Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB970 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	24 LC 49 1635~~/AP~~
2		-	House Bill 970 ~~(AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)~~
	1	+	24 LC 49 1635
	2	+	House Bill 970
3	3		By: Representatives Dickey of the 145
4	4		th
5	5		, Knight of the 134
6	6		th
7	7		, Erwin of the 32
8	8		nd
9	9		, Dempsey of
10	10		the 13
11	11		th
12	12		, Mathis of the 149
13	13		th
14	14		, and others
15	15		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	16		AN ACT
17	17		To amend Part 4 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
18	18		1
19	19		Annotated, relating to the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH)2
20	20		Scholarship, so as to provide that victims of human trafficking are eligible for such3
21	21		scholarship; to provide for the designation of REACH scholars; to provide for funding; to4
22	22		provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
23	23		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
24	24		SECTION 1.7
25	25		Part 4 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,8
26	26		relating to the Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen (REACH) Scholarship, is 9
27	27		amended by revising paragraph (3) of Code Section 20-3-497, relating to establishment of10
28	28		REACH scholarship and student requirements, as follows:11
29	29		"(3) Qualify for the federal free or reduced lunch program or be a victim of human
30	30		12
31	31		trafficking;"13
32	32		H. B. 970
33		-	- 1 - 24 LC 49 1635~~/AP~~
	33	+	- 1 - 24 LC 49 1635
34	34		SECTION 2.
35	35		14
36	36		Said part is further amended by revising Code Section 20-3-499, relating to selection of15
37	37		REACH scholars, as follows:16
38	38		"20-3-499.17
39	39		(a) REACH participating school systems shall select each student for the program in the18
40	40		spring of the student's seventh grade year or in the fall of his or her eighth grade year, for19
41	41		participation beginning in the eighth grade year. REACH participating school systems20
42	42		shall develop a rigorous application process to select REACH scholars, including but not21
43	43		limited to:22
44	44		(1) Identifying all students eligible for federal free or reduced price lunch by:23
45	45		(A) Completing the Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals form from24
46	46		the Georgia Department of Education; or25
47	47		(B) Direct certification by meeting one of the following criteria:26
48	48		(i) Live in a family unit receiving SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits;27
49	49		(ii) Live in a family unit receiving TANF benefits;28
50	50		(iii) Identify as homeless;29
51	51		(iv) Identify as foster; or30
52	52		(v) Identify as migrant;31
53	53		(1.1) Identifying eligible students who are victims of human trafficking;
54	54		32
55	55		(2) Nominating qualified students to apply. Nominations can be made by counselors,33
56	56		principals, superintendents, or any individual within the REACH participating school34
57	57		system who is able to identify students most in need of the REACH scholarship;35
58	58		(3) Requiring nominated students to complete the REACH student application, which36
59	59		includes an academic recommendation and a community recommendation;37
60	60		(4) Reviewing student packets, including the nomination form, proof of eligibility for38
61	61		federal free or reduced lunch or as a victim of human trafficking, citizenship and39
62	62		residency requirements, and grade, attendance, and discipline reports; and40
63	63		H. B. 970
64		-	- 2 - 24 LC 49 1635~~/AP~~
	64	+	- 2 - 24 LC 49 1635
65	65		(5) Interviewing all nominated students by a student selection committee established by
66	66		41
67	67		the REACH participating school system.42
68	68		(b) REACH participating school systems shall be eligible to designate REACH scholars
69	69		43
70	70		each school year, the number of which shall be subject to available appropriations. the44
71	71		following number of REACH scholars:45
72	72		(1) For school systems with five or more high schools, 12 REACH scholars; and46
73	73		(2) For school systems with less than five high schools, seven REACH scholars."47
74	74		SECTION 3.48
75	75		Said part is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-499.2, relating49
76	76		to funding procedures for scholarships, as follows:50
77	77		"(b) Each year thereafter, the REACH participating school system will be responsible for51
78	78		providing $1,000.00 for each REACH scholar enrolled in such school system and the52
79	79		authority shall be responsible for providing $9,000.00 for each REACH scholar enrolled53
80	80		in such school system. a proportionate share of the scholarship. The REACH participating54
81	81		school system's proportionate share shall be based on the tier designated by the Department55
82	82		of Community Affairs pursuant to Code Section 48-7-40 for the county in which the school56
83	83		system is located and the population of such county, according to the United States57
84	84		decennial census of 2010 or any future such census. The term of the tier designation shall58
85	85		be five years; provided, however, that in any subsequent year within the five-year59
86	86		designation period in which the county of the local school system is designated with a60
87	87		lower tier, a REACH participating school system may reduce its tier designation61
88	88		commensurately and utilize such designation for the remainder of the five-year period. 62
89	89		Through Fiscal Year 2022, the 2016 Department of Community Affairs tier designation63
90	90		shall be used to define the proportionate share, as adjusted pursuant to the foregoing. The64
91	91		REACH participating school system's proportionate share shall be as follows:65
92	92		(1) A proportionate share of $1,000.00 per REACH scholar for:66
93	93		H. B. 970
94		-	- 3 - 24 LC 49 1635~~/AP~~
	94	+	- 3 - 24 LC 49 1635
95	95		(A) Tier 1 counties; and67
96	96		(B) Tier 2 counties with populations equal to or less than 20,000;68
97	97		(2) A proportionate share of $2,000.00 per REACH scholar for:69
98	98		(A) Tier 2 counties with populations greater than 20,000; and70
99	99		(B) Tier 3 counties with populations equal to or less than 20,000;71
100	100		(3) A proportionate share of $3,000.00 per REACH scholar for tier 3 counties with72
101	101		populations greater than 20,000; and73
102	102		(4) A proportionate share of $4,000.00 per REACH scholar for tier 4 counties."74
103	103		SECTION 4.75
104	104		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.76
105	105		H. B. 970
106	106		- 4 -