SR 432: Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee; create

This resolution creates the Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee, made up of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, with one member possibly representing a district with a private nonprofit prison education program. Two cochairpersons, one from each party, will lead the committee. The committee is tasked with studying Georgia's current postsecondary and transition programs for incarcerated people, reviewing national data on similar programs, and recommending legislation if needed. It can hold meetings as needed, and legislative members get standard allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days unless more are approved, funded through existing Senate appropriations. If the committee approves findings or a report by majority vote, the cochairpersons must file it with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2026.

• Creates the Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee made up of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Directs the committee to study current postsecondary and transition programs available to people in Georgia prisons.
• Requires the committee to review recent data on prison education models used in other states.
• Authorizes the committee to recommend legislation based on its findings.
• Sets legislative member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless additional days are authorized, funded by the Senate.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026, after which any approved report or meeting minutes must be filed with the Secretary of the Senate.

This resolution primarily affects state senators appointed to the new committee, the Georgia Department of Corrections and its prison education partners such as the Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prison, and, indirectly, the more than 47,000 people incarcerated in Georgia's state prisons.

The committee's work could shape future legislation on expanding college and technical education inside Georgia prisons and easing barriers to scholarships, housing, health care, and jobs after release. For now, the resolution itself creates no new programs or funding for incarcerated people, only a study process.

• Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at five senators with two cochairpersons, one from each party, appointed by the President of the Senate.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study current postsecondary and transition offerings and successful models from other states, and to recommend legislation if appropriate.
• Paragraph (5) caps legislative allowances at five days under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 unless more are approved, funded from Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved findings, recommendations, or reports to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
3. 2026-03-23Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
4. 2026-03-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
5. 2025-03-21Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2025-03-20Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)Primary sponsor
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)

   Consent Calendar For Senate Study Committees: Senate Vote #875

• prison education
• criminal justice reform
• recidivism
• higher education
• legislative study committees