SB 523: Education; public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion; authorize

Georgia law did not previously spell out a state-level ban on discrimination in education matching federal Title VI protections. This bill adds that ban directly into Georgia's education code, covering K-12 public schools, University System of Georgia institutions, and Technical College System of Georgia schools. It requires the Department of Education to name a state-wide K-12 Title VI Coordinator by September 29, 2026, who will run a complaint process, investigate discrimination and harassment claims, and report annually to state leaders. Colleges and technical colleges must set up their own complaint and investigation procedures by December 31, 2026. If a school does not fix a violation within 30 days of being notified, state officials can withhold a portion of its state funding, though schools can appeal that decision in superior court. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Adds a new section of Georgia law banning discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in public K-12 schools, universities, and technical colleges that get state or federal money.
• Requires the Department of Education to appoint a state-wide K-12 Title VI Coordinator by September 29, 2026 to handle discrimination and harassment complaints.
• Directs the University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia to create complaint, investigation, and reporting procedures by December 31, 2026.
• Allows the state to withhold a portion of state funding from a public school, college, or technical school that fails to fix a discrimination violation within 30 days of notice.
• Gives schools facing funding cutoffs the right to challenge that decision in the superior court of the county where the school is headquartered.
• Requires annual reports on complaints and enforcement actions to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, House Speaker, and relevant legislative committees.

Students, teachers, and staff in Georgia's public elementary and secondary schools, University System of Georgia colleges and universities, and Technical College System of Georgia schools, along with the Department of Education, the Board of Regents, and the State Board of the Technical College System, which must build and enforce the new complaint procedures.

Georgians in public schools and colleges would gain a formal, state-enforced way to report discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion, with a designated coordinator handling K-12 complaints and the threat of lost state funding pushing schools to act on findings within set deadlines.

• Section 1 adds Code Section 20-1-13, banning discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in any 'public school' receiving federal or state money, while protecting First Amendment and Georgia constitutional rights.
• Section 2 creates Code Section 20-2-324.10, requiring a state-wide K-12 Title VI Coordinator by September 29, 2026 to run a uniform complaint process and investigate discrimination claims in public schools.
• Section 2 lets the Department of Education issue a 30-day notice of noncompliance and allows the state board to withhold state funding under Code Section 20-2-243 for schools that don't correct violations.
• Section 3 creates Code Section 20-3-40.1, requiring the Board of Regents to set up complaint and investigation procedures at University System institutions by December 31, 2026, with annual reports due each July 1.
• Section 4 creates a parallel Code Section 20-4-39.1 for the Technical College System of Georgia, with the same December 31, 2026 deadline and annual reporting requirement.
• Section 5 makes the law effective as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without a signature.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-05-05
2. 2026-05-05Act 402
3. 2026-05-05Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-25Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-03-18House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-03-18House Third Readers (House)
8. 2026-03-12House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)Primary sponsor
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)

1. FailedSenate voteMarch 4, 2026

   22 yea, 31 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Adoption Of Amendment #1 By The Senator From The 35th: Senate Vote #619

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 4, 2026

   50 yea, 2 nay (2 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #620

3. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   165 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 10 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #716

4. PassedSenate voteMarch 25, 2026

   46 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 5 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #820

• antisemitism
• school discrimination
• Title VI compliance
• higher education policy
• civil rights in schools