SB497: SB497 School Students; written notification to a parent when a student receives certain noninstructional services from certain school employees; require

Georgia's 'Parents' Bill of Rights' (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-786) already lists rights parents have regarding their children's education, such as reviewing instructional materials and education records. This bill restructures that law into a new Part 6 and adds a companion section requiring written parental notice whenever a school employee, such as a counselor, nurse, psychologist, social worker, student advocacy specialist, administrator, or teacher, provides 'noninstructional services' (medical, nursing, or therapeutic counseling not tied to coursework) to a student. Notice must go to the parent within 48 hours, and the employee must also log the service in the student's education records. Notice can be skipped if the employee reasonably believes the student poses an imminent danger to self or others, or that notifying would worsen a suspected child abuse situation; in those cases the employee must tell the principal within 12 hours. Local school districts must adopt implementing policies by July 1, 2026. The Act takes effect once the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.

• Requires school employees who provide noninstructional services (like counseling) to a student to notify the student's parent in writing within 48 hours.
• Requires that each instance of noninstructional services be logged as part of the student's official education records.
• Creates exceptions letting an employee delay or skip notification if the student is in imminent danger or if notice could worsen suspected child abuse, but requires the employee to tell the principal within 12 hours instead.
• Adds a new parental right to receive this written notification into the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-786).
• Requires every local school district (local education agency) to adopt policies or rules implementing these notification requirements by July 1, 2026.
• Reorganizes the existing 'Parents' Bill of Rights' statute into a new Part 6 and adds several new defined terms, including 'noninstructional services,' 'school employee,' 'school,' and 'student.'

Public school counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, student advocacy specialists, administrators, and teachers in Georgia's public elementary and secondary schools, along with parents of students, local school district officials, and school principals who receive escalation notices under the exceptions.

Parents would gain a guaranteed, time-limited notice (within 48 hours) whenever their child receives counseling or similar services at school, giving them more visibility into their child's care. School staff would face new paperwork duties and a fast reporting chain when they judge that notifying a parent could increase danger to the student.

• Redesignates the existing 'Parents' Bill of Rights' (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-786) as Part 6 and adds new defined terms such as 'education records,' 'local education agency,' 'principal,' 'school,' and 'student.'
• Adds a new parental right, listed in subsection (e)(1)(H), to receive the written notification required under new Code Section 20-2-786.1.
• New Code Section 20-2-786.1(b) requires school employees to log each instance of noninstructional services as part of the student's education records.
• Subsection (c)(1) sets the general rule: written parental notice within 48 hours of a student receiving noninstructional services.
• Subsection (c)(2) creates exceptions for imminent danger of self-harm, harm to others, or suspected child abuse, requiring notice to the principal within 12 hours instead of the parent.
• Subsection (d) requires local education agencies to adopt implementing policies, rules, or regulations by July 1, 2026.
• Subsection (f) exempts this requirement from several school waiver provisions (strategic waivers school systems, charter systems, charter schools, completion special schools).
• Section 2 makes the Act effective upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without signature.

1. 2026-03-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-03Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
4. 2026-03-03Senate Third Read (Senate)
5. 2026-02-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-12Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-11Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)Primary sponsor
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

   34 yea, 18 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #612

• parental rights
• school counseling
• student privacy
• education policy
• school notification requirements