--- title: House Higher Education Committee, February 25, 2026 collection: meetings id: 2026-02-25/house-higher-education cite_as: House Higher Education Committee, February 25, 2026, video https://vimeo.com/1168111189 (machine transcript by Georgia Commons) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education/text source_url: https://vimeo.com/1168111189 date: 2026-02-25 status: machine transcript corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-transportation.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-public-safety-and-homeland-security.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md chamber: House body: House Higher Education Committee body_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/house-higher-education.md meeting_kind: committee session: 2025-2026 Regular Session start_time: 2026-02-25T16:00:00-05:00 location: 606 CLOB duration_seconds: 5660.0 video_id: 1168111189 video_title: 2.25.26 Higher Education agenda_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/house/Higher Education%2FHigher Education Meeting Notice .25.26.pdf bills_discussed: - HB 1363 - HB 1328 - HB 88 - HB 1345 summaries_model: gpt-6.1-sol transcript_turns: 326 transcript_chars: 83700 parts: - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education.md?start=0 - https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education.md?start=59422 --- # House Higher Education Committee, February 25, 2026 House Higher Education Committee; February 25, 2026; 2025-2026 Regular Session. Video, on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/1168111189. Agenda: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/house/Higher Education%2FHigher Education Meeting Notice .25.26.pdf. > This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays. ## Summary written by Georgia Commons Written by gpt-6.1-sol from the transcript below. It is not part of the record. Quote the transcript or the video, not the summary. The committee heard testimony on [HB 1363](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1363), which the sponsor described as creating a statewide process for handling school discrimination complaints. Members and witnesses discussed staffing, training, equal protection for different faiths, free speech and investigation procedures. The committee held the bill for further work without voting. The committee approved [HB 1328](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328), [HB 88](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb88) and [HB 1345](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1345) by voice votes, with no opposition heard, and sent all three to the Rules Committee. ## Bills discussed (4) Each account was written by gpt-6.1-sol from the stretch of the transcript it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda. ### HB 1363. Education; authorize public schools and postsecondary educational institutions to consider antisemitism in the same manner as discrimination based on religion [HB 1363](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1363) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:26:26](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1586s), turns 0 to 304. The sponsor presented a substitute that explicitly listed race, ethnicity, national origin and religion as protected categories and incorporated University System of Georgia language. The sponsor said it would establish a statewide coordinator for K-12 discrimination complaints, using existing staff without new funding. A Georgia Solidarity Network witness said state oversight would address schools’ failures to respond to serious harassment. Members questioned training, costs and appeals. The sponsor welcomed adding references to other faiths, but no amendment was adopted. Muslim witnesses, including a Georgia State University student and representatives of Georgia Muslim Voter Project and CAIR Georgia, asked for equal recognition of all faiths and described discrimination. The CAIR witness reported a 520% increase in incoming Georgia complaints from 2020 to 2025. An IDRA witness supported state oversight but urged dedicated trained staff, immediate support, retaliation protections, local complaint stages and deadlines. An ACLU of Georgia witness opposed references to the state’s antisemitism definition over free-speech concerns, but said removing those references would allow support. The sponsor denied free-speech concerns. An Asian American Advocacy Fund witness urged uniform evidence standards, notice, response and appeal rights, and adequate staffing. Asked about prevention, that witness described federal training informed by complaint data. The chair held the bill for further work without a vote. ### HB 1328. University of North Georgia military scholarships; authorize selection committee to select additional scholarship recipients [HB 1328](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:30:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5400s), turns 305 to 312. The chair described [HB 1328](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1328) as increasing the number of University of North Georgia cadet scholarships and said the legislation had not changed since the previous hearing. Members offered no further discussion. The committee approved the bill by voice vote, with no opposition heard, and sent it to the Rules Committee. ### HB 88. State veterinary education; biomedical technicians to be eligible for the state student loan forgiveness program; provide [HB 88](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb88) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:31:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5477s), turns 312 to 315. The chair described [HB 88](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb88) as providing loan forgiveness for a small number of veterinary technicians, subject to funding. The chair noted earlier date changes, and the sponsor confirmed there had been no further changes since the first hearing. The committee approved the substitute by voice vote, with no opposition heard, and sent it to the Rules Committee. ### HB 1345. State Workforce Development Board; approval of certain eligible workforce training programs relative to implementing the federal Workforce Pell Grant program; provide [HB 1345](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1345) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [1:32:16](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5536s), turns 315 to 318. The chair said [HB 1345](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1345) would align Georgia’s workforce development program with changed federal requirements so funding would be available to the technical college system and State Workforce Development Board. The chair said a related measure was moving through the Senate and that this bill had not changed since its first hearing. With no further discussion, the committee approved it by voice vote, with no opposition heard, and sent it to the Rules Committee. > The transcript runs 83,700 characters. A reader that cannot take it at once can read it in 2 parts: part 1 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education.md?start=0; part 2 https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-25/house-higher-education.md?start=59422. ## Transcript (326 turns) [0:25:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1553s) Good afternoon. Let me turn, turn this up. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm gonna call the, uh, meeting of the Higher Ed, uh, Committee of the, um, Georgia House together. If I, uh, I'm a little disheveled this afternoon, it's because we're, uh, running late and running over the, the Capitol. I want to set the stage, if I can, for us. Um, folks, there's a lot of meetings going on because we were delayed. Um, it is Chair's position that we're going to hear testimony on HB 13- 1363, and after that, HB 693, a- a- after which, uh, we have a couple of bills that would be available for action if we, uh, achieve a quorum. [0:26:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1597s) Uh, we will not be taking action on 1363 or 693 this afternoon. I am going to have to step away. Uh, we, we were gonna go ahead and get the, the committee meeting started and begin testimony, uh, absent a quorum unless there's objection. If, uh, if, if there's an objection to that, then we'll just stand at ease until we can receive a quorum, and I will turn the chair over to Representative, uh, Scoggins. He's former officer of the committee. I do want to say this. Um, there's, there was a number of people previously signed up on 1363. [0:27:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1631s) Um, everyone I've spoken to on the bill has, has, uh, opinions on it and sa- but, but say they want to work together to better, you know, a better a bill. Uh, so I want to do that. I just know sometimes when you have a lot of people with opinions on things, things get ch- you know, ch- emotionally charged and so forth. I want to encourage everybody to say what they want to say, but be respectful of the members of the committee and, and, and there are other folks that, uh, happen to be on the other side because we all are, we are all here working for the betterment of Georgia. [0:27:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1662s) So I want to encourage that. Yeah. Certainly. I, I wanna, I wanna have a full, full, uh, you know, fertile conversation about th- th- this afternoon. So with that, um, I'll, I'll look to my friends. Do you guys want to stand at ease until we get some more folks here, or do you want to start into the discussion? Uh, Chairman, Chairman Silcox, would you, uh, care to wait for a few minutes on some additional people, and we'll just stand at ease? [0:28:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1697s) You know, education's at the same time. This and that. [0:28:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1701s) Yeah. Well, let, l- l- let's go ahead and, and call, um, Chairman Silcox up, and, and you can bring, uh, your folks. I'm gonna turn it over to, um, um ... He's going to be a chairman for this, uh, this committee today, uh, Chairman Scoggins, and let him, uh, handle the meeting again. And we'll, uh, distribute the time, um, evenly with those that are, are for, uh, and against the bill and, and know that everybody's working toward, um, um, a good resolution. So with that, um, Chairman Silcox, if you would come forward and get your pr- get presentation ready, and I'll step away and allow, um, the, your ch- your temporary chair. [0:29:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1740s) All [0:29:12](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1752s) right. [0:29:13](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1753s) Good afternoon. Thank you so much for being here. I so appreciate these faces that are coming late in the day, so bless each of you for being here. Um, we have a new sub. The LC number is LC650082S, as in Sam. Does everybody have that? Okay. Um, so you may recall from our previous testimony that this bill really is to create a mechanism in our K through 12 schools, um, because I've since learned that our, the USG, um, has already a robust, um, discrimination set up already. [0:29:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1794s) But they were very kind to work with us and change some of the language in the latter part of the bill so that it's consistent with their policies. Um, appreciate their help very much. Um, but on our sub, um, this is to really to create a space for students K through 12 that are discriminated against on any basis according to Title VI of the Federal Code of Civil Rights. And the Federal Code, this Title VI under the Federal Code of Civil Rights, specifically includes, and we have listed those, um, those things that it covers. [0:30:34](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1834s) It covers any race, any ethnicity, any national origin, and any religion or faith. And so, um, with that being said, those are, those are the changes, but the idea is to have, um, a discrimination coordinad- coordinator in our Title VI school, or, uh, excuse me, a Title VI coordinator in our K through 12 schools so that these children, because so many of them face discrimination at school, and the principal doesn't know what to do, the teacher doesn't know what to do, the administrator doesn't know what to do. [0:31:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1871s) And this may or may not raise to the level of a hate crime, but it can be mentally very traumatizing for a child. And so I think that this is an important need that we have, that we provide a space where these kids, their, their complaints can be heard, um, and they can be referred, if necessary, for mental health counseling. They can be referred to, um, a minister or, um, someone in their faith to help them. Um, or they maybe just need to work it out with their friends, right? But, um, but those are the changes. [0:31:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1902s) I'm gonna let Jeremy, um, add his remarks. [0:31:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1907s) Before we do that, did you say Title VI coordinator? Is that what the title was? [0:31:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1911s) Yes, sir. Mm-hmm. [0:31:52](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1912s) Okay. And is, will that be funded? [0:31:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1915s) I'm sorry? Will that require a, a fund? You know, it's- I'm sorry. There's no funding needed, as you just said. Yeah. There, there's no funding needed because- Okay ... there are people that are already addressing this. But they're addressing currently just Title IX, which would be sexual discrimination claims. Um, they're just addressing those. They, this would just be a broadening of their responsibility to handle other discrimination claims. Okay. Thank you very much. Good afternoon. Uh, Jeremy Berry from the Georgia Solidarity Network, and I'll, I'll be brief. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to appear. [0:32:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1948s) When I was here the other day, I shared some of the statistics about anti-Semitism. Um, but I, I think just focusing, and, and, and we appreciate, uh, Representative Silcox and others who are working on this legislation. I, the point is that schools do a lot of things incredibly well. They educate kids, they, uh, you know, te- teach kids how to be excellent citizens and students, but unfortunately, a lot of schools are just not equipped to, to deal with complex, difficult issues such as Title VI and, and discrimination. [0:32:58](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=1978s) And the point of this legislation is to create a statewide system that can, in fact, do that, to have, uh, almost an appeal mechanism. So that's what we've done, uh, th- with this legislation. That's what this is proposing. Um, there are five states, several states who have already enacted similar legislation, Tennessee, Oklahoma, New York, and Arkansas, and several others are, are pursuing this legislation. What this does is it creates statewide accountability to ensure that oversight, it, it ensures oversight and allows the state to identify trends. [0:33:32](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2012s) What happens in Cobb County may not be known, uh, you know, what happens in Valdosta or Rome or anywhere else. And it allows one person to serve almost a- as a resource or a, a referee almost to, to make sure that the school systems are addressing these issues of discrimination, um, uniformly. And, uh, to the, the chair's question, it does not accr- there's no new funding required. It's literally appointing a person to serve in this capacity. So there's, there's no new funding required whatsoever. I did have some questions and just wanted to clarify, um, because we do mention, in the preamble to this, um, we mention the word anti-Semitism. [0:34:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2051s) And we mention that because the Georgia Solidarity Network, um, who are people in my community, this is a concern in my community, but I'm sure, as you know, as lawmakers, the preamble does not go into law. Um, it does not have the force of law. The preamble could say anything, right? Um, but it's only the sections that go into the law. So that will, that word will not be in the law, and that it's not a reflection of favoritism at all because I was one of the authors of the Hate Crimes bill. [0:34:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2082s) I'm not for hate against anyone. Um, but it simply is the group that brought this. So that's why that's in the preamble, but it would not carry the force of law. Okay. Thank you very much. Uh, we have a question from, uh, Representative Glaize. Yes. Um, thank you so much, Chairman, and thank you again. Um, I do have some questions around, um, line 43, 44, and 47. It says Title VI coordinator. You guys just said it would be under Title IX. [0:35:14](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2114s) Title IX would not be- No, no, no. There's just already, there's already a mechanism for Title IX, um, in- Not under K through 12. But not under K through 12, but in- And this is- ... the university system. Yes, but this is K through 12, so that's why I'm saying you guys have here coordinator, so it looks like that we would have to have a coordinator for K through 12 under Title VI, which would be, uh, funded. It would have to be funded. This just says designate, Representative Glaize, so it would be someone that's already in the system. [0:35:45](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2145s) It just says designate, not employ. I know, I know it says designate, but are they trained? You know, because they're, um, because it's a g- school system, you say designate, but they're gonna be, um, looking at Title VI. Are they trained in Title VI? Um- I would, I would think it would be someone who's studied law or someone in that capacity that could certainly handle that, yes. Yeah. Some of us study law, but n- not all of us study civil rights law. So my- Well, the good news is, is the USG, like I said, the university system already has this in place, so they could certainly assist with any guidelines, um, or help as, as to how they run these things to be a guide for K through 12. [0:36:29](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2189s) I, I'm very concerned that- ... we don't have, just based on what we have now in place, we don't have someone who's trained with Title VI inside K through 12 as the coordinator. You're saying that we could designate, but I'm concerned that there might be, there might not be someone con- uh, that is trained in this particular area. They may be an attorney, but they may not be trained. So that's just one that leaves that open for me, which then means that there could be some funding needs. [0:37:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2222s) And then second of all, if you don't mind me asking the next question is- No ... usually in a public school, if there's issues between students where they've called each other names, um, there is a process that they go through to handle that. And then how does it, if, if they say something anti-Semitic or anti-Black or anti- Anything ... anti-Arab, anything- Mm-hmm ... um, usually that is something that they deal with, and then how does it go up, and then how does someone appeal if, if they don't think it's anti-Semitic or a- or hate or anti-Black or anti, um- Sure ... [0:37:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2267s) Arab? How does, does the, is- I think Mr. Berry wants to address this. Yeah. Is there anything in here that gives us an appeal? I didn't see an appeal process either. Sure. I, if I may, can I go back to the first question? Mm-hmm. 'Cause I think you make an important point, but I think it's an important point in support of the bill. [0:38:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2283s) If I understood you correctly, you're saying Title VI is hard, and that's right. We have 180 school, K-12 school districts, and respectfully, I don't think those 180 school districts are getting Title VI correct. That is why we need one or two people already existing at the state level who will understand and master, whether they're lawyers or someone else, who will understand and master Title VI. Because respectfully, school districts are doing what they should in educating kids. They cannot be experts on Title VI. [0:38:35](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2315s) I- It is hard. It is hard. Just keeping kids occupied and, and, and educated from 8:30 to 3:00 every day is hard, and I say that as the parent of two, uh, well, now one in college, but kids, so I, I understand that. And it, it's a, it's a hard, uh, thing to do. But that's why we need someone who is an expert at the state level, and it, it probably would be someone in the law department or the Department of Education who could do this. On your next question, though, this is not... It- it's actual discrimination by the school or by the, by someone else. [0:39:06](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2346s) It's not, this is not intended if, if Student A calls Student B a name or something like that. What it's meant to do... Well, let me, let me interrupt myself. If I bully and harass someone and continue and say, "You XYZ student," and use, you know, bad word here or, or racial or antisemitic word here, and the school never does anything about it, that's when it becomes a problem, and that's when we would elevate it to Title VI. I, I forget and I don't recall if you were here the other day, but I mentioned a situation in Cobb County where a student received a note that contained a horrible antisemitic reference and said, "Go kill yourself." And the school just shrugged it off. [0:39:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2390s) So that's a, that's a different situa- And I'm not excusing, you know, one student calling another student a name that happens on the, the playground. I'm not excusing that. This is meant for a situation where a student, for example, it's so extreme they don't feel comfortable coming back to school. So that's, it's not necessarily just two kids calling each other something. It's when the, it gets so pervasive and the school doesn't step in, then that student or his or her parent could then appeal to the state. [0:40:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2417s) Well, can I just ask then another question? Because you said in your statement they need to be an expert on Title VI because it is such an egregious level of, um, bullying or at this point it would be, um, almost a hate crime. So that's why you and I agree that there should be someone trained at K through 12 on Title VI so that when they see it, they can actually look at and investigate to make sure it reaches that level. [0:40:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2451s) And that's the only thing I pointed out, I'm pointing out, is that you're saying that you would just basically designate. It doesn't tell me that they're trained, it doesn't tell me that they can investigate and that they've worked these cases before. And I would say because it's federal law, we really wanna be careful to make sure that someone is really trained so that we get it right, so that we're not kind of poking in the dark with this, because it's too important to, to not get it right. [0:41:20](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2480s) Agreed. And I, I think I'm correct in saying this, either healthcare or education, one of the most regulated industries in, in the entire country, you know, whether it's privacy laws or, you know, compliance laws, whatever it may be, these are difficult, complex laws that I think frankly the, the State Department of Education and the, the university system has experts who... I, I don't know who those people are, and I don't know that this legislation is, is specifying the, the, a specific person to do it other than saying Department of Ed needs to designate someone to do that. [0:41:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2515s) They, the department, can figure out who that right person is. [0:41:59](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2519s) I, I'm uncomfortable without, um, s- having some information that says they need to be trained, they need to be able to, in Title VI, they've had some investigatory, um, background and experience. So I, and so I'd- [0:42:14](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2534s) Well, like I said- [0:42:14](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2534s) ... like to go back and forth, but thank you for responding to the question. I appreciate it. [0:42:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2539s) If you go over to the section three of the bill- [0:42:23](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2543s) Yes, ma'am [0:42:23](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2543s) ... that's when it talks about, um, the university system, and it says, section three of the bill starts at line 94. And we received this language directly from the representatives for, um, the university system, and they have given us this, and they already have all of the requirements that are needed to be met in terms of having... They already have a full equal and EEOC office that handles discrimination. [0:42:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2575s) They handle discrimination claims all the time. So we do, I do know, Representative Lydia, uh, Lydia Glaize, that we have, um, that we have this expertise in the state. [0:43:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2585s) I do know y- and agree with you that, that the USG sy- system, that, that the folks up there- [0:43:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2591s) Well, that's what we're talking about. We're talking about a state coordinator that could assist the K through 12 people. [0:43:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2599s) Okay, so you, but you, the designate, it says Department of Ed shall designate. Um, so- [0:43:26](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2606s) Right. They would choose someone to work with in the USG system. [0:43:33](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2613s) Yes, ma'am? [0:43:34](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2614s) I, I, I didn't read it that way from 42. It just sounded like they were just gonna designate someone that was in DOE K through 12. It, it didn't tell me that. [0:43:44](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2624s) Okay. [0:43:45](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2625s) It's that they're gonna go over into the USG and get that same person that's doing it there to come back down to do K through 12. I'm just a little confused. [0:43:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2634s) It's just, it's a new idea. [0:43:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2636s) It is? [0:43:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2636s) It's a brand new idea. And so- [0:43:58](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2638s) Well, it's, it's a federal law. [0:44:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2640s) It's federal law, and it needs to be protected, those kids in K through 12, and this is just the idea of proposing that we should have a statewide coordinator that can help the K through 12 people. We would, we would start there, and then we would designate someone who was trained up to, to help with K through 12. [0:44:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2659s) So Chair Lady Silcox, this is just bringing attention to this issue that has not been addressed so far. Is that- Yes, sir. Absolutely [0:44:27](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2667s) ... and we're trying to maybe- [0:44:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2668s) There's just really, there's just not a place for this. It's just kind of a hole to me in our law that we have this on the university level, but we don't have it on K through 12. Yes, ma'am. [0:44:39](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2679s) Okay. Uh, Representative Jackson? [0:44:44](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2684s) Um, I, let me apologize. [0:44:45](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2685s) You pull your microphone. [0:44:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2687s) Oh, God. Let me apologize. Uh, I was not in attendance of the last meeting. [0:44:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2695s) Sure. [0:44:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2696s) But it seems like as I was listening and trying to read as well- [0:45:01](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2701s) Right [0:45:01](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2701s) ... uh, it seems like it should be very easy to make sure that you have s- someone permanently responsible for these kinds of things. And you can't assume that it happens, it won't happen. It, the assumption should be, as I see it, that, um, we're going to be ahead of the game. [0:45:25](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2725s) Yes, ma'am. [0:45:26](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2726s) And I find it very difficult, ah, to, to know that you don't have someone in place all of the time. I've worked on a university campus and everywhere, and it's better to be ahead of the game than to say we, but you know, not needed or something like that. Uh, I still need to read this, um, Mr. Holcomb's- [0:45:52](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2752s) I don't think the, the chairman's planning to take any action today. I think it's just- [0:45:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2756s) Okay [0:45:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2756s) ... a further hearing. But- [0:45:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2757s) Well- [0:45:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2757s) ... I appreciate your comments. And yes, I do think we wanna be ahead of the game. [0:46:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2762s) Yes. [0:46:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2763s) And I appreciate that. [0:46:04](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2764s) Thank you. I do. [0:46:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2765s) Yes, Representative Jackson, this is hearing only today. [0:46:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2767s) Okay. [0:46:08](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2768s) And- [0:46:08](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2768s) I wasn't sure [0:46:09](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2769s) ... okay [0:46:09](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2769s) ... 'cause I wasn't at the last one. [0:46:10](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2770s) Thank you so much. I so appreciate you. [0:46:13](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2773s) Thank you. [0:46:13](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2773s) I think this is a step in the right direction, getting started with this and, and you know, we're just getting our feet wet, so we'll, um, we'll hear from anybody else that has questions. Anybody else have questions on behalf of the committee? Any other witness that ... I'm sorry, what? 17, uh, Whip Park. Thank, thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, apologies for, for coming in late. Could- [0:46:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2797s) Mm-hmm ... could you highlight what is, uh, new in the substitute? Yes. Um, we, what we did was we added, um, specifically the categories, um, under Title VI, and it's in two places. It's there, let's see, at the bottom of page two, we, um, we named specifically that this would cover any discrimination under Title VI of the federal law, um, federal civil rights law, um, which covers ra- any race, any ethnicity, any national origin, um, or any, um, religion. [0:47:15](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2835s) So that, that is, that is why we have that elucidated. Then the other changes were put in by USG because unbeknownst to me, I didn't realize that our, until I started working on this, that, um, the university system already has an extremely robust system for handling discrimination claims, and that really is started, starts at section three. And, um, again, we listed the Title VI categories at line 98 and 99, and then we added USG's language, which they, it, it r- it has all these requirements, but they already meet all the requirements that are there. [0:47:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2875s) So it's really a nice thing. S- s- so can you help me understand, um, if USG already has a system in place, w- what, what specifically would this bill be adding? This bill would, um, would be to get someone, like I said, from the university system likely, who has already a lot of knowledge and expertise in this area, to help us develop that for the K through 12, um, someone in the department that, that could be an adjunct or, you know, someone who worked with someone in Department of Ed to handle discrimination claims for K through 12. [0:48:31](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2911s) 'Cause right now we don't have a mechanism for handling K through 12 discrimination claims. Okay. Um, th- thank you for that clarification. Um, you know, certainly received a lot of emails, uh, regarding this, uh, piece of legislation. Um, I was wondering on line 28, I, I, I don't know if this would have any additional legal impact, um, but, you know, given that we've seen a rise in Islamophobia and discrimination against Sikhs and other, uh, minority communities based on religion, um, is there any objection or concern with respect to adding, you know, if we're saying motivated by or including antisemitism, comma, you know, other, again, Islamophobia, ju- just to ensure that we are being as inclusive, uh, and- That, and I would consider that a friendly amendment. [0:49:23](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2963s) Absolutely. 'Cause we're talking about Title VI here, which includes all religions. Okay. Thank you. [0:49:34](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2974s) O- o- one more question, if I may, um, Mr. Chairman. Good to see you back. [0:49:40](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=2980s) Sen- Senator Park, you may go ahead. Uh, y'all have to be here for the, the inside joke on that. Go, go ahead, uh, Whip Park. Thank you, sir. Uh, s- so, um, last, last question, just upon reading, um, you know, some of the concerns here, uh, First Amendment, um, you know, are there any concerns with respect to, you know, whether this bill would suppress in any way First Amendment rights of K through 12 students? [0:50:06](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3006s) Absolutely not. Okay. There are no concerns. This would give them, you know, like I said, a space to express their concerns. [0:50:14](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3014s) Do you mind? [0:50:15](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3015s) I'm sorry? [0:50:16](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3016s) Do you mind? [0:50:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3019s) Thank you. Um, I don't have any more lights. I, I actually failed to, to say this and, and y'all are still working on this. Um, I, I don't see any more questions from things, um, from, from the committee at this point. Um, what I was gonna suggest earlier, since we're all, the committee's gonna be here all the time, is we make sure we get to the folks that, that came down. [0:50:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3037s) Sure. [0:50:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3037s) So if, if there's not objection, if the, if... W- we are on, this is still a first hearing on this, and we'll have, uh, Chair- Chair Silcox back for, uh, um, at the end of the meeting, so if there's not objection, I do wanna go ahead and, and get to the, the public speakers for it, or the folks that came to speak. [0:50:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3053s) Okay. [0:50:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3053s) Is that good? [0:50:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3053s) Thank you so much. [0:50:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3054s) Thank you. [0:51:40](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3100s) Okay, I'm gonna... O- one has to acknowledge one's inability to, um, pronounce some things. That's a shortcoming I have. I acknowledge it and will do the best. Jawor- Jorher? And if you would please pronounce... Sure, I'm, uh, if, if... I, I learn every day, so d- tell me what we, we, we w- [0:51:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3115s) I think you said it right. [0:51:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3116s) Yes, ma'am. You c- you can stand or you can sit, whichever you, you prefer. [0:52:01](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3121s) Thank you. [0:52:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3122s) Yeah. Yes, ma'am. And we do have, uh, we have, uh, about eight speakers. I would like to, uh, let the committee, you know, have, have a little rest before the morning. If we could try to get the eight speakers in, you know, within, w- with- within, uh, within an hour or so, so maybe if you could, you know, hold it to maybe five or six minutes, would that be fair? [0:52:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3141s) Okay. [0:52:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3141s) Thank you. [0:52:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3141s) Yeah. [0:52:22](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3142s) Yes, ma'am. You have the floor. [0:52:23](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3143s) Good afternoon. My name is Jawahir Sharwani. I want to thank all of you for paying attention to religious discrimination against school. It's a big problem for all, for all student in Georgia. SB 523 gives a special mention to antisemitism. This is, uh, important because antisemitism is a big, uh, problem and we would like this bill to treat every faith equally because discrimination against Muslim and those of other faith, uh, that's been happening a lot on Islamophobia. [0:52:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3176s) It's a scary thing and people don't understand how we feel as Muslim and I don't understand why we always, uh, have to defend ourself. Unfortunately, every faith, uh, faces discrimination in school. So I'm asking you please to amend this bill to mention every faith, um, the same way and I would like to add up, uh, if we could add up in a school to teach the children special through K- pre-K through, uh, through 12 to love each other and teach each other about each one cultures and to understand so they don't go and, and, and start calling each other names and things like that. [0:53:35](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3215s) Peace and love to all of you. Thank you. [0:53:38](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3218s) Thank you, ma'am. And I agree, uh, uh, with, uh, your statement. We, we definitely need to, um, love our neighbors. [0:53:45](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3225s) Yes. Thank you. [0:53:46](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3226s) Yes, ma'am. Uh, Nor- Norral Baghdadi? Did I, did I do okay? [0:53:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3236s) Yes. [0:53:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3236s) Uh, okay. Well, correct me. I, you know, I learn every day down here. I, I, I, um- [0:54:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3240s) It's no worries. It's difficult. Norad Baghdadi or Noral Baghdadi. [0:54:04](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3244s) Okay. [0:54:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3245s) So good afternoon. Uh, my name is Norad Baghdadi. I am a masters student at Georgia State University. I have been at Georgia State University since my freshman year. Um, and I can confidently say that as a Muslim woman antisemitism is abhorrent, as is any form of religious or racial discrimination. While this bill has value to it in acknowledging forms of discrimination and giving space for it to be adequately addressed, there is a problem with specifically mentioning antisemitism alone. [0:54:36](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3276s) Law, it communicates values. Even if it's just in a preamble, it highlights something that is signaled as a priority over others and that unintentional or intentional communication can have severe implications. The proposed lang- proposed language d- only explicitly mentions antisemitism and by naming one form of discrimination it has prioritization and an implied hierarchy. When a name is put to a problem it's easier to identify, easier to recognize, easier to acknowledge, and easier to feel more strongly about and that should be the case with any form of religious discrimination. [0:55:15](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3315s) Our rights are largely in your hands. You're the decision makers. You are the custodians of the right to anti-discrimination and because of that you risk too much when you only mention one form of discrimination in codified law. I recall instances in my own education where a professor waited for me to be alone with him in a room only to interrogate me and ask me if I was related to the leader of ISIS and insisted consistently that I must know him in some way, shape, or form, whether he was an uncle or a cousin. [0:55:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3347s) I recall instances in which my friends were called violence loving jihadis along with me because of our opinions on certain political issues and then when we reacted to it and called for an adequate response we were called aggressive and we were the ones who ended up being reprimanded. This had social implications in the friends groups that we had and amongst our peers, but of course it has psychological damage as well. It has implications on the way that people feel and it was easy to brush under the rug and none of these cases were really addressed adequately because Islamophobia does not have a name in codified law the way that other forms of discrimination should. [0:56:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3390s) And it is because of this that I urge you guys to consider the implications of law when it has things named. Communicating the value of discrimination or the value of anti-discrimination should go across the board for Hinduphobia, Islamophobia, anti-Sikh, um, sentiment, anti-Christian sentiment as well, not just anti-Semitism written in the law and in the language. So I wanted to close out by just reminding you that it is your job as custodians of the right to anti-discrimination to consider all forms of discrimination and make sure that it's not just one that is highlighted because you risk overlooking and understating how critical it is to import, to address those other important forms of discrimination. [0:57:16](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3436s) Thank you. [0:57:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3439s) Thank you very much. Um, [0:57:25](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3445s) I should know this too. We talk all the time. Is it pronounced Mica- Michaela? [0:57:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3450s) Yes, sir. [0:57:31](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3451s) See, y'all know even people I see every day, I can't remember their name. [0:57:36](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3456s) I give you, I only see you like- [0:57:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3457s) That's why I name- [0:57:38](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3458s) ... three times out of the year [0:57:38](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3458s) ... that's why I named my children- [0:57:38](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3458s) I give you a pass [0:57:38](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3458s) ... Myles and Lance, so that I could do all one syllable and everything. I'm a simple man. Yes, ma'am, if you would, uh- [0:57:44](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3464s) Thank you very much, Chairman. Uh, thank you, Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Michaela Arciaga. I'm the Georgia Advocacy Director for, uh, the Intercultural Development Research Association, IDRA. We are a 50-year-old independent, nonpartisan education civil rights nonprofit. We have a very long history of K-12 civil rights advocacy and support. We have filed and supported many people through hundreds of OCR complaints and, uh, technical assistance to support those. So we come, uh, supportive of the spirit and intent of this bill, particularly the creation of this statewide infrastructure, especially with the amount of disarray we are seeing at the federal level when it comes to the Office of Civil Rights. [0:58:27](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3507s) And so, um, I, we wanted to, uh, share some lessons we've learned with our experience with federal, the federal process, and also some recommendations based on some of our neighbors and what might make this a more robust process for K-12. The first that I, uh, so the first thing I want to address is, um, there's kind of four things to think about with K-12 infrastructure. The first is, um, immediate response and support for plaintiffs or complainants. Uh, with the federal process, unfortunately, sometimes it can be months or years before complainants see progress or response to their complaints. [0:59:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3542s) Um, and as has been mentioned by several folks already, experiencing any form of discrimination can be incredibly traumatic. So we have sent language to almost all of you, um, and I will follow up with the rest of you that I haven't gotten to yet. But, uh, we would recommend, one, that the cons- committee consider adopting, uh, infrastructure that would help make sure that when complainants first share what has happened to them, that they are, have access to immediate support, as well as protection from retaliation. Um, unfortunately, the DOE, Georgia DOE does not currently have this infrastructure in place, as has been mentioned, because historically, this process gets outsourced and bypasses completely up to the federal level. [0:59:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3582s) And so when you're talking about creating this state infrastructure, you have to think about every level of this. Yes, USG has a long demonstrated infrastructure for this, but su- as all of you know, supporting higher ed, supporting adults and college-aged, uh, individuals is different than supporting K-12 employees, students, and their families. And so, um, that first thing again, immediate response and support. The second is allowing for additional triage. Um, there, we have someone who is from OCR or h- has worked for OCR to talk a little bit more about how the structure works, um, at the federal level. [1:00:18](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3618s) But they have had what essentially amounts to an army of attorneys to handle these kinds of complaints, and we still see ourselves in the hole up for thousands of complaints that have not been able to be investigated and addressed yet. So the idea that we could o- one, share an individual, and two, that this person would not ha- would already have the expertise for one of these roles, um, I think underestimates just how significant this kind of work can be. So we would, one, recommend that this is a single individual who is dedi- I n- I mean, it should be a team, not just an individual, but if it is a single individual, that they be exclusively dedicated to this work, they be extensively trained in civil rights law, and then that there is infrastructure to support and triage events and complaints at the ground level that, and incorporating a, um, escalation process to work its way up. [1:01:10](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3670s) Similar to how we handle other types of complaints that, that this body has adopted in the past, where complaints can start with the principal, the principal can make an investigation, and then from there, it escalates through the school board, through the superintendent, and then up to the Department of Ed. We, we strongly commend the efforts to document and report these events because we know they are happening, but we don't have great data about it. And so we think that should remain, but also allowing that sometimes things happen. I think we, there was an example of like name-calling that was brought up. [1:01:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3702s) Some of that stuff could potentially be addressed by a principal with family and appropriate mediation at the school level. Not everything needs to go immediately to the Department of Education and the agency level. Y- because you could potentially, with 180 districts, be talking about thousands of complaints very quickly. Um, so allowing for ground-level triage, the, if you do incorporate this ground-level kind of scaffolded infrastructure, then you also want to make sure that you put time bounds on that because when you do have folks who are closer to the issue who are investigating those issues, you should be able to turn these decisions around sooner. [1:02:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3737s) Um, we would leave it to the expertise of this committee for what kind of an appropriate turnaround would be, but usually like a week at least for a principal to investigate an event and provide some feedback as far as what they think an appropriate response or result of that event might be. And then the last thing, um, again, I think we are getting really close to this point, but there is a lot that actually goes into protecting people's civil rights, and it both requires that individuals know what their civil rights are and that the folks who are responsible for serving and working with them also know what those civil rights are and how not to violate them. [1:02:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3770s) So if y- if we are going to do this, which I think we should, and we fully support the effort to do, we have to also make sure that we are putting in the work to train and support our school systems because I believe the penalty that is written in here is fiscal withholding financial support from the state, which I reserve my evaluation of that. But if we are going to withhold funds from a school system for non-compliance or for violating civil rights, then we need to make sure that everybody, including teachers and staff and community, are trained in what that actually means, what it looks like, and how not to do it as a preventative and, and proactive step as part of this larger process. [1:03:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3808s) So thank you so much. Um, again, I'll follow up with all of you. Uh, the lang- it's, it's longer language than just any one line can be fixed because you're talking substantial infrastructure. But, um, we're happy to provide that. We've provided it to the sponsor as well as the lieutenant governor's office, but I've also sent it to most of the members of the committee as well. So thank you all so much. [1:03:49](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3829s) Thank you. W- would you, uh, t- [1:03:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3831s) Yes [1:03:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3831s) ... your questions went away, so I think we're, we're, we're moving on. [1:03:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3834s) Okay, thanks. [1:03:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3835s) We're moving on up as it were. Um, Sarah Hunt-Blackwell. Uh, did I get that right? [1:04:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3842s) Yes, sir. [1:04:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3843s) I just, y- y'all, y'all, uh, fool me when you have those hyphen names in there. No, I'm just ha- it's a little bit late in the day. Y'all bear with me. I know this is a very serious subject, but when, uh, you've been up since 4:00 AM, you, uh, you need to keep it, you keep it a little bit light in between. [1:04:18](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3858s) Absolutely. [1:04:18](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3858s) Yes, ma'am. We thank you for coming. [1:04:20](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3860s) Thank you, Chairman. Good afternoon, Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Sarah Hunt-Blackwell. I'm the senior policy counsel for the ACLU of Georgia. I'm here in opposition to House Bill 1363. The IHRA definition of antisemitism that is referenced on line 17 directly limits free speech. The full text of the definition, including the associated examples of antisemitism, was codified in Georgia law. As such, I'll read some of the exact language from the definition and examples that could be considered speech restrictive. [1:04:52](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3892s) In the second sentence of the definition itself, the reference to, quote, "rhetorical manifestations." In the second example, quote, "making mendacious, dehumanizing, demonizing, or stereotypical allegations about Jews," et cetera. In the third example, quote, "accusing Jews as a people of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing," et cetera. In the fourth example, quote, "denying the fact, scope, mechanisms, or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people," et cetera. [1:05:24](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3924s) In the ninth example, quote, "using the symbols and images asso- associated with classic antisemitism to characterize Israel or Israelis." The ACLU of Georgia is not here to deny that any of this conduct could be considered antisemitic. We are here because the conduct described is expressive, and penalizing students for that expression by way of state and federal investigation could violate the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has been clear that offensive speech still receives First Amendment protection, so whether that is racial slurs or symbols, controversial critiques, or simply unpopular opinions, each of us has a First Amendment right to that expression. [1:06:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3965s) While this body cannot change the fact that the IHRA definition is already codified into Georgia law at this moment, this body can refrain from referencing that definition in ways that expand the chilling effect that it has on constitutionally protected speech. At its core, HB 1363 is a good bill, and our opposition does not stem from a desire to perpetuate or promote antisemitism or any type of discrimination for that matter. We share the goal of wanting to protect all students from discrimination, and we thank the sponsors for their efforts to that end. [1:06:36](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=3996s) We urge this committee to rethink the reference to the IHRA definition on line 17 and the inclusion of lines 27 through 29 in the current version, LC version of this bill. Thank you for your time, and I yield for any questions. [1:06:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4010s) You have one. Um, number t- 10, uh, Representative Holland. [1:06:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4014s) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So if I heard correctly when the sponsor was presenting the bill and when she talked to Whip Park, that there might be an openness to removing references specifically to antisemitism in the bill and just referencing the broader language of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion. If that change was made in the bill, would the ACLU retract their objection to the bill, or do you still find the bill objectionable even if that's taken out? [1:07:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4037s) Absolutely. If the, if antisemitism, the, the reference to the codified section in Georgia law as well as those few lines, 27 through 29, were removed, we would be happy to support the bill. [1:07:27](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4047s) Thank you. [1:07:27](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4047s) Yes. [1:07:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4048s) Whip Holland. [1:07:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4050s) J- just a legal question. Um, has the IHRA definition been, um, has its constitutionality been challenged? And if so, are there any updates in terms of, you know, whether it is, uh, violative under a Supreme Court precedent in which, you know, in light of the concerns, you know, if there is anything that is legally suspect, um, that would be referenced in this bill, that would certainly raise concerns. But could you speak to that? [1:07:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4075s) Thank you for that question. I'm not, um, familiar myself with any legal challenges. I do know that there have been a number of states that have retracted their use of the IHRA definitions because of these First Amendment concerns. Um, but in terms of actual litigation regarding the definition, I'm not familiar with any. [1:08:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4091s) Thank you. [1:08:13](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4093s) I- if, if you could just for my edification, I, I understand you were talking about line 17. I know w- exactly what you were talking about. T- tell me, uh, or, or refresh me or go over again the, the lines you... Did you say 25 through 27? [1:08:26](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4106s) 27 through 29. [1:08:27](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4107s) Okay, that, that makes sense, 'cause I was trying to go back up and find out which- You're, you're, uh... Okay, got it. [1:08:33](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4113s) Yes, Mr. Chairman. [1:08:33](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4113s) That, that makes, uh, absolute sense. [1:08:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4117s) Great. [1:08:39](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4119s) And we are... [1:08:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4122s) Oh, nope, that, that even makes more sense. 'Cause, 'cause I'm, I'm one line off even from, from those, from the, the bill there. The, yeah, the, I'm playing out of a folder that has a extra line in it, so. [1:08:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4134s) No worries. [1:08:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4134s) At least you know I'm paying attention- [1:08:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4136s) Yes [1:08:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4136s) ... when you're, you're doing line over. [1:08:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4137s) Yes, thank you. [1:08:58](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4138s) So that, that makes absolute good sense. I just couldn't do that. Um, Representative Scoggins. Yes, sir. [1:09:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4142s) Yes, ma'am. Could you tell us why you object to 27, 28, and 29? [1:09:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4147s) Yes, because, uh, it references antisemitism, and then the antisemitim- antisemitism definition is in line 17, and that references the codified definition that is already in, um, OCGA. So that reference to antisemitism that- It's like a reference within a reference. It's like the matrix of references, um, with the antisemitism definition. [1:09:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4170s) So do you think that if we take out 27, 28, and 29, that would gut the bill, would it not? [1:09:36](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4176s) Uh, no, because religious protection is still, um, offered in earlier lines of the bill. [1:09:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4182s) Okay. [1:09:45](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4185s) To, to follow up on the gentleman's question, but al- also, if the, the definition of antisemitism changed to not refer to the current code section, that could also probably el- I- I'm not saying it would, but it would allay some of your concerns. [1:09:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4197s) Absolutely. [1:09:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4197s) It might not allay all, all of the concerns, but it would allay some of them. [1:10:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4200s) It would, it would alleviate, I think, all of them. [1:10:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4203s) Okay. Did you have another one, uh, Whip Park? [1:10:04](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4204s) Yes, sir. [1:10:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4205s) Yes, sir. [1:10:06](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4206s) Um, g- given, uh, what I believe to be the bipartisan, uh, support on this committee and in this body, uh, against discrimination of any kind, certainly religious discrimination, would you support ensuring that the provisions of this bill, as amended, if we're able to get there, should also apply to private schools or those schools that receive public dollars? [1:10:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4228s) Um, under a First Amendment per- perspective, likely not. Um- [1:10:33](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4233s) Or, or just the structure of the civil rights, um, uh, authority coordinator, coordinating position, uh, that would apply, just because, y- you know, just upon carefully examining the bill, uh, you know, Georgia's one of, I think, two or three states that does not have comprehensive civil rights protections across the board. [1:10:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4250s) That's correct. [1:10:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4251s) And which, you know, certainly if we want to ensure that we are trying to address religious discrimination in particular in K through 12, at least in my mind, it would make sense that we apply that to all schools in Georgia. Would you be supportive of a bill in which, again, public schools, and this is probably also a question for the author as well, but a- at least from ACLU's position, um, uh, you know, i- if we're able to address the concerns with respect to, um, uncertainty as to the definition of antisemitism, whether that violates the First Amendment, the overall structure, would you support expanding that to private schools as well? [1:11:25](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4285s) Yes, all students, whether that's public or private school, should deserve, um, d- protection from discrimination. [1:11:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4290s) I would agree. Thank you. [1:11:33](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4293s) Well, I'm, I'm certainly not gonna try to out-lawyer the whip down there, but I, I think, uh, private schools, uh, are subject to all the laws in the state of Georgia today. Um, th- this is us putting a structure into our public schools, uh, that may already exist in some private schools a- as they know that they could be civilly liable for, for not following the law. [1:11:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4313s) Yes. [1:11:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4313s) Is that not correct? [1:11:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4314s) I would, I would agree with that, Mr. Chairman. [1:11:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4315s) And, and a- a- a bit, just to be honest here, we're, we're the Higher Ed Committee. When we were talking, we, we got the, we have the language here that, that works in post-secondary education, also works in K-12. I imagine, um, Chairman Erwin's gonna wanna weigh in as, as we get in-depth discussions, um, for, for K-12, but the, the whip brings up, uh, an excellent point. Uh, you have no further questions. I thank you very much, uh, for joining us, and, and, uh, thank you for your patience with us today. [1:12:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4341s) Of course. [1:12:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4341s) We never know how long the, the floor, uh, sessions are gonna get. We appreciate you. [1:12:24](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4344s) I'm here at you all's discretion. Thank you so much. [1:12:26](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4346s) Arsheala, is it H-U-D- D, Hu- Hu- Huda? [1:12:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4350s) Huda. [1:12:30](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4350s) Huda. I couldn't, uh, see, now, th- this one I'm gonna blame on you a little bit on your penmanship. That, that could've been A or a U. [1:12:35](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4355s) All right. [1:12:36](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4356s) So it's not all on Chairman Martin here. Yes, ma'am. [1:12:39](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4359s) All right. Afternoon, representatives. My name is Arsheala Huda, and I am the education and advocacy organizer at Georgia Muslim Voter Project, a nonpartisan organization that empowers American Muslims. I am here to respectfully request that this bill be amended to clarify that protections against religious discrimination apply to students fr- of all faith traditions. I appreciate the General Assembly's efforts to combat the rising religious discrimination here in Georgia, and we share the same goal that all students are protected from hate and discrimination. [1:13:10](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4390s) We strongly oppose antisemitism and all forms of religious hate. While attempting to pr- prevent religious discrimination among several groups, the bill itself only explicitly names antisemitism when considering discrimination. Because the bill explicitly names antisemitism, we are concerned that the discrimination experienced by students from other faith backgrounds may not be addressed as clearly in implementation, despite many other religious groups facing regular and ongoing attacks. As an organization that serves the Muslim communities, we have seen how hate and discrimination continue to impact students amid rising Islamophobia. [1:13:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4427s) We have currently seen Muslim students being threatened by their peers and bad actors for requesting equitable accommodations in their schools, Muslim girls wearing headscarves being mocked or assaulted in schools, and our youth generally being called terrorists or being told they're going to hell for their beliefs. These experiences are not limited to Muslim students. Students from many faith and non-religious backgrounds have also faced discrimination tied to their beliefs or identities. While we recognize antisemitism and religious discrimination as serious and urgent concerns, we believe that this legislation presents an opportunity to ensure protections are clearly understood and applied to students, all students, experiencing religious discrimination. [1:14:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4468s) We appreciate the General Assembly's commitment to addressing religious discrimination. By clarifying that these protections extend to students from all faith traditions, this legislation can help ensure every student feels safe practicing their beliefs peacefully and learning in an environment free from descrip- uh, discrimination. Thank you. [1:14:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4487s) Thank you very much. Uh, you have no questions. [1:14:49](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4489s) Thank you. [1:14:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4490s) Thank you. Um, Whip Park, I'm gonna call on you and, and criticize a bit your penmanship here, that you, uh, that j- jotted it down. I k- don't know if that's an E-U or an E-A, so. [1:15:01](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4501s) Yulin. [1:15:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4502s) Yulin. Okay, Yulin Jiang. Yulin, please. You're gonna have to... If, if, if you call Whip Park a friend, you're gonna have to school him on his penmanship a bit. Thank you, and thank you for, uh, coming this afternoon. [1:15:13](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4513s) No, thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and the members of the committee. My name is Yulin Zhang, and I serve as the policy advocacy manager for the Asian American Advocacy Fund. Um, our organization represents and engages over 100,000 community members across our state. That includes families, students, small business owners, faith leaders, and working people whose civil rights and educational access are directly impacted, uh, by the policies that are considered by this body. I'm also a former civil rights attorney with the US Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, where I served from 2016 to 2025. During that time, I worked on the Title VI Program legal group, which was a specialized team of attorneys responsible for drafting national guidance on the implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which is referenced as the regulatory framework in this bill. [1:15:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4553s) Um, I come before you today because HB 1363 contains some significant, significant deficiencies that should be addressed if this legislation is to move forward, and my testimony reflects both the lived concerns of the communities we serve across Georgia and direct experience interpreting and enforcing Title VI at the federal level. Um, so procedurally, I just wanna flag that it doesn't clearly outline how these investigations will be conducted, what are the responsibilities of the Title VI coordinator. There's no defined timelines except for one timeline that says that if they don't comply within 30 days, they could pull their, their state funding. There's no clear standards for fact-finding, no protections concerning notice, no opportunity to respond, appeal rights, protection from retaliation for students or staff who are investigated. [1:16:32](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4592s) Substantively, the bill doesn't clarify any evidentiary standard, and instead provides one definition for one form of Title VI discrimination, which is antisemitism, and this is defined by the Georgia codified IHRA definition. When the Federal Office for Civil Rights investigates a complaint of race harassment, they utilize uniform legal standards that apply across all bases covered under Title VI. This includes antisemitism and other shared ancestry discrimination. This frames the investigation examining the conduct, the severity, the pervasiveness, the school's knowledge, their response, et cetera. And I'll just say that that's just for harassment. [1:17:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4623s) Title VI also covers different treatment. It also covers retaliation. I'm a little curious as to whether that would also be investigated. Um, based on the text of HB 1363, it's unclear to me whether the Title VI coordinator would require that a, say, for example, a harassment complaint, um, alleging antisemitism meet the current evidentiary standards for Title VI harassment, or would simply matching one of the examples in the IHRA definition be per se a violation of HB 1363. Um, as currently drafted, I believe it risks creating some inconsistent state and federal civil rights standards and outcomes, and lacks the procedural safeguards that are required for fair enforcement. [1:17:37](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4657s) If this bill is to move forward, it should be amended to ensure legal consistency and fair process. Um, additionally, my understanding is that it's gonna be one or potentially two people. It might be one now. I think that you've maybe made some modifications for the higher education piece of it. So one person handling the entire state's complaints. Um, quite frankly, I think Georgia had more than 500 civil rights, uh, complaints at the federal level. Um, I would be very curious to see how one person who I, it, my understanding is also they're gonna be sharing that with Title IX, um, how they're going to be handling that by themselves. [1:18:08](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4688s) So to move forward, I've, I've emailed all of y'all, um, some of the changes that I would like to see in the bill. Um, but this bill needs to either ensure clear notice, setting reasonable timelines for investigation, and an opportunity to respond for investigated schools and individuals, or establish uniform, legally sound evidentiary standards that apply equally across all Title VI bases and theories of discrimination, and clarify investigative procedures and timelines to ensure both accountability and fairness. I wanna be clear that I'm not opposed to the state having a civil rights enforcement arm. Other states operate parallel offices. [1:18:38](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4718s) Tennessee does as well. If Georgia chooses to do so, though, it needs to align with the established legal standards and protect the rights of both complainants and respondents. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I can take any questions. [1:18:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4730s) Thank you. And you have to teach me to have that kind of energy at this time in the day. [1:18:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4734s) I, I run it on fumes. [1:18:56](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4736s) And I, I say that ab- I say that absolutely as a compliment, not on anything other than, um, number... Is that, uh, you Representative Hall? [1:19:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4743s) Yes, sir. [1:19:04](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4744s) You have the- [1:19:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4745s) Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [1:19:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4747s) Thank you, Representative Parsons. [1:19:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4747s) Um, appreciate your testimony and, uh, with respect to the reporting, and since you have such expertise in this area, um, it strikes me that just the aggregation of data in some respects is helpful because it gives you a sense of the total incidents that's taking place and, and the prevalence. But it doesn't address the root causes in terms of what is leading to it- [1:19:31](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4771s) Mm-hmm [1:19:31](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4771s) ... which is what I'm also interested in in terms of interventions, because ideally this wouldn't happen. Instead of us having all this time and energy devoted to it, which I know is, um, uh, a bit, a bit of a dream, but it's a worthy one. And so are you aware of, um, of any, uh, did the federal government or any other place that you're aware of do more than just compiling raw numbers and use those raw numbers to then try to influence outcomes? [1:20:04](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4804s) Yeah, absolutely. So for example, the Federal Office of Civil Rights, and I will say I won't speak for this particular administration, but in the previous administrations that I worked under, we did something called technical assistance, where we would look at our database of complaints and say, "Oh, it seems like this one school district is having maybe some issues with discipline. So why don't we go do some trainings in there?" We'd send folks out. Um, another aspect of this is, you know, if this person is getting complaints and there's gonna be like, I guess, an agreement that maybe they come to with this Title VI coordinator and they need to monitor it, I'm a- I'm assuming is what would need to happen to ensure that there's compliance. [1:20:35](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4835s) Part of that would usually be some form of training, which would mean that, you know, you would try to get to amending policies, making sure that the staff members know not to do something like this again, or knowing what the proper procedures are, um, the next time that something like this happens. 'Cause again, liability with Title VI, for example, is not, specifically with the school, right? It's not that something bad happened or something discriminated against. It's whether the school failed to respond. So that's ultimately what the, the goal I assume would be here as well. [1:21:01](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4861s) And can you tell us, just to, to the extent that you can recollect, of the 500 complaints that you're aware of just from Georgia Can you describe, uh, were they all different or were there some kind of constant themes that, and, and recurrences that happened? [1:21:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4879s) We did get a fair number of disability complaints, but certainly we saw it across all the bases. Um, and I'll be clear here that OCR specifically enforces, um, disability, um, race, uh, color, national origin, um, as well as Age Act, um, and Title IX, which is sex discrimination. [1:21:35](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4895s) Okay. All right. Thank you. [1:21:36](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4896s) Mm-hmm. [1:21:40](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4900s) Vice Chairman Smith. Corbett. [1:21:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4902s) So you, you said if the bill... Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You said if the bill is to move forward, and, and you've, you've talked about a lot of the mechanics and things that could be improved on. [1:21:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4910s) Mm-hmm. [1:21:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4911s) Talk about the spirit of the bill. Are you generally in favor of the idea and the direction this is going? I c- I can't completely tell yet. [1:21:58](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4918s) Yeah, sure. I mean, I, I think I would be in favor of it if there were some s- some significant changes, um, which is what I, when I sent out the emails to everybody here, um, I recommended some com- like specific language. Um, and I also, I think for specifically, I think other folks have flagged this language as well, lines 29 through 31. Um, not only does this language not match up with Title VI, I think it needs to be amended to include other bases, right? Because Title VI covers more than just antisemitism. It does cover antisemitism. It needs to be all shared faith. [1:22:26](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4946s) Let me ask you, Carla, and I'm gonna go back to you, uh, uh, Representative Barrett. But just, r- let me get my head back together here. You referenced lines, what LC number are you looking at? [1:22:39](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4959s) Um, so I, I do have the old version 'cause I know- [1:22:41](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4961s) Okay [1:22:41](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4961s) ... the new one, but I believe- [1:22:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4962s) Okay, so- [1:22:43](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4963s) ... it's the same. Let me know if I'm wrong. [1:22:44](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4964s) No, there, there, there's a, there's a slight difference, I think. [1:22:46](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4966s) Oh, okay. [1:22:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4967s) Uh- [1:22:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4967s) Apologies [1:22:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4967s) ... so, so tell me the lines on the old LC number you're using. [1:22:50](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4970s) Uh, the old one was 29 through 31, which is, again, I th- [1:22:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4973s) Okay. The, on, on the new one- [1:22:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4975s) Let me just find that [1:22:55](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4975s) ... that, that's 27 through 29, just for the- [1:22:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4977s) Okay [1:22:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4977s) ... the, the committee. That, I just wanted to clarify that so that- [1:23:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4980s) Yeah [1:23:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4980s) ... tha- thank you. That's, it's not your, uh, we'll get you a copy of the, the substitute. [1:23:04](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4984s) Mm-hmm. Thank you. [1:23:05](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4985s) Yes, ma'am. Carter, uh, excuse me. Rep- the, Representative Barrett, did you have anything further? Okay, you have no questions. Thank you very much. And, uh, you know, as, as long as we're not paying your fee, we'd like to keep you, uh, involved to, um- [1:23:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4997s) I would love that [1:23:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4997s) ... you know, use your, use your expertise. Uh- [1:23:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4999s) I would love that [1:23:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=4999s) ... that's fine. Thank you. [1:23:20](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5000s) Thank you so much. [1:23:22](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5002s) Yeah. Tha- thank you. Uh, can, m- make sure if you, if you are not opposed to, make sure you get that, those things to, uh, the author as well. You may have already, uh, done so. Thank you very much. That is the, uh, the speakers we have on that. Um, Chairman Cheokas, do you wish to, to come and give us a little bit of a wind up or you, you have things to- [1:23:40](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5020s) Yeah. I want to say I appreciate the committee hearing the bill. This was just an idea. I didn't, um, intend to develop, uh, the full- [1:23:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5027s) Do we have- [1:23:48](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5028s) ... you know, rules of civil procedure for these claims. [1:23:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5031s) Um, I was on the previous list. Sorry. [1:23:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5034s) All right. Okay, uh, did, so we missed someone. [1:23:57](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5037s) Yes. [1:23:58](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5038s) Okay. I'll, I will, I'll allow you to come, come up. But you're, uh, I don't have your name, so you're gonna have to introduce yourself. [1:24:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5042s) Sure. [1:24:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5043s) Which we found out was probably the easiest thing to, to go today anyway. [1:24:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5047s) It's going to make things- [1:24:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5047s) Yes, ma'am [1:24:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5047s) ... it's going to make things much easier. [1:24:09](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5049s) Ye- yes, ma'am. Please. [1:24:12](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5052s) Thank you for, um, letting me speak. Good afternoon, Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Azka Mahmood. I helped you right there. Um, I serve as the executive director at the Georgia Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. We're the nation's largest Muslim civil rights organization. I'm also a resident of Alpharetta and a parent in Fulton County. I'm glad to see, um, HB 1363 in the Georgia Assembly. As a Muslim civil rights organization, we have been considering bringing a bill to address religious discrimination for a few years, and I want to thank all the sponsors of this bill for wanting to address religious discrimination in our schools and colleges. [1:24:52](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5092s) That said, I'm here to propose that this bill be amended significantly before passing. Bullying and discrimination based on national origin, religion, and other factors are on the rise, and this bill is a positive overall step in addressing these issues. Rising antisemitism, Hinduphobia, and Islamophobia have become an impediment to our children's personal and academic wellbeing. Children of all these faiths and other faiths deserve protections. However, lines 29 and 31, to 31, like previous speakers have mentioned, uh, of the previous version of the bill did mention, and only mention, antisemitism explicitly, and I'm deeply fearful that this bill will indicate to the newly appointed Title VI coordinators that there's a hierarchy of types of discrimination, and that some religious faiths are more important than others. [1:25:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5147s) CAIR has been tracking incidents of Islamophobia in the US since 1995. Especially since 2016, Islamophobia has skyrocketed across the country, and nationwide CAIR's, um, reporting has showed that anti-Muslim incidents increased by 291% just in the last 10 years. And in Georgia, we have recorded an exponential increase in anti-Muslim activity over the five years, last five years. From 2020 to 2025, our incomplaint, uh, incoming complaints grew by 520%. [1:26:21](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5181s) Last year, CAIR Georgia's youngest client was a five-year-old kindergarten student in Fulton County who received a death threat from an older elementary school student because of her religious and ethnic origin. An 11-year-old Muslim girl in Gwinnett County committed suicide because her bullies told her to kill herself, and she named the bullies who told her to die in a TikTok before she took her own life. She hanged herself with her hijab. A student in Houston County was arrested on 9/11 after four of his bullies made a fake report alleging that he was going to do a school shooting. [1:27:00](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5220s) A student in Walker County was repeatedly called a junior terrorist by his teacher. Muslims, Muslim students that we see are given tier three punishments or longer suspensions than their peers for the same infractions And the most disturbing thing is that half of all anti-Muslim, Muslim bullying at schools in the US is perpetrated by the adults at these schools according to the 2025 American Muslim Poll by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. [1:27:31](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5251s) And that's not all. Every general or midterm election, there's an increase in dangerous rhetoric against Muslims and in direct hate incidents. But the funny thing is that hate and discrimination rarely stay limited to one group. After the 2016 election cycle, which, you know, intensely vilified Muslims, um, the Sikh community saw hate crimes against them triple from 2017 to 2018 because you know why? Because Sikhs are often mistaken for being Muslim. So religious discrimination impacts all minority faiths, and that's why, as all previous speakers have said, our laws must protect all faith groups. [1:28:07](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5287s) And if they're going to do it in this bill, if any faith group is going to be mentioned, then all faith groups must be mentioned. So I urge this committee to amend HB 1363 and equally, forcefully, and explicitly name all faith groups and atheists, all of whom face hate and discrimination every day. And if the Georgia Assembly fails to do that, we signal to our kids and to the people who are implementing these laws that all children and all faiths are not equal, and I don't believe that anyone in this assembly wants to tell any Georgian children that they matter less than others. [1:28:42](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5322s) So please oppose this bill in its current form. Thank you so much for your time. [1:28:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5327s) Thank you. And you have no questions? [1:28:51](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5331s) Thank you. [1:28:52](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5332s) Um, ladies and gentlemen, th- thus, I think you were completely complete with your remarks. Uh, um, Chair Silcox. So that, that is the speakers we have on that, so we're gonna, um, hold this bill over. We're gonna give the author a opportunity to, uh, hear those things. If you have, um, information for the author, I would encourage everybody, uh, to get with them, um, get with the author, and, um, we'll take her direction if, if, if and when it's ready to come back for us. So that, with that, I'm gonna ask, uh, we're gonna move on in the agenda, and I'm gonna ask members, we are right, uh, on, on the quorum number, so I'm gonna hold everybody hostage. [1:29:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5368s) The sergeant of arms is in the back. You just don't know who it is. I might adopt Mr. Miller back there to be the, uh, sergeant in arms, uh, for the day. But I, I would like to, um, ask the committee's attention and try to, uh, take action on three items that we've had that, uh, we have back before us. The authors, uh, had volunteered to come by, but given the, the hour of the day, um, if there's not questions on these, the, the, the chair would, would move on them. Um, we heard these before. Um, H- House Bill 1328, uh, Representative Will Wade brought down to increase the scholarship numbers for the, uh, uh, University of North Georgia ca- cadet scholarships. [1:30:10](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5410s) There has been no change to the legislation. Um, would like to move forward on that, uh, h- here in the second hearing, um, if the committee is ready to do so. So with that, that's before us for action. Um, is, what's the pleasure of the committee regarding that? Motion to pass. I have a motion to pass. Is there a second? [1:30:28](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5428s) Second. [1:30:29](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5429s) I have a second. Uh, the, uh, the whip, is there discussion on that? Um, can you hand me the bill so I can just sign the, uh, let me just sound the, the LC number we got. Okay. This, this... No, that's 88. [1:30:47](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5447s) 13, we're looking for 1328. [1:30:53](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5453s) It's, it's the same bill number. I'm just making sure that, uh, I sound it for our record here. This, this is the ori- the original bill, House Bill 1328, LC 61-0393. I had a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? Any, any discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. [1:31:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5471s) Aye. [1:31:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5471s) Any opposed, no. That moves on to rules. We're gonna go then to, uh, Representative Barnes, House Bill 88. We have passed this out previously. Representative, your, your bill only changed in that, uh, the dates, and we had that, those changes. It has not changed since the first hearing, has it? No. Okay. date. Okay. So we ha- we have that, House Bill 88. Uh, if you recall, this, um, was, um, loan forgiveness for a, a, a small number of vet, vet techs, um, and that is subject to funding. [1:31:45](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5505s) That would be available for action. What's the pleasure of the committee regards to House Bill 88? Move to pass. I have a motion and a second to do pass. This is LC 61-0402S. Any discussion? Discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. [1:32:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5522s) Aye. [1:32:02](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5522s) Any opposed, no. That moves forward to rules. Thank you. The last, the last one, see, I didn't make you wait till the, the, the, the last one, but, um, the, we also have, um, Representative Carmen Rice, uh, brought us HB 1345. This was a line in our work, uh, uh, force development program with the, the federal laws that have changed. This is also being, uh, worked on, uh, with a bill that is going through the Senate, but I think, uh, as a belt and suspenders, uh, process, we wanna make sure we comply and have those funds available to our technical college system and state workforce board. [1:32:40](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5560s) That bill has not changed since the first hearing, and if, uh, it is ready for action. So what's the pleasure of the committee regards to H Bill- HB 1345, LC 49-2544? That is available. Move to pass. I have a motion to do, do pass and a second. Is there discussion? Discussion on this? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. [1:33:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5583s) Aye. [1:33:03](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5583s) Any opposed, no. That moves on to, uh, the rules committee. That concludes, uh, our business. Uh, actually not. [1:33:12](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5592s) Oh. [1:33:12](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5592s) Oh, no. Is, uh, is, uh, Representative Carpenter here? [1:33:16](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5596s) Nope. [1:33:17](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5597s) Okay. That, then that, that, that does conclude our business. Um, I, I, uh, Representative Kasey Carpenter was so good. We, we're gonna have a hearing on that. We do have a me- we, me- meeting scheduled for 1:00 tomorrow. We have some additional meetings. We have, uh, we're still working with, um, Representative Bell on his bill, HB, um, 206. He had some additional language that we're working through, so please keep an eye out. We will probably meet, uh, tomorrow if we're able after session. Um, we also have a little piece of legislation, uh, 1413, dealing with the Dream Scholarship that we will have, uh, ready, uh, Monday. [1:33:54](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5634s) So look, look for a meeting that there will be Monday as we will point toward a hearing, uh, on that bill and perhaps some others. W- with that, if there's no further business, I thank all the committee and all the, those that have stayed with us. If there's no further business before the committee, we'll stand adjourned without objection. And everybody's ready to go, we are adjourned. [1:34:11](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5651s) Thank you. [1:34:19](https://vimeo.com/1168111189#t=5659s) Thank you, Mr. Chair.