HB1363: HB1363 Education; authorize public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion

This bill, as rewritten by the House Committee on Higher Education, adds new sections to Georgia's education code (Title 20) prohibiting discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in K-12 public schools, the University System of Georgia, and the Technical College System of Georgia. It requires the Department of Education to name a statewide K-12 Title VI Coordinator by September 29, 2026, to handle complaints, investigate them, and refer unresolved cases to federal civil rights authorities. The Board of Regents and the State Board of the Technical College System must set up their own complaint, investigation, and reporting procedures by December 31, 2026. Any school or institution found noncompliant gets 30 days to fix the problem before facing possible withholding of state funding, and schools can appeal funding cuts to superior court. Annual reports on complaints go to top state officials. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it, or if it becomes law without his signature. Notably, although the bill's title references antisemitism, the substitute text itself addresses discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, and religion generally, without singling out antisemitism by name.

• Bars public K-12 schools, the University System of Georgia, and the Technical College System of Georgia from discriminating against students or employees based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion.
• Requires the Department of Education to appoint a statewide K-12 Title VI Coordinator by September 29, 2026, to receive, investigate, and track discrimination complaints in public schools.
• Requires the Board of Regents and the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to create complaint, investigation, and reporting procedures for their institutions by December 31, 2026.
• Allows the state board or Board of Regents to withhold state funding from a school or institution that fails to fix a documented violation within 30 days.
• Gives schools facing funding cuts the right to appeal to the superior court in the county where the school is headquartered.
• Requires annual public reports on complaints and enforcement actions to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and relevant legislative committees.

Students, teachers, and staff in Georgia's public K-12 schools, University System of Georgia institutions, and Technical College System of Georgia schools; the Department of Education, Board of Regents, and State Board of the Technical College System, which must build new complaint and enforcement systems; and any school found noncompliant, which risks losing state funding.

Georgia public schools and colleges would face a new legal duty to investigate discrimination complaints tied to race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion, with a formal state coordinator and reporting structure. Schools that fail to fix violations could lose state money, giving the new rules real financial consequences.

• Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-1-13, banning discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion in any Georgia public school program, activity, or employment practice that gets federal or state funding.
• Section 2 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-2-324.10, requiring the Department of Education to designate a statewide K-12 Title VI Coordinator by September 29, 2026, to run a uniform complaint process and issue noncompliance notices.
• Section 2 lets the state board withhold state funding from a noncompliant public school and lets that school appeal the funding cut to superior court.
• Section 3 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-3-40.1, requiring the Board of Regents to set up complaint and investigation procedures for University System institutions by December 31, 2026, with authority to withhold state funding for noncompliance.
• Section 4 adds O.C.G.A. § 20-4-39.1, applying the same complaint, investigation, and funding-withholding framework to the Technical College System of Georgia.
• Section 5 states the law takes effect once the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.
• Section 6 repeals any conflicting Georgia laws.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-02-20House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-19House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-18House Hopper (House)

• Deborah Silcox (R, HD-053)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
• Tim Fleming (R, HD-114)
• Esther Panitch (D, HD-051)
• John Carson (R, HD-046)

• discrimination in schools
• K-12 education policy
• higher education policy
• Title VI compliance
• school funding