HR 174: State Board of Education; appointment of state school superintendent effective not later than January 1, 2031; provide - CA

Georgia currently elects its State School Superintendent statewide, the same way it elects the Governor, and the Governor appoints State Board of Education members with Senate confirmation. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would change both arrangements. The person elected State School Superintendent in 2026 would serve out that elected term, but starting no later than January 1, 2031 (or sooner if that person leaves office early), the position would become an appointed job, with the State Board of Education hiring the superintendent under rules set by future state law. Separately, State Board of Education members would no longer be appointed by the Governor; instead, lawmakers from the House and Senate whose districts fall within each congressional district would elect the board member for that district, serving four-year terms. The change would need voter approval in a statewide referendum, with the exact ballot language spelled out in the resolution.

• Converts the State School Superintendent from a statewide elected office to a position appointed by the State Board of Education, effective no later than January 1, 2031.
• Lets the current superintendent elected in 2026 finish that elected term before the appointment system takes over.
• Removes the Governor's power to appoint State Board of Education members and instead has legislators from each congressional district elect that district's board member.
• Shortens State Board of Education member terms from seven years to four years and sets up a new election procedure to be defined by future law.
• Removes the State School Superintendent from several constitutional lists governing elected executive officers, felony indictment suspension procedures, and gubernatorial vacancy-filling powers.
• Requires the amendment to be submitted to Georgia voters for ratification, with specific ballot wording included in the resolution.

Georgia voters, who would decide the amendment in a referendum; the sitting and future State School Superintendents; members of the State Board of Education, whose selection method and term length would change; and state legislators, who would gain a new role electing board members from their districts.

If ratified, Georgians would lose the ability to directly elect their State School Superintendent after the 2026 term ends, shifting that decision to an appointed board whose own members would be chosen by state legislators rather than the Governor, changing accountability lines for who runs Georgia's K-12 education system.

• Section 1 removes the State School Superintendent from the constitutional definition of 'public official' subject to felony-indictment suspension, except for the person elected in 2026.
• Section 2 and Section 3 strike the State School Superintendent from provisions on filling vacancies by gubernatorial appointment and on the manner of electing executive officers.
• Section 6 changes State Board of Education selection from gubernatorial appointment with Senate confirmation to election by House and Senate members representing each congressional district, with four-year terms.
• Section 7 sets the transition: the 2026-elected superintendent serves out that term, and starting no later than January 1, 2031 (or upon that person's earlier departure), the State Board of Education appoints and employs the superintendent under general law.
• Section 8 sets the referendum ballot language asking voters to approve appointment of the superintendent by the board and the new legislator-based election of board members.

1. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-03-06House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-02-10House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-02-06House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-02-05House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)Patrocinador principal
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)
• Will Wade (R, HD-009)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)

• education governance
• state school superintendent
• constitutional amendment
• State Board of Education
• election rules