Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SB154 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		25 LC 49 2346S
2		-	Senate Bill 154
3		-	By: Senators Hatchett of the 50th, Gooch of the 51st, Kennedy of the 18th, Robertson of the
4		-	29th, Anavitarte of the 31st and others
5		-	AS PASSED
	2	+	The House Committee on Education offers the following substitute to SB 154:
6	3		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	4		AN ACT
8		-	To amend Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
9		-	1
	5	+	To amend Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
10	6		education, law enforcement officers and agencies, and professions and businesses,2
11	7		respectively, so as to revise or remove references to the United States Department of3
12	8		Education from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; to replace a reference to student aid4
13	9		reports with FAFSA submission summary; to provide for related matters; to provide for an5
14	10		effective date and contingent effectiveness; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6
15	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7
16	12		SECTION 1.8
17	13		Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, law9
18	14		enforcement officers and agencies, and professions and businesses, respectively, are10
19	15		amended by inserting ", or its successor," after "United States Department of Education" or11
20	16		"U.S. Department of Education" wherever the latter terms appear in:12
21	17		(1) Code Section 20-2-148, relating to elective course in history and literature of the Old13
22	18		and New Testaments and religious neutrality;14
23	19		(2) Code Section 20-2-286, relating to innovative assessment pilot program, procedure,15
24	20		and reporting;16
25		-	S. B. 154
	21	+	S. B. 154 (SUB)
26	22		- 1 - 25 LC 49 2346S
27		-	(3) Paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-250.5, relating to administration
28		-	17
	23	+	(3) Paragraph (3) of subsection (b) of Code Section 20-3-250.5, relating to administration17
29	24		and general powers and duties;18
30	25		(4) Code section 35-8-8, relating to requirements for appointment or certification of19
31	26		persons as peace officers and preemployment attendance at basic training course and20
32	27		"employment related information" defined;21
33	28		(5) Code Section 43-10A-3, relating to definitions relative to licensing provisions for22
34	29		professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists;23
35	30		(6) Code Section 43-11-71, relating to qualifications of applicants for license and criminal24
36	31		background check relative to dental hygienists;25
37	32		(7) Code Section 43-24A-3, relating to definitions relative to massage therapy practice;26
38	33		(8) Code Section 43-30-1, relating to definitions relative to optometrists;27
39	34		(9) Code Section 43-39-22, relating to the terms of the "Psychology Interjurisdictional28
40	35		Compact (Psypact)"; and29
41	36		(10) Code Section 43-44-31, relating to the text of compact relative to the "Audiology and30
42	37		Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact Act."31
43	38		SECTION 2.32
44	39		Titles 20 and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education and33
45	40		professions and businesses, respectively, are amended by inserting "or its successor" after34
46	41		"United States Department of Education" wherever the latter appears in:35
47	42		(1) Code Section 20-2-206, relating to alternative teacher certification program and36
48	43		creditable service;37
49	44		(2) Code Section 20-2-664, relating to role of department of education relative to student38
50	45		data privacy, accessibility, and transparency;39
51	46		(3) Code Section 20-3-250.3, relating to educational institutions exempted from40
52	47		application of part;41
53		-	S. B. 154
	48	+	S. B. 154 (SUB)
54	49		- 2 - 25 LC 49 2346S
55		-	(4) Subsection (e) of Code Section 20-3-250.5, relating to administration and general
56		-	42
	50	+	(4) Subsection (e) of Code Section 20-3-250.5, relating to administration and general42
57	51		powers and duties;43
58	52		(5) Code Section 20-3-395, relating to definitions relative to direct loans to students on44
59	53		basis of need and merit;45
60	54		(6) Code Section 20-3-400.1, relating to definitions relative to Graduate on Time student46
61	55		loans;47
62	56		(7) Code Section 20-3-405.1, relating to definitions relative to education for public service48
63	57		student loans;49
64	58		(8) Code Section 43-10A-61, relating to the enactment and text of the Social Work50
65	59		Licensure Compact;51
66	60		(9) Code Section 43-21A-3, relating to definitions relative to the "Industrial Hygiene,52
67	61		Health Physics, and Safety Profession Recognition and Title Protection Act";53
68	62		(10) Code Section 43-26-3, relating to definitions relative to the "Georgia Registered54
69	63		Professional Nurse Practice Act"; and55
70	64		(11) Code Section 43-26-32, relating to definitions relative to licensed practical nurses.56
71	65		SECTION 3.57
72	66		Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended in58
73	67		Code Section 20-3-660, relating to tuition waiver program for qualifying foster and adopted59
74	68		individuals, by revising subsection (d) as follows:60
75	69		"(d) For each student who meets the requirements provided for in subsection (c) of this61
76	70		Code section, such student's public postsecondary educational institution shall waive tuition62
77	71		and all fees as necessary to cover all assessed costs of attendance, as defined in 20 U.S.C.63
78	72		Section 1087ll, that are not covered by all available federal and nonfederal student aid64
79		-	sources identified in the student's Student Aid Report from the United States Department
80		-	65
	73	+	sources identified in the student's Student Aid Report from the United States Department65
81	74		of Education Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission summary,66
82		-	S. B. 154
	75	+	S. B. 154 (SUB)
83	76		- 3 - 25 LC 49 2346S
84		-	excepting student loans and any work-study program provided for in 42 U.S.C.
85		-	67
	77	+	excepting student loans and any work-study program provided for in 42 U.S.C.67
86	78		2751-2756b."68
87	79		SECTION 4.69
88	80		This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law70
89	81		without such approval; provided, however, that Sections 1 and 2 of this Act shall only71
90	82		become effective upon an act of Congress repealing the establishment of the United States72
91	83		Department of Education or otherwise abolishing the United States Department of Education.73
92	84		SECTION 5.74
93	85		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.75
94		-	S. B. 154
	86	+	S. B. 154 (SUB)
95	87		- 4 -