SB601: SB601 Atlanta Board of Education; residency limitations on qualifications for employment of the executive assistant to the board, chief financial officer, and internal auditor; remove

Georgia law governing the Atlanta Independent School System currently sets residency limits on who can serve as the board's executive assistant, chief financial officer, and internal auditor. This bill removes those residency limitations, meaning candidates would no longer have to live within a certain area to qualify for these jobs. The bill also rewrites how each position is selected and supervised. All three positions would be appointed, and if necessary removed, by the superintendent with the advice and consent of the Atlanta Board of Education. It spells out duties for each role: the executive assistant keeps official board records and attends meetings, the chief financial officer manages fiscal operations and reports financial irregularities, and the internal auditor performs independent audits, reports findings to the board, and gets guaranteed access to school system records. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Removes residency requirements that previously limited who could qualify as executive assistant to the board, chief financial officer, or internal auditor.
• Changes the hiring and firing process so the superintendent appoints and removes these three positions with the board's advice and consent.
• Requires the superintendent and board to jointly set performance goals for the executive assistant and internal auditor, with the board having significant input on evaluations.
• Sets minimum qualifications, such as ten years of relevant experience, for the chief financial officer and internal auditor, waivable by a three-fourths board vote for the chief financial officer.
• Details the internal auditor's duties, including performance and financial audits, fraud reporting to the ethics commission, and guaranteed access to school system records.

The bill affects the Atlanta Board of Education, the Atlanta Public Schools superintendent, and candidates for or current holders of the executive assistant, chief financial officer, and internal auditor positions within the Atlanta Independent School System.

By dropping the residency limitation, the pool of qualified candidates for these three key administrative roles could widen beyond people living in a specific area. The revised hiring and oversight rules also clarify who controls appointment, removal, and evaluation of these positions.

• Section 1 revises Section 2-112 of the 2003 Atlanta school system Act, removing the residency requirement for the executive assistant to the board and setting appointment and removal authority with the superintendent, subject to board consent.
• Section 2 revises Section 4-101, removing the chief financial officer's residency requirement and requiring at least ten years of progressive fiscal management experience, waivable by a three-fourths board vote.
• Section 3 revises Section 4-102, removing the internal auditor's residency requirement and detailing audit duties, reporting obligations, confidentiality rules, and required access to school system records.
• Section 4 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the bill.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 700
3. 2026-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-04-02House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-04-02House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-10House Second Readers (House)

• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)Primary sponsor
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• Jaha Howard (D, SD-035)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

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

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #639

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   94 yea, 75 nay (2 not voting, 5 absent)

   Supplemental Local Calendar : House Vote #857

• Atlanta Public Schools
• school board governance
• residency requirements
• school district finance
• internal audits