---
title: SR 978. Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding; create
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr978
cite_as: SR 978, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr978
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr978.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr978/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74181
date: 2026-03-31
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: 469
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr978.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 978
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-31
last_action: Senate Passed/Adopted
sponsors:
  - Max Burns
  - Billy Hickman
  - Chuck Hufstetler
  - Nan Orrock
  - Jaha Howard
  - Jason Anavitarte
  - Ricky Williams
  - Carden Summers
  - Sally Harrell
  - Chuck Payne
  - Drew Echols
  - Clint Dixon
  - Randy Robertson
  - Larry Walker
  - Kay Kirkpatrick
  - Matt Brass
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR978/2025
upstream_id: 2135923
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - higher education funding
  - University System of Georgia
  - Technical College System of Georgia
  - legislative study committees
  - college enrollment
---

# SR 978. Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding; create

## Text

Senate Resolution 978
By: Senators Burns of the 23rd, Hickman of the 4th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Orrock of the
36th, Howard of the 35th and others
ADOPTED SENATE
A RESOLUTION
Creating the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, state funding for the University System of Georgia and the Technical College
System of Georgia is appropriated in lump sums to be allocated among institutions of the
university system and units of the technical college system by the Board of Regents of the
University System of Georgia and the State Board of the Technical College System of
Georgia, respectively; and
WHEREAS, the amount of such funding is determined based on funding formulas that are
decades old and rely heavily on student enrollment; and
WHEREAS, the funding formulas' reliance on student enrollment rather than student
outcomes, such as graduation, could incentivize practices that are not in the best interests of
students; and
WHEREAS, since the implementation of the funding formulas for the University System of
Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, higher education has changed in
significant ways, in particular with the advent and proliferation of education technology and
virtual instruction, and more changes in higher education are expected in the coming years;
and
WHEREAS, such changes may not be adequately accounted for in the current funding
formulas and projected declining enrollment could result in insufficient funding in the future;
and
WHEREAS, for the reasons mentioned above, it is in the best interests of the citizens of this
state for the General Assembly to review and evaluate the efficacy and sufficiency of these
funding formulas and to explore alternative funding formulas and how to best transition to
a new funding formula.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:
(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee
on Higher Education Funding.
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall comprise six members of the Senate
to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall
designate one of such members as chairperson of the committee.
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee
may conduct meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The committee may call upon
persons with expertise in education funding as deemed necessary by the committee to
fully explore the purposes of this resolution.
(5) Allowances and funding.
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds
appropriated to the Senate.
(6) Report.
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)
of this paragraph.
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with
the Secretary of the Senate. Any member of the committee may file a minority report
that shall accompany the majority report.
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary
of the Senate copies of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia Senate resolution would create a six-member Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding to review how the state pays for the University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia currently funds its public university and technical college systems through lump-sum appropriations that the Board of Regents and the State Board of the Technical College System divide among institutions using funding formulas that are decades old and rely heavily on student enrollment numbers rather than outcomes like graduation rates.
This resolution creates a temporary Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding, made up of six senators appointed by the President of the Senate, with one designated as chairperson. The committee is directed to study whether current funding formulas still work given changes like education technology and virtual instruction, and to explore alternative formulas and how the state might transition to a new one. It can hold meetings, call in experts, and issue a report with legislative recommendations. The committee's members receive standard legislative allowances, paid from Senate funds, for up to five days unless more are authorized. The committee is set to dissolve on December 1, 2026.

### What it does

- Creates the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding, composed of six senators appointed by the President of the Senate.
- Directs the committee to study whether current university and technical college funding formulas adequately reflect student outcomes and changes in higher education.
- Authorizes the committee to hold meetings and call on experts in education funding to help with its review.
- Allows the committee to recommend legislation or file a report, including a possible minority report, before it dissolves.
- Sets legislative allowances for committee members under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless extended, funded through Senate appropriations.
- Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2026.

### Who it affects

Georgia state senators appointed to serve on the committee, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia, and by extension students and administrators at Georgia's public colleges, universities, and technical colleges whose funding formulas may eventually be revised.

### Why it matters

If the committee's work leads to a new funding formula, it could change how state money is divided among Georgia's public colleges and technical schools, potentially shifting funding toward outcomes like graduation rates rather than enrollment counts, which could affect institutions facing declining enrollment.

### Key provisions

- Paragraph (1) creates the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Funding.
- Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at six senators appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson.
- Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying funding formula issues and recommending action or legislation.
- Paragraph (4) lets the chairperson call meetings and lets the committee consult outside experts on education funding.
- Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, limited to five paid days unless extended, funded by the Senate.
- Paragraph (6) outlines report-filing rules, including options for a majority report, minority report, or meeting minutes if no report is approved.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-31)
- Last action: Senate Passed/Adopted (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Max Burns, Billy Hickman, Chuck Hufstetler, Nan Orrock, Jaha Howard, Jason Anavitarte, Ricky Williams, Carden Summers, Sally Harrell, Chuck Payne, Drew Echols, Clint Dixon, Randy Robertson, Larry Walker, Kay Kirkpatrick, Matt Brass
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74181

> The history, votes, and amendments (469 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr978.md?full=1