Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB133 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	25 LC 49 2330S
2		-	The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to HB 133:
	1	+	25 LC 49 2137
	2	+	House Bill 133
	3	+	By: Representatives Clark of the 100
	4	+	th
	5	+	, Hilton of the 48
	6	+	th
	7	+	, Burchett of the 176
	8	+	th
	9	+	, Jackson of
	10	+	the 128
	11	+	th
	12	+	, Gambill of the 15
	13	+	th
	14	+	, and others
3	15		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	16		AN ACT
5		-	To amend Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of1
	17	+	To amend Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of
	18	+	1
6	19		Georgia Annotated, relating to compulsory attendance, so as to provide for public school2
7	20		students to be permitted to attend courses in religious moral instruction provided by a person3
8	21		or organization independently of a public school, subject to certain conditions; to provide for4
9	22		such conditions; to provide for students to receive academic credit for such courses; to5
10	23		require local education agencies to adopt certain policies; to prohibit students who participate6
11	24		in such courses from being counted as absent from school; to provide for responsibilities of7
12		-	the Department of Education; to ~~require criminal records checks~~; to provide for ~~immunity~~;8
13		-	~~to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to~~ provide for related matters; ~~to9~~
14		-	~~provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and~~ for other purposes.10
	25	+	the Department of Education; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to8
	26	+	provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and9
	27	+	for other purposes.10
15	28		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:11
16	29		SECTION 1.12
17	30		This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Student Character Development Act."13
18		-	H. B. 133 (SUB)
19		-	- 1 - 25 LC 49 2330S
20		-	SECTION 2.14
	31	+	H. B. 133
	32	+	- 1 - 25 LC 49 2137
	33	+	SECTION 2.
	34	+	14
21	35		Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia15
22	36		Annotated, relating to compulsory attendance, is amended by adding a new Code section to16
23	37		read as follows:17
24		-	"20-2-692.4.18
	38	+	"20-2-692.4.
	39	+	18
25	40		(a) As used in this Code section, the term:19
26	41		(1) 'Local education agency' shall have the same meaning as in Code Section 20-2-167.1.20
27	42		(2) 'Released time course' means a course in religious moral instruction provided by a21
28	43		person or organization independently of a public school.22
29		-	(b) Each local education agency ~~may~~ adopt a policy that permits ~~all students to be excused23~~
30		-	from school to attend a released time course for at least one hour ~~per school week. Such24~~
31		-	policy shall require that:25
	44	+	(b) By August 1, 2025, each local education agency shall adopt a policy that permits all23
	45	+	students to be excused from school to attend a released time course for at least one hour per24
	46	+	school week. Such policy shall require that:25
32	47		(1) The student's parent or legal guardian gives written consent for the student to attend26
33	48		the released time course;27
34	49		(2) The person or organization sponsoring the released time course maintains attendance28
35	50		records and makes such records available to the officials of the school in which the29
36	51		student is enrolled;30
37	52		(3)(A) Transportation to and from the location of the released time course, including31
38	53		transportation for students with disabilities, is the responsibility of the student or his or32
39	54		her parent or legal guardian; and33
40	55		(B) If the person or organization sponsoring the released time course is to provide34
41	56		student transportation from school, appropriate consent shall be provided by the35
42	57		student's parent or legal guardian;36
43	58		(4) The person or organization sponsoring the released time course verifies to the local37
44	59		education agency that such person or organization assumes full responsibility for the38
45	60		student at all times such student is participating in a released time course activity,39
46		-	H. B. 133 ~~(SUB)~~
47		-	- 2 - 25 LC 49 ~~2330S~~
	61	+	H. B. 133
	62	+	- 2 - 25 LC 49 2137
48	63		including, but not limited to, transportation provided by such person or organization to40
49	64		and from such activity;41
50	65		(5) Except as necessary to award academic credit for the completion of a released time42
51		-	course, as provided for in subsection (d) of this Code section, no local education agency43
	66	+	course, as provided for in subsection (c) of this Code section, no local education agency43
52	67		funds except de minimis administrative costs are expended in providing or44
53	68		accommodating the released time course;45
54	69		(6) Released time courses are not to be held on public school property unless permitted46
55	70		under a neutral policy of equal access opening such school property for use by47
56	71		community groups; and48
57	72		(7) The student assumes responsibility for any missed school work.49
58		-	(c) The policy adopted by a local education agency under subsection (b) of this Code50
59		-	section shall include a requirement for a criminal records check of individuals providing51
60		-	a released time course to students pursuant to this Code section.52
61		-	(d) Each local education agency may adopt a policy that awards academic credit for the53
62		-	completion of a released time course. In determining the academic credit to award for54
63		-	completion of such course, the local education agency shall evaluate the course based on55
64		-	purely secular criteria that are substantially the same criteria used to evaluate similar56
65		-	courses for purposes of determining the academic credit to award for such courses. The57
66		-	decision to award academic credit for a released time course shall be neutral to, and shall58
67		-	not involve any test for, religious content or denominational affiliation. Such secular59
68		-	criteria may include the following:60
69		-	(1) The number of hours of classroom instruction time;61
70		-	(2) A review of the released time course syllabus that reflects released time course62
71		-	requirements and materials used;63
72		-	(3) The methods of assessment used in the released time course; and64
73		-	(4) The qualifications of the released time course instructor.65
74		-	H. B. 133 (SUB)
75		-	- 3 - 25 LC 49 2330S
76		-	(e) No local education agency or official or employee thereof shall be liable in any civil66
77		-	action for injury allegedly arising from a student's transit to or from a released time course67
78		-	when private transportation is used under a released time course policy adopted under68
79		-	subsection (b) of this Code section.69
80		-	(f) While in attendance in a released time course, a student shall not be considered absent70
81		-	from school.71
82		-	(g)(1) The Department of Education is authorized and directed to take all steps72
83		-	reasonably necessary to maximize the amounts of state and federal funding local73
84		-	education agencies receive regardless of the number of students who participate in a74
85		-	released time course.75
86		-	(2) The Department of Education shall promulgate model policies and procedures76
87		-	consistent with this Code section to be available for use by local education agencies."77
88		-	SECTION 3.78
89		-	This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law79
90		-	without such approval.80
91		-	SECTION 4.81
92		-	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.82
93		-	H. B. 133 (SUB)
	73	+	(c) Each local education agency may adopt a policy that awards academic credit for the50
	74	+	completion of a released time course. In determining the academic credit to award for51
	75	+	completion of such course, the local education agency shall evaluate the course based on52
	76	+	purely secular criteria that are substantially the same criteria used to evaluate similar53
	77	+	courses for purposes of determining the academic credit to award for such courses. The54
	78	+	decision to award academic credit for a released time course shall be neutral to, and shall55
	79	+	not involve any test for, religious content or denominational affiliation. Such secular56
	80	+	criteria may include the following:57
	81	+	(1) The number of hours of classroom instruction time;58
	82	+	(2) A review of the released time course syllabus that reflects released time course59
	83	+	requirements and materials used;60
	84	+	(3) The methods of assessment used in the released time course; and61
	85	+	(4) The qualifications of the released time course instructor.62
	86	+	(d) While in attendance in a released time course, a student shall not be considered absent63
	87	+	from school.64
	88	+	(e)(1) The Department of Education is authorized and directed to take all steps65
	89	+	reasonably necessary to maximize the amounts of state and federal funding local66
	90	+	H. B. 133
	91	+	- 3 - 25 LC 49 2137
	92	+	education agencies receive regardless of the number of students who participate in a67
	93	+	released time course.68
	94	+	(2) The Department of Education shall promulgate model policies and procedures69
	95	+	consistent with this Code section to be available for use by local education agencies."70
	96	+	SECTION 3.71
	97	+	This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law72
	98	+	without such approval.73
	99	+	SECTION 4.74
	100	+	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.75
	101	+	H. B. 133
94	102		- 4 -