HB1382: HB1382 Education; institutions grant academic credit to active duty military or veteran students based on military service; maintain policies

Georgia law already requires the Technical College System of Georgia to award academic credit to active duty military members and veterans for college level learning gained through their service, as long as that training closely matches the coursework. This bill keeps that requirement in place under O.C.G.A. section 20-4-38 and adds a new provision letting the Technical College System's state board work with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service to build a public guide showing which courses qualify for credit based on military service. The bill also fills in a previously empty section of law, O.C.G.A. section 20-3-69, to encourage (rather than require) the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to adopt a similar credit policy for its colleges and universities. Both systems would be authorized to use official U.S. Department of Defense joint service transcripts and outside evaluators' course recommendations when deciding how much credit to award.

• Adds a new Code section (20-3-69) encouraging the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to maintain a policy granting academic credit for military training and experience.
• Keeps in place the existing requirement that the Technical College System of Georgia's state board maintain a policy granting such credit, under O.C.G.A. section 20-4-38.
• Authorizes both systems to use joint service transcripts issued by the U.S. Department of Defense and outside credit recommendations when awarding credit.
• Authorizes both systems, working with the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, to create a public guide listing which courses qualify for credit based on military service.
• Requires that any military training used for credit be substantially related to the coursework for which credit is granted.

Active duty military members and veterans enrolled or seeking to enroll in Georgia's public colleges, universities, and technical colleges; the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia; the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia; and the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, which would help develop the credit guide.

Veterans and service members often complete training that overlaps with college coursework. This bill would encourage university system schools, and keep requiring technical college system schools, to translate that military training into academic credit, potentially shortening the time and cost needed to earn a degree or certificate.

• Section 1 adds new O.C.G.A. section 20-3-69, encouraging the Board of Regents to maintain a policy for university system institutions to grant credit for military training substantially related to coursework.
• Section 1 authorizes the Board of Regents to use joint service transcripts from the U.S. Department of Defense and third-party credit recommendations in awarding such credit.
• Section 1 authorizes the Board of Regents, with the Department of Veterans Service, to develop a public guide of courses eligible for military-based credit.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. section 20-4-38 to keep the Technical College System's state board's existing requirement to maintain a similar credit policy.
• Section 2 authorizes the technical college state board, with the Department of Veterans Service, to develop and publish a similar course guide.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-20House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-19House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Eric Gisler (D, HD-121)Primary sponsor
• Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
• Derrick Jackson (D, HD-068)
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)

• veterans
• military education benefits
• college credit
• higher education policy
• Technical College System of Georgia