---
title: SB 523. Education; public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion; authorize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb523
cite_as: SB 523, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb523
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb523.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb523/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73343
date: 2026-05-05
status: passed
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: 1464
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bill_number: SB 523
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-05
last_action: Effective Date 2026-05-05
sponsors:
- Russ Goodman
- Bill Cowsert
- Kay Kirkpatrick
- John Albers
- Blake Tillery
- Lee Anderson
- Matt Brass
- Mike Hodges
- Shawn Still
- Carden Summers
- Max Burns
- Chuck Hufstetler
- Billy Hickman
- Marty Harbin
- Sam Watson
- Brian Strickland
- Drew Echols
- Jason T. Dickerson
- Timothy Bearden
- Ben Watson
- Steve Gooch
- Sonya Halpern
- Elena Parent
- Deborah Silcox
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB523/2025
upstream_id: 2119565
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- antisemitism
- school discrimination
- Title VI compliance
- higher education policy
- civil rights in schools
---
# SB 523. Education; public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion; authorize
## Text
Senate Bill 523
By: Senators Goodman of the 8th, Cowsert of the 46th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Albers of
the 56th, Tillery of the 19th and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to
prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in public
schools and postsecondary educational institutions; to require the Department of Education
to establish a state-wide K-12 Title VI Coordinator; to require the Board of Regents of the
University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technical College System of
Georgia to establish policies and procedures regarding discrimination complaints; to
authorize withholding of funds for noncompliance; to provide for notice and appeal
procedures; to provide for definitions; to provide for an effective date; to provide for annual
reporting; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended by
adding a new Code section to Chapter 1, relating to general provisions, to read as follows:
"20-1-13.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Georgia state school' means:
(A) An institution of the University System of Georgia; or
(B) A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.
(2) 'Public school' means and includes a Georgia state school, a local school system, and
any public elementary and secondary school in this state.
(b) No person in this state shall, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion,
be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination
under any educational program or activity or in employment practices conducted by a
public school that receives federal or state financial assistance.
(c) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to diminish or infringe upon any right
protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution or Article I,
Section I of the Georgia Constitution."
SECTION 2.
Said title is further amended in Chapter 2, relating to elementary and secondary education,
by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-324.10.
(a)(1) It is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that no student, teacher, or
employee in Georgia's public education system is subjected to discrimination or
harassment on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.
(2) As used in this Code section, the term 'public school' means and includes a local
school system and any public elementary and secondary school in this state.
(b) No later than September 29, 2026, the Department of Education shall designate a
state-wide K-12 Title VI Coordinator dedicated to monitoring complaints of discrimination
and harassment in public schools in accordance with Title VI of the federal Civil Rights
Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. Section 2000d, et seq., 34 C.F.R. Part 100, and other applicable
federal and state nondiscrimination laws, rules, and regulations.
(c) The state-wide K-12 Title VI Coordinator shall:
(1) Establish, maintain, and publicize a uniform complaint submission process, available
electronically and in writing, whereby students, parents, teachers, and staff may report
alleged violations;
(2) Receive, document, and investigate complaints of discrimination and harassment
occurring in any public schools in this state and prepare written findings of fact and
recommendations for review by the Department of Education;
(3) Upon review of the coordinator's findings, if the Department of Education determines
a public school has failed to comply with the requirements of this Code section, the
coordinator shall assist the Department of Education in issuing a written notice of
noncompliance requiring corrective action within 30 days of receipt of such notice;
(4) Monitor the implementation of corrective action plans submitted by public schools
and provide recommendations to the Department of Education regarding compliance
status;
(5) Refer unresolved violations to the United States Department of Education's Office
for Civil Rights and the United States Department of Justice when corrective actions are
not taken within 30 days of notice;
(6) Submit an annual report no later than June 30 of each year to the State School
Superintendent, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and the chairpersons of the House Committee on Education and the
Senate Education Committee, including, but not limited to, the number and details of
complaints and enforcement actions taken; and
(7) In consultation with the Department of Education, develop policies and procedures
for the implementation of this Code section, which shall include, but not be limited to,
ensuring complaints and appeals are handled in a timely manner, kept confidential, and
investigated thoroughly and that retaliation is prohibited.
(d)(1) The Department of Education shall be responsible for conducting or supervising
investigations and making written determinations as to whether a public school has failed
to comply with the requirements of this Code section.
(2) If the Department of Education determines that a public school has failed to comply
with the requirements of this Code section, it shall provide a written notice of
noncompliance to the public school, and the public school shall have 30 days from the
receipt of such notice to correct such noncompliance and to develop a corrective action
plan for preventing future recurrences. The Department of Education may extend such
30 day period upon a showing of good cause by the public school.
(3)(A) The state board shall be authorized to take corrective action, including, but not
limited to, withholding a portion of state funding to a public school, as provided for in
Code Section 20-2-243, if such public school fails to comply with the provisions of this
Code section or fails to correct the identified noncompliance.
(B) If the state board notifies the public school that it is subject to the withholding of
state funding pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, such public school may
bring an action against the board seeking appropriate relief from the superior court of
the county where the public school is headquartered.
(4) Upon any enforcement action, the K-12 Title VI Coordinator shall promptly notify
the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
chairpersons of the House Committee on Education and the Senate Education
Committee."
SECTION 3.
Said title is further amended in Chapter 3, relating to postsecondary education, by adding a
new Code section to read as follows:
"20-3-40.1.
(a)(1) It is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that no student, teacher, or
employee in a public institution of higher education is subjected to discrimination or
harassment on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.
(2) As used in this Code section, the term 'public institution of higher education' or
'institution' means any college or university under the management and control of the
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.
(b) No later than December 31, 2026, the board of regents shall ensure that all public
institutions of higher education comprising the University System of Georgia have
established policies and procedures to:
(1) Establish, maintain, and publicize a complaint submission process, available
electronically and in writing, whereby students, faculty, staff, or others may report
alleged violations of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-1-13;
(2) Develop procedures for the implementation of this Code Section, which shall include,
but not be limited to, ensuring complaints are handled in a timely manner, kept
confidential, and investigated thoroughly and that retaliation is prohibited; and
(3) Document and investigate complaints of discrimination and harassment and prepare
written findings and conclusions.
(c)(1) The board of regents shall be responsible for determining whether a public
institution of higher education has failed to comply with the requirements of this Code
section.
(2) The board of regents shall be authorized to take corrective action, including, but not
limited to, withholding state funding administered through the board of regents that
benefits a public institution of higher education if such institution fails to comply with the
provisions of this Code section or fails to correct noncompliance.
(3) The board of regents shall make and publish an annual report and provide a copy to
the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
chairpersons of the House Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Higher
Education Committee on July 1 of each year providing aggregate numbers of complaints,
investigations, and findings related to enforcement of this Code section.
(d) Nothing in this Code section shall be interpreted as preventing the board of regents, or
any institution thereof, from complying with federal laws prohibiting discrimination and
harassment or the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g."
SECTION 4.
Said title is further amended in Chapter 4, relating to vocational, technical, and adult
education, by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"20-4-39.1.
(a)(1) It is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that no student, teacher, or
employee in a public institution of higher education is subjected to discrimination or
harassment on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.
(2) As used in this Code section, the term 'public institution of higher education' or
'institution' means any postsecondary technical school or other postsecondary branch of
the Technical College System of Georgia.
(b) No later than December 31, 2026, the state board shall ensure that all units comprising
the Technical College System of Georgia have established policies and procedures to:
(1) Establish, maintain, and publicize a complaint submission process, available
electronically and in writing, whereby students, faculty, staff, or others may report
alleged violations of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-1-13;
(2) Develop procedures for the implementation of this Code Section, which shall include,
but not be limited to, ensuring complaints are handled in a timely manner, kept
confidential, and investigated thoroughly and that retaliation is prohibited; and
(3) Document and investigate complaints of discrimination and harassment and prepare
written findings and conclusions.
(c)(1) The state board shall be responsible for determining whether a public institution
of higher education has failed to comply with the requirements of this Code section.
(2) The state board shall be authorized to take corrective action, including, but not
limited to, withholding state funding administered through the state board that benefits
a public institution of higher education if such institution fails to comply with the
provisions of this Code section or fails to correct noncompliance.
(3) The state board shall make and publish an annual report and provide a copy to the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
chairpersons of the House Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Higher
Education Committee on July 1 of each year providing aggregate numbers of complaints,
investigations, and findings related to enforcement of this Code section.
(d) Nothing in this Code section shall be interpreted as preventing the state board, or any
institution thereof, from complying with federal laws prohibiting discrimination and
harassment or the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232g."
SECTION 5.
This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law
without such approval.
SECTION 6.
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.
Senate Bill 523 bars discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in Georgia public schools, colleges, and technical schools, and sets up new complaint systems and a state Title VI coordinator to enforce it.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-05)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-05-05 (2026-05-05)
- Sponsors: Russ Goodman, Bill Cowsert, Kay Kirkpatrick, John Albers, Blake Tillery, Lee Anderson, Matt Brass, Mike Hodges, Shawn Still, Carden Summers, Max Burns, Chuck Hufstetler, Billy Hickman, Marty Harbin, Sam Watson, Brian Strickland, Drew Echols, Jason T. Dickerson, Timothy Bearden, Ben Watson, Steve Gooch, Sonya Halpern, Elena Parent, Deborah Silcox
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73343
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,464 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb523.md?full=1