SB 85: Grants for Foster Children; a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility requirements, subject to specific appropriations; establish

Georgia currently has a tuition waiver program for some foster and adopted youth, but this bill adds a new, separate scholarship program under the Georgia Student Finance Authority. It would be called the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship, available to eligible students under age 26 who are in foster care, in an independent living program, adopted after age 14 from foster care, or otherwise connected to the foster care system, and who are enrolled or accepted at an eligible college or technical school. Grants would cover tuition, room, board, meals, and books, minus other aid the student receives, capped at $30,000 per year. Students could keep receiving the scholarship until they earn a bachelor's degree, use up 127 semester hours, or hit ten years of eligibility. The Student Finance Authority could contract with a nonprofit to run the program and could suspend schools that misreport student eligibility. Falsely claiming eligibility would be a misdemeanor. The whole program only takes effect if the General Assembly specifically appropriates money for it.

• Creates a new Georgia Foster Care Scholarship program for current and former foster youth attending undergraduate programs, separate from the existing tuition waiver program.
• Sets eligibility rules covering foster youth, adopted youth, independent living program participants, and others connected to Georgia's foster care system, all under age 26.
• Caps the yearly scholarship amount at $30,000 per student and limits total eligibility to earning a bachelor's degree, 127 semester hours, or ten years, whichever comes first.
• Allows the Georgia Student Finance Authority to contract with a nonprofit grant coordinating organization to run the program and requires that group to spend 100 percent of funds on student grants.
• Lets the Student Finance Authority suspend colleges from the program if they misreport student eligibility and fail to refund money owed.
• Makes knowingly submitting a false statement to get a grant a misdemeanor crime, and makes the whole Act effective only once the legislature specifically appropriates funding for it.

Current and former foster youth under 26, including those in independent living programs or adopted after age 14 from foster care; Georgia colleges and technical schools that enroll them; the Georgia Student Finance Authority, which would run the program; and any nonprofit organization contracted to administer it.

If funded, the program would give eligible foster youth a dedicated source of college aid covering tuition, housing, meals, and books, up to $30,000 a year, potentially easing a major financial barrier to finishing a degree. But nothing changes unless the legislature appropriates money specifically for it in a future budget.

• Section 1 adds a new Part 2 (O.C.G.A. §§ 20-3-670 through 20-3-676) to Georgia's foster care education law, naming it the 'Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act.'
• Section 20-3-671 defines 'eligible student' broadly to include foster youth, independent living program participants, certain adoptees, and 'aging foster children' as defined elsewhere in state law.
• Section 20-3-672 directs the Student Finance Authority to set up the scholarship program and allows it to contract with a nonprofit grant coordinating organization to administer it.
• Section 20-3-673 caps per-year grants at $30,000, requires FAFSA completion and satisfactory academic progress, and limits total eligibility to a bachelor's degree, 127 semester hours, or ten years.
• Section 20-3-674 lets the Authority audit colleges' certifications and suspend schools from the program if they don't refund improperly paid grant money.
• Section 20-3-675 makes knowingly submitting a false statement to obtain a grant a misdemeanor.
• Section 2 makes the entire Act effective only if a future appropriations Act specifically funds the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship program.

1. 2025-05-12Act 120
2. 2025-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
3. 2025-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-04Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
5. 2025-03-27House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
6. 2025-03-27House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
8. 2025-03-06House Second Readers (House)

• Matt Brass (R, SD-6)Primary sponsor
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-21)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-34)
• John Albers (R, SD-56)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-19)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-35)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-16)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 0 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #126

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2025

   166 yea, 2 nay (5 not voting, 7 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #320

3. PassedSenate voteApril 4, 2025

   53 yea, 1 nay (0 not voting, 2 excused)

   AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #452

• foster care
• college scholarships
• education funding
• child welfare
• student financial aid