
title: SB 479. Compulsory Attendance; adopt a policy that students shall be granted not less than one excused absence for attending or participating in a civic or political event; require the local governing body
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb479
cite_as: SB 479, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb479
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb479.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb479/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73002
date: 2026-02-10
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.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb479.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 479
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-09
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- RaShaun Kemp
- Randal Mangham
- Jaha Howard
- Kenya Wicks
- Harold Jones
- Josh McLaurin
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB479/2025
upstream_id: 2112329
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- school attendance policy
- student rights
- civic engagement
- K-12 education
- Georgia schools
---
# SB 479. Compulsory Attendance; adopt a policy that students shall be granted not less than one excused absence for attending or participating in a civic or political event; require the local governing body
## Text
Senate Bill 479
By: Senators Kemp of the 38th, Mangham of the 55th, Howard of the 35th, Wicks of the
34th, Jones II of the 22nd and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to compulsory attendance relative to elementary and secondary
school students, so as to require the local governing body for each school system and public
school to adopt a policy providing that students shall be granted not less than one excused
absence per school year for attending or participating in a civic or political event; to require
the State Board of Education to develop a model policy; to provide a definition; to provide
a short title; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to provide for related matters;
to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to compulsory attendance relative to elementary and secondary school
students, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-692.5.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'civic or political event' means a strike, public
comment, candidate speech, political or civil forum, town hall, protest, or similar event.
(b) The local governing body of each local school system and public school shall adopt a
policy providing that a student shall be granted not less than one excused absence per
school year for attending or participating in a civic or political event. Such policy shall
provide for:
(1) Notification by the parent or guardian of a student, or the student if he or she is 18
years of age or older or is an emancipated minor, to the local school system or public
school that such student will be absent due to attendance at or participation in a civic or
political event, which shall be provided not less than one school day prior to the absence;
and
(2) Documentation of absences excused in accordance with this Code section.
(c) The State Board of Education shall develop a model policy for use by local school
systems and public schools in accordance with this Code section."
SECTION 2.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply beginning with the
2026-2027 school year.
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## 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 require every local school system and public school to grant students at least one excused absence per school year for attending or participating in a civic or political event, starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia's compulsory attendance law currently does not guarantee students an excused absence for civic or political activities like protests, town halls, or candidate speeches. This bill would add a new section to that law (O.C.G.A. ยง 20-2-692.5) requiring the local governing body of each school system and public school to adopt a policy granting students at least one excused absence per school year for attending or participating in such events.
The bill defines a 'civic or political event' broadly to include strikes, public comment, candidate speeches, political or civil forums, town halls, protests, or similar events. Students or their parents would need to notify the school at least one school day before the planned absence, and schools would have to document these excused absences. The State Board of Education would create a model policy for schools to use. The change would take effect July 1, 2026, and apply starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
### What it does
- Adds a new Code section requiring local school systems and public schools to adopt a policy granting at least one excused absence per school year for civic or political events.
- Defines 'civic or political event' to include strikes, public comment, candidate speeches, political or civil forums, town halls, protests, or similar events.
- Requires advance notice from a parent, guardian, or student (if 18 or an emancipated minor) at least one school day before the absence.
- Requires schools to document absences excused under this new policy.
- Directs the State Board of Education to create a model policy for local systems and schools to use.
- Sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
### Who it affects
K-12 students and their parents or guardians across Georgia, local school systems and public schools that must adopt the new attendance policy, and the State Board of Education, which must create a model policy for schools to follow.
### Why it matters
Students who want to attend protests, town halls, candidate speeches, or similar events would have a guaranteed excused absence, protecting them from attendance penalties. Schools would need to update attendance policies, track a new category of excused absence, and require advance notice before the event.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds new Code section 20-2-692.5 defining 'civic or political event' as a strike, public comment, candidate speech, political or civil forum, town hall, protest, or similar event.
- Section 1 requires local governing bodies of school systems and public schools to adopt a policy granting at least one excused absence per school year for such events.
- The policy must require notice from the parent, guardian, or eligible student at least one school day before the absence, and must require documentation of the excused absence.
- Section 1 directs the State Board of Education to develop a statewide model policy for schools to use.
- Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-09)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2026-02-10)
- Sponsors: RaShaun Kemp, Randal Mangham, Jaha Howard, Kenya Wicks, Harold Jones, Josh McLaurin
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73002
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb479.md?full=1