---
title: SB 589. "Quality Basic Education Act"; the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade; revise
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb589
cite_as: SB 589, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb589
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb589.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb589/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73650
date: 2026-05-12
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: 1317
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb589.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 589
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-12
last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01
sponsors:
- Matt Brass
- Billy Hickman
- Bo Hatchett
- Jason Anavitarte
- Steven McNeel
- John Albers
- Mike Hodges
- Randy Robertson
- Clint Dixon
- Kim Jackson
- Scott Hilton
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB589/2025
upstream_id: 2124808
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- pre-kindergarten enrollment
- kindergarten enrollment
- student ID badges
- suicide prevention hotline
- Georgia public schools
---
# SB 589. "Quality Basic Education Act"; the date by which a child must attain a certain age to be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten or first grade; revise
## Text
Senate Bill 589
By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Hickman of the 4th, Hatchett of the 50th, Anavitarte of the
31st, McNeel of the 18th and others
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 20-2-150 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
eligibility for enrollment, program assignments for students, and student social security
numbers, so as to provide for parents and guardians to elect for their children who have
attained the age of four or five to be enrolled in a voluntary pre-kindergarten program
provided and operated as part of Georgia's Pre-K Program; to provide for parents and
guardians of students who are eligible for initial public school enrollment in first grade to
elect for their children to be enrolled in kindergarten rather than first grade; to amend Part 3
of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
student health in elementary and secondary education, so as to enact the "You Are Not Alone
Awareness Act"; to require public schools that issue student identification badges to include
certain information about the 9-8-8 crisis response hotline on such badges; 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.
Code Section 20-2-150 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility for
enrollment, program assignments for students, and student social security numbers, is
amended by adding new subsections to read as follows:
"(b.1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, each child who attains
the age of either four or five by September 1 shall be eligible for enrollment in a voluntary
pre-kindergarten program provided and operated as part of Georgia's Pre-K Program, and
each such child shall be enrolled in such program at the request of his or her parent or
guardian; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not be construed or applied to
require or permit a child to be enrolled in such a program for more than one year; and,
provided, further that children ages four and five shall be treated on the same basis relative
to selection for available seats in such programs.
(b.2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, each child enrolling in
a state supported education program for the first time who, by virtue of his or her age and
date of birth, is eligible for enrollment in the first grade of a state supported primary grades
program pursuant to this Code section or Code Section 20-2-150 shall be enrolled in a state
supported kindergarten program at the request of his or her parent or guardian."
SECTION 2.
Part 3 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to student health in elementary and secondary education, is amended by enacting a
new Code section to read as follows:
"20-2-779.5.
(a) This Code section shall be known and may be cited as the 'You Are Not Alone
Awareness Act.'
(b) Each local school system or public school that issues student identification badges to
students in any of grades six through 12 shall cause to be printed on any such badges that
are issued on or after July 1, 2026, '9-8-8 - You are not alone. Right now, anyone
experiencing a suicidal crisis, emotional distress, or challenges with substance abuse should
call or text 9-8-8. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a
year.'"
SECTION 3.
This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and shall apply to all school years beginning
with the 2026-2027 school year.
SECTION 4.
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.
Georgia's Senate has passed a bill giving parents more say over when their four, five, or six year olds start school, and requiring middle and high schools to print a suicide hotline message on student ID badges.
### Plain-language summary
Under current Georgia law, whether a child enrolls in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, or first grade depends largely on their birthdate relative to a state cutoff. This bill changes that by giving parents and guardians more direct control. Any child who turns four or five by September 1 becomes eligible for Georgia's Pre-K Program at a parent's request, with four and five year olds treated equally when seats are limited. Separately, a child who would otherwise be old enough for first grade can instead be enrolled in kindergarten if the parent requests it.
The bill also creates the 'You Are Not Alone Awareness Act.' Starting July 1, 2026, any Georgia public school that issues student ID badges to students in grades six through 12 must print a specific message on new badges directing students to call or text the 9-8-8 crisis hotline. The whole law takes effect July 1, 2026 and applies starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
### What it does
- Lets parents enroll a four or five year old in Georgia's Pre-K Program at their request, treating both ages equally for available seats.
- Allows parents of a child old enough for first grade to instead enroll that child in kindergarten.
- Requires public schools issuing ID badges to students in grades six through 12 to print a 9-8-8 suicide and crisis hotline message on badges issued after July 1, 2026.
- Sets the law's effective date as July 1, 2026, applying beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
- Repeals any existing laws that conflict with these changes.
### Who it affects
Parents and guardians of preschool and early elementary age children, Georgia's Pre-K Program providers, local school systems and public schools that issue student ID badges, and middle and high school students in grades six through 12 who receive those badges.
### Why it matters
Families would gain more flexibility in deciding when a young child starts formal schooling rather than being bound strictly by age cutoffs. Meanwhile, older students would see a consistent, visible reminder on their school ID about how to reach crisis support during a mental health or substance abuse emergency.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 adds subsection (b.1) to O.C.G.A. ยง 20-2-150, making children who turn four or five by September 1 eligible for Georgia's Pre-K Program at a parent's request, capped at one year of enrollment.
- Section 1 also adds subsection (b.2), letting a parent choose kindergarten instead of first grade for a child who is otherwise age-eligible for first grade.
- Section 2 creates new Code Section 20-2-779.5, the 'You Are Not Alone Awareness Act,' requiring the 9-8-8 hotline message on student ID badges for grades six through 12 issued on or after July 1, 2026.
- Section 3 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, applying to school years starting with 2026-2027.
- Section 4 repeals conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-12)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-12)
- Sponsors: Matt Brass, Billy Hickman, Bo Hatchett, Jason Anavitarte, Steven McNeel, John Albers, Mike Hodges, Randy Robertson, Clint Dixon, Kim Jackson, Scott Hilton
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73650
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,317 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb589.md?full=1