Georgia CommonsSB 556: HOPE Scholarship; the inclusion of advanced placement and international baccalaureate fine arts courses in the calculation of grade point averages; provide
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-07-01
Senate Bill 556 is a wide-ranging higher education bill that creates a new needs-based DREAMS scholarship, lets advanced fine arts courses count toward HOPE scholarship GPAs, requires colleges to stock opioid antagonists, and raises savings plan limits.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This bill bundles together several changes to Georgia's higher education and related laws. It creates a new DREAMS scholarship for undergraduates with unmet financial need at University System of Georgia and Technical College System schools, funded through a new state endowment, capped at $3,000 per year and eight semesters. It also changes how the Georgia Student Finance Commission calculates grade point averages for HOPE and related scholarships by letting advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and now advanced fine arts courses count, starting with students graduating after July 1, 2026. The bill also requires University System and Technical College System institutions to stock opioid antagonists like naloxone near defibrillators and lets trained staff administer them with legal immunity. It creates a repayment-based scholarship for medical students who agree to practice in Georgia, raises the 529 college savings account cap from $235,000 to $550,000, creates a new state income tax deduction for contributions to other states' 529 plans, excludes part-time students from the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan, and adjusts the lottery shortfall reserve formula. Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026.
What the bill does
- Creates the DREAMS scholarship, a new needs-based aid program capped at $3,000 per academic year and eight semesters, funded by a dedicated state endowment fund.
- Adds advanced fine arts courses (with standardized end-of-course exams) to the courses counted when calculating HOPE scholarship grade point averages, starting with students graduating on or after July 1, 2026.
- Requires University System of Georgia institutions and Technical College System units to stock opioid antagonists (like naloxone) near defibrillators and lets trained staff administer them without civil liability or professional discipline.
- Creates a new medical school scholarship that pays a student's full cost of attendance in exchange for a four-year commitment to practice medicine in Georgia after graduation.
- Raises the maximum balance allowed in a Georgia 529 college savings account from $235,000 to $550,000 and creates a new state income tax deduction of up to $2,000 per beneficiary for contributions to out-of-state 529 plans.
- Excludes part-time students from being counted as employees under the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan and changes how the lottery's shortfall reserve minimum is calculated.
Who it affects
Georgia college and technical college students seeking financial aid, high school students whose GPA affects HOPE eligibility (especially those taking advanced fine arts classes), medical students, University System and Technical College System employees and campuses, parents saving in 529 college savings plans, and part-time student workers at public institutions.
Why it matters
Students with financial need could get up to $3,000 a year in new scholarship money, and students taking advanced fine arts classes could see their HOPE-qualifying GPA calculated differently. Campuses would be required to keep overdose-reversal medication on hand, and families could save more, and get new tax breaks, through college savings plans.
Key provisions
- Part I (Section 1-1) creates the DREAMS Scholarship Endowment Fund and sets eligibility rules, including a $3,000 per year cap, an eight-semester limit, a required financial literacy course, and a part-time work requirement for recipients.
- Part II (Section 2-1) adds 'advanced fine arts' courses to the subjects used in HOPE scholarship GPA calculations, but bars counting those grades for students who graduated before July 1, 2026.
- Part III (Sections 3-1, 3-2, 3-3) requires University System and Technical College System institutions to acquire and maintain opioid antagonists near defibrillators, authorizes trained personnel to administer them, and grants them immunity from civil liability except for willful misconduct.
- Part IV (Section 4-1) creates a new medical school scholarship covering full cost of attendance for up to eight semesters, requiring recipients to practice medicine in Georgia for at least four years or repay the funds.
- Part V (Section 5-1) raises the maximum 529 college savings account balance from $235,000 to $550,000, effective upon the Governor's approval.
- Part V (Section 5-2) creates a new state income tax deduction, up to $2,000 per beneficiary (or $4,000 for joint filers), for contributions to qualifying out-of-state 529 tuition programs, for tax years 2026 through 2030.
- Part VI (Section 6-1) excludes part-time students, not just full-time students, from being classified as employees under the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan.
- Part VII (Section 7-1) changes how the lottery's shortfall reserve minimum is calculated, basing it on whichever is greater: net proceeds deposited or 'base lottery spend' over the prior three years.
From the bill
“The maximum award amount per student per academic year shall be $3,000.00; provided, however, that no student shall be awarded an amount that is more than such student's unmet financial need”
“provided, however, that the Georgia Student Finance Commission shall not include advanced fine arts course grades in the calculation of any grade point average for any student who graduated from high school before July 1, 2026.”
“No student, visitor, or university system employee shall be prohibited from possessing an opioid antagonist on university system property or at a university system sponsored activity.”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-07-01
- Act 468
- Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
Show full history (18 actions)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
- Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
- Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
- Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 6, 2026
50 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)
- House voteApril 2, 2026
167 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)
- Senate voteApril 2, 2026
25 yea, 25 nay (3 not voting, 1 absent)
- Senate voteApril 2, 2026
36 yea, 17 nay (0 not voting, 1 absent)
Topics
- HOPE scholarship
- college financial aid
- school GPA calculation
- opioid overdose response
- 529 college savings plans