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