SB 22: State School Superintendent; Department of Education to publish relevant and applicable federal guidance documents and related information; require

Currently, O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37 is a reserved (blank) section of law dealing with the State School Superintendent. This bill fills it with new requirements about how the Department of Education handles federal guidance, meaning informal policy documents from federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Education that are not official regulations. Under the bill, whenever the Department decides a piece of federal guidance is relevant to its work, it must post that document on a dedicated, searchable page of its website within 15 days, and within 45 days post a written response explaining what state or federal laws the guidance touches, how the Department will implement it, and whether officials raised any objection to the federal agency. If a guidance document is later withdrawn, the Department must note that within 15 days. Each year by August 1, the State School Superintendent must send a written report on all this to several legislative committees, the Office of Legislative Counsel, and state budget offices. The State Board of Education may adopt rules to carry out these requirements.

• Fills in a previously blank section of Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-37) with new transparency rules for the Department of Education.
• Requires the Department to publicly post any federal guidance document it deems relevant within 15 days of receiving it.
• Requires a written response within 45 days explaining which laws the guidance touches, how it will be implemented, and whether the state objected to it.
• Requires the Department to flag and log any rescinded guidance documents within 15 days on the same web page.
• Requires the State School Superintendent to send an annual written report by August 1 to specific legislative committees and budget offices.
• Authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to implement these requirements.

The Department of Education and the State School Superintendent, who must track and publish federal guidance; the State Board of Education, which can set implementing rules; and members of the General Assembly's education and budget committees, who receive the annual reports.

Georgians and lawmakers would gain a public, searchable record of federal education guidance the state receives and how officials plan to respond, including any objections raised to federal agencies, increasing visibility into how state education policy responds to federal direction.

• Section 1 defines 'federal agency' and 'guidance document' broadly to include advisories, bulletins, memos, press releases, and digital or audio materials from agencies like the U.S. Department of Education.
• Subsection (b)(1) requires publication of a relevant guidance document within 15 calendar days of receipt.
• Subsection (b)(2) requires a written response within 45 days covering affected statutes, implementation plans, and whether the state objected to the guidance.
• Subsection (b)(3) requires the Department to mark rescinded guidance documents and keep a separate list of them within 15 days of rescission.
• Subsection (c) requires all this material to be posted on a dedicated, searchable web page linked from the Department's homepage.
• Subsection (d) requires an annual written report by August 1 to legislative education and budget committees, the Office of Legislative Counsel, and state budget offices.
• Subsection (e) authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt implementing rules.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senado)
2. 2025-02-06Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
3. 2025-02-05Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
4. 2025-01-27Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
5. 2025-01-17Senate Hopper (Senado)

• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)Patrocinador principal
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)

• education policy
• state government transparency
• Department of Education
• federal guidance
• school superintendent