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Found 123 matching documents.
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · February 24, 2026
House floor session, February 24, 2026 (legislative day 23)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House focused on education, passing HB 1193 to expand early reading instruction and support, HB 372 to extend a retired-teacher return program, and HB 1123 to expand access to pre-K after-school care. Members also passed HB 1009 to restrict personal electronic devices in high schools and HB 1023 to require school weapons detection systems, after debate about costs, local control and school safety. Other measures passed would expand career academy access, provide grants to student teachers and allow unused HOPE scholarship eligibility toward graduate or professional study. The House heard bill readings and committee reports, adopted recognition resolutions, postponed two resolutions to the next legislative day and reassigned HB 1377 to Transportation. The House adjourned until February 25 at 10 a.m.
Mr. Clerk, will you read the caption to House Bill 1009? 1-0-0-9. House Bill 1009 by Representative Hilton of the 48th and others to be entitled an act to amend Chapter 2, Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated rela- relating to elementary and secondary education so as to require local school systems and public schools to enact policies and...
Nationwide, 40 states now have a statewide cell phone policy, with more than half of those a best practice of bell-to-bell approach. Georgia's the only state out of all 40 that actually stop at K through 8. We do understand high school differs from K through 8, which is why we have exclusions for dual enrollment, work-based learning, and apprenticeships....
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · February 5, 2026
House Education Committee, February 5, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved five bills: HB 971 on cross-district access to college and career academies for homeschool and private school students; HB 383 on protections for student athletes' endorsement contracts; HB 1009 on restricting high school students' personal electronic devices during the school day; HB 1023 on weapons detection systems in public schools; and HB 907 on access to completion schools. Members adopted two amendments to HB 383 and approved substitutes for HB 1023 and HB 907. Discussion included school funding, financial protections for young athletes, device-policy enforcement, weapons detection costs and staffing, and instruction at completion schools. Opposition was heard on the voice vote for HB 1023. No numerical vote totals were announced.
And like I said, many high schools around our state, nearly half of them have already done some form of this. Um, thank you to the chairman and, and many others. You'll note on line 54 through 56, we do realize high school students, uh, have different responsibilities. We offer different opportunities for them. Uh, and so we made sure to exclude dual...
Uh, they've studied both schools that have it currently in place, and they also surveyed teachers, "Hey, what do, what do y'all wanna see?" Uh, and, and I thought the results were just amazing. Um, 80%... 87% of teachers, and this is a huge survey put on by Georgia Southern, said personal devices are a major source of distraction in their classrooms, 87% of...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · February 9, 2026
House Rules Committee, February 9, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard bill presentations on education, courts, financial regulation, property, public safety and other topics. The longest discussion concerned HB 934, with questions about the effect of transferring securities regulation on an ongoing investigation, staffing and agency workloads. Members also questioned school weapons-detection costs and possible local court costs from accepting juvenile cases involving military installations. The committee placed six bills on the February 9 floor calendar and four measures on the February 10 calendar, with no opposition voiced. The other measures presented were not placed on either calendar during this meeting.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. I referred to House Bill 1009, which is at the bottom of page two, House Bill 1009. As many of you in this room know, last year we went cell phone-free in our classrooms K through 8. Back by popular demand, we are now expanding that to include high schools. Thank you, Jim. Whip, have a question. Jim, uh,...
Bill or resolution · Georgia House of Representatives · January 16, 2026 · Passed
Education; enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; require local school systems
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): Georgia House Bill 1009 would extend the state's ban on student personal electronic device use during the school day to grades nine through twelve, starting no later than July 1, 2027, expanding a rule already applying to kindergarten through eighth grade.
House Bill 1009 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Hilton of the 48th, Jones of the 47th, Donatucci of the 105th, Reeves of the 99th, Silcox of the 53rd, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to require local school...
SECTION 1. Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, is amended by revising Code Section 20-2-324.8, relating to use of personal electronic devices during school day by students, as follows: "20-2-324.8. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Access' means viewing, holding,...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · March 19, 2026
House Education Committee, March 19, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved a substitute version of SB 369, a charter-school package that included changes concerning completion schools and extracurricular participation. The chair removed SB 431 from the agenda for further work. The committee also heard SB 513, which would address chronic absenteeism through attendance review teams and restrictions on activities and access to new driver's licenses or permits. Members questioned whether those restrictions could discourage attendance or create administrative problems. A Department of Driver Services witness raised concerns about delays and documentation requirements. The chair made that bill hearing-only, with no vote, and asked members to work with the sponsor on revisions for Monday's meeting.
Thank you, ma'am. Let me do this, if I can, and thank you very much- Welcome ... for that information, uh, from DDS. Let me offer this, members, in, in light of your concern. Um, well, let's continue this talk. What I'm gonna do for the senator is we'll make this hearing only today in hopes that we can make the changes that we need to make so this bill can...
And, uh, you know, we, we had a study committee last year as well. We came up with 14 or 15 different items, uh, on that study committee. These were the top three or four that we kind of pulled out that we felt like that made a lot of sense. And one of the things we wanted to make sure of is that we weren't, um, really kind of overseeing this from the state...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 23, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 23, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved three bills. A substitute for SB 403 would let the Department of Revenue return unclaimed money without requiring a claim and simplify claims by heirs. The committee approved SB 532 after the chair said its original contents had been replaced with a Gwinnett judgeship proposal. After a recess, members debated a substitute for SB 552 concerning equal access for student political activities at public schools. Questions focused on after-hours access, supervision, school discipline and whether a specific Georgia incident justified the bill. The committee approved that substitute by voice vote, with opposition heard.
That's basically a, a- Okay ... where you allow discussion, but subject to some reasonable restriction. It, they can, you know, prohibit any groups from using school property to meet if they want to. I think that's called a closed forum. Um, uh, so this is not mandating they do that, but it just, you'll notice there are places where it says, "If the school...
36. Yeah. Before, during and after. Yeah, I've, I've heard that concern. Um- But you're, um, you're saying that the, they don't have to let that happen. They can restrict that. Is that what I'm hearing? Uh, yeah. Well, I think they can, as long as they do it fairly- Fairly ... um, and, and, and equally. Um, and, uh, I know one, one concern I had is about...
Bill or resolution · Georgia House of Representatives · February 6, 2025 · Passed
Distraction-Free Education Act; enact
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): Georgia House Bill 340 would require public schools to ban student use of personal electronic devices like phones and smartwatches from the first bell to the last bell for kindergarten through eighth grade, starting July 1, 2026.
SECTION 2. Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, is amended in Part 15 of Article 6, relating to miscellaneous provisions under the "Quality Basic Education Act," by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "20-2-324.8. (a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) 'Access'...
(c) By January 1, 2026, each local school system and public school shall adopt policies and procedures that, at a minimum: (1) Prohibit bell-to-bell access to personal electronic devices by students in kindergarten through grade eight, subject to exceptions provided for by law; (2) Establish appropriate methods for storing students' personal electronic...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · March 4, 2026
House Rules Committee, March 4, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard requests to bring bills to the House floor on education, healthcare, taxes, public safety, local government and other subjects. Members questioned proposals on firearm rules, access to death recordings, district attorney pay, foreign funding disclosures and transit tax votes. The committee approved a substitute for HB 1138 restoring earlier language. It sent HB 947 back to Agriculture and Consumer Affairs and HB 490 back to Economic Development and Tourism. A motion to send HB 1386 back to committee failed. The committee then placed 14 bills on the day's floor calendar, including HB 1138 with the approved substitute. Members also questioned differences in how requests for changes were handled. The chair said the approaching legislative deadline limited time to return every proposed change to committee.
Um, this is just requiring all the schools, if they don't already have a safety program, um, for lock boxes, they're required to put lock boxes in there with a key or a key fob. If they have the electronic doors that open with a keypad or something, then they're fine. It's just, uh, requiring them to do that. Okay. I don't see any questions on that one...
Good morning, Chairman. Um, page six, third from the bottom, I'm requesting consideration on House Bill 1269. This is a digital literacy and learning bill. This just simply directs the Department of Education to update the standards, uh, for digital literacy and learning for what children are utilizing today in a world where digital technology is a K...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Judiciary Committee · March 16, 2026
House Judiciary Committee, March 16, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee advanced SB 552, concerning students’ political expression and access to school facilities, after rejecting an amendment allowing excused absences for civic or political events. It held a hearing on SB 403, which would simplify unclaimed-property payments and allow the state to permanently take ownership of some unclaimed funds. Members questioned cryptocurrency provisions, protections for creditors and property owners, and the proposed deadlines for claims. The chair held that bill for further consideration and said it would return Thursday. The committee also approved a substitute for SB 570, requiring human-trafficking awareness training for frontline workers in hotels, motels and short-term rentals. Both approved bills were sent to Rules.
Mm-mm. No. So that was offered on the floor of the Senate. I mean, no disparaging, I was in the House for four years, but w- it's a little bit more freewheeling on the floor, so that was offered as amendment and was, uh, voted down. And I tell you, really, the reason I spoke against it, I mean, this is, uh, this is a bill that was carefully crafted, wanted...
I, I, I think this would be the closest that I would want to get to their organization. They're a 501[c][3], and they're not going to, uh, engage on this. I mean, this is obviously, uh, in respect for him, but, uh, I would, uh, not wish that to be changed, so thank you. Thank you Okay. And Representative Crawford. Thank you, Chairman. And thank you,...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · January 16, 2026
House floor session, January 16, 2026 (legislative day 5)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House read newly introduced bills and referred them to committees, completed second readings, and received a favorable committee report on HR 1008. Members honored a late Georgia Poultry Federation leader through HR 1013 and adopted a group of commemorative resolutions without objection. The House also agreed without objection to move HB 590, concerning trailer manufacturers, from the Regulated Industries Committee to the Motor Vehicles Committee. No vote on the substance of a policy bill appears in the transcript. Members announced upcoming budget hearings, and the House adjourned until January 26, 2026, at 10 a.m.
Thank you. Chairman Jaspers, recognized for an announcement. Thank you, members. After you go to your Appropriations meeting on Tuesday, Tuesday afternoon, the grocers and everyone involved in the food industry will be in the blue room. They'd love to see you, have refreshments, all that good stuff, but that's Kathy Cassava and Kevin Perry, who are friends...
Members, I'm going to remind you again, check your cell phones. Make sure you don't have an extra one by accident. If you do, it's, it's Representative Bazemore's, so please check, members. Second readies, reading of bills and resolutions, the clerk will read.
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · March 31, 2026
House Rules Committee, March 31, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard presentations on firefighter and tax court pension changes and approved substitutes for SB 462 and SB 552. The ambulance-billing substitute combined surprise-billing and excess-profits provisions. The school-related substitute removed literacy provisions added earlier that day and restored an earlier committee version. The committee then set a supplemental floor calendar. Objections prompted voice votes on placing SB 175, SB 423 and SB 552 on the calendar, and each motion carried. The other calendar motions passed without stated opposition. The committee then adjourned.
Have a move and a second. Is there any opposition? Okay, it's approved. Now we're gonna recognize, uh, Vice Chair Leverett to speak to Senate Bill 552. Wireless. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um- Wait a minute ... in the spirit of deja vu all over again, on Senate Bill 552, um, we are, uh, undoing the changes we did this morning. So we've removed the literacy...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · March 23, 2026
House Education Committee, March 23, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved seven bills covering school finances, enrollment, instruction, teacher recruitment and attendance. Members advanced SB 472 on financial oversight, SB 589 on parents’ enrollment choices, SB 515 on teacher tax credits, SB 425 on cursive instruction and school safety, and SB 431 on foster students’ enrollment. The committee approved SB 475 on local charter school facility funding by an 11 to 5 vote. Members added a requirement to print the 988 crisis number on student identification badges to SB 589. After debate over attendance penalties and students’ transportation needs, members amended SB 513 to exempt students enrolled in completion special schools, then approved it. Other approvals were by voice vote, without numerical totals.
Um, so I'm, I'm not sure, but I certainly wanna make sure we protect those students that we've just made a way to come back to school given completion schools all around the state, um, and I don't want them to be affected by not being able to drive, go to work, and be online to go to school. Be, be thinking that. If we get a motion and a second, we can...
So as, as long as them, the student and their parent are involved in that process, none of the other punitive stuff kicks in, right? Like, they don't have to- That, that would be correct ... they don't have to solve the absenteeism. They simply... It's, it's a very low permissive threshold. They just have to engage, just engage with the sc- You know, all...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · March 2, 2026
House Rules Committee, March 2, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard requests to move forward a wide range of measures covering taxes, housing, health care, education, public safety, workforce development and state symbols. Members questioned proposals on self-defense cases, income tax cuts, Medicaid eligibility checks, development permits and airport funding. The chair announced that HR 114 and HB 1116 were returned to Ways and Means without opposition, although a subsequent exchange created uncertainty about the first measure's number. Most other measures received brief presentations without questions. No floor calendar selections or votes on those requests were recorded. The chair adjourned the meeting and announced another meeting for 5 p.m.
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and committee. I am here to present House Bill 1045, which is on page four, line six. HB 1045, known as You Are Not Alone Act, requires all Georgia p- public schools that issue student identif- identification badges grades six through 12 to print 988 Suicide Crisis Hotline on the back of student badges. This legislation is...
Mr. Chair, thank you, Committee. This is, uh, HB 1445. It is page eight, halfway down. Basically, this requires DJJ to communicate, uh, real-time information to state and, and local law enforcement as well as school systems if one of the juveniles is on probation and takes off their monitoring system. Okay. No questions. Thank you.
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · February 26, 2026
House Education Committee, February 26, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved four bills: HB 1402 on school vision and hearing screenings and reading notices, HB 1302 on coordinating education and workforce planning, HB 1284 on diplomas for students nearing the end of life, and HB 1045 on student access to the 988 crisis line. The longest discussion concerned HB 1302, with members questioning agency responsibilities, literacy work and apprenticeship oversight. A motion to delay that bill failed 7 to 9 before the committee approved it. Members also approved corrections to the honorary name in HB 1284. The chair said additional meetings were planned to address bills still awaiting consideration.
Understood ... this is, the last two bills, this is why we do this, and I know it's a very small step, but the ripple effect it may have, and I just really appreciate your effort. So thank you very much, and I would be honored to second. Thank you. Number 22. Like you, Mr. Chairman. Um, thank you for bringing this great bill. Uh, two more practical...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House of Representatives · April 2, 2026
House floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, PM, part 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The House debated school attendance restrictions, public health changes, tax relief, insurance coverage, school safety, care for children stranded in hospitals, and regulatory changes. Members initially rejected SB 513, then voted to reconsider it and returned it to the Rules Committee. The House passed SB 440 after debate focused on access to ivermectin without a prescription. Members approved amended Senate versions of property and income tax measures, prosthetic coverage legislation, an education package, a Medicaid and child placement measure, and regulatory legislation that also addressed disclosure of harassment settlements. Six local measures passed together, while HB 1534 returned to committee. The House recessed until 7:30.
Um, I also wanna say that in committee when there was testimony to this bill, two things came up that I thought were interesting. One is that several years ago and a whole bunch of you were here when this happened, we, this House took up, uh, justice, criminal justice reform. And you worked to uncouple license, uh, license restriction from other crimes. You...
This is not primarily a discipline problem. It is a barrier problem, and that matters because when you look at what the committee heard and you look at what this bill does, they do not line up. The testimony pointed towards support, early intervention, family engagement, keeping students connected to school. This bill moves completely in a different...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · March 6, 2026
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard requests to bring bills before the House on crossover day, covering education, health, taxes, elections, courts, local government and other subjects. Members questioned proposals on development moratoriums, monument removal and lottery reserves for scholarships. Several bills had recently left other committees, and members said copies were missing from their materials. The chair said copies would be provided and that the committee expected to meet again later to set a supplemental calendar. No votes or calendar selections were recorded before adjournment.
Technology's there for inhaler now to be able to walk around it, too. Restrictions, of course, doctor's note, parent's permission, can't use it inappropriately. And the staff can get trained, and once they're trained, they're allowed to administer as well. This is a school safety bill. If you like school safety, this is excellent. Okay. Thank you, sir....
They're considered absent. And my daughter wants my granddaughter to have perfect attendance. And so this, about a month or so ago, she was unable to come to the Capitol to visit me in her Girl Scout uniform because she was gonna miss perfect attendance. And so that's what this bill does. It allows them to be checked as present, similar to the way the pages...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Education Committee · March 2, 2026
House Education Committee, March 2, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee approved seven bills covering school technology purchases, financial literacy, digital literacy and online safety, teacher planning time, emergency access to school buildings, and excused absences for Capitol visits. Members amended HB 1244 to remove required hourly compensation for teachers who agree to supervise students during protected time. Members also amended HB 1232 to include Boy Scouts of America, despite the sponsor's objection to expanding the bill beyond Girl Scouts. The committee postponed consideration of HB 1281 when the sponsor was unavailable. The chair said another meeting was planned.
Two by three. Okay. Uh, Representative Ridley, if you would for me read your LC number, and I'll turn the microphone over to you. All right, LC630123S. Wait a minute. Uh, I, I have a different number. Uh- Read your number one more time. LC630123S. I have 25S. Well, I need 25S then. Wait a second. We'll, we'll get you a copy of 25S. Where is that at?...
Bill or resolution · Georgia House of Representatives · March 6, 2025 · Introduced
Education; policies prohibiting bullying and cyberbullying; add and revise definitions
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): House Bill 736 would expand Georgia's school anti-bullying law by broadening the definition of bullying, adding new terms like gender identity and progressive discipline, and requiring schools to track and report bullying incidents.
(2) 'Cyberbullying' means bullying that involves the use of electronic communication, including, but not limited to, communication devices and services, including, but not limited to, cellular telephones, cameras, computers, social media platforms, text messages, chat platforms, and internet sites. (3) 'Electronic communication' means, but is not limited...
Meeting transcript · Georgia House Rules Committee · March 27, 2026
House Rules Committee, March 27, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons (AI-written): The committee heard presentations on education, public safety, rural health care, remote notarization, home inspection licensing and other proposals. Members questioned proposed restrictions on students’ extracurricular activities, requirements for noncitizen commercial drivers, penalties for practicing law without authorization, and monitoring of homeless people on the sex offender registry. The committee placed 12 bills on the legislative day 38 floor calendar, including SB 8, SB 150, SB 403 and SB 442. The calendar vote on SB 442 drew opposition but passed by voice vote. The committee also returned SB 454 to the Public Safety Committee. No further action was shown on the other proposals presented.
We didn't want a heavy, heavy hand from the, uh, from the state standpoint. Uh, we know that every school district and every school system is slightly different in the state, and so that's why we wanted to give each one of them an opportunity to create their own individualized plan based upon their economic and demographic conditions. Well, I, I appreciate...
Is it not true that our governing agency that, well, looks over, uh, our athletic competitions at high school require attendance the day of the game to participate in that game that afternoon or that evening? Mr. Chairman, that is correct. Well, follow-up question, if I could. Uh, the, do we not have, uh... I- is it not true that we have federal regulations...
Amendment · Georgia House of Representatives · September 25, 2026
Floor Amendment AM 49 0335 to HB 1396
SECTION 5. Said title is further amended in Article 11 of Chapter 2, relating to public school property and facilities, by revising Code Section 20-2-591, relating to mobile panic alert system, as follows: "20-2-591. (a) Not later than July 1, 2026, each public school shall implement a mobile wearable panic alert system capable of: (1) Connecting disparate...
SECTION 2. Said title is further amended in said part by revising Code Section 20-2-149, relating to programs for educating students regarding online internet safety, as follows: "20-2-149. (a) The State Board of Education shall adopt grade level appropriate content standards for instruction in digital literacy to support digital citizenship competencies...
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