25 LC 49 2271
Senate Bill 295
By: Senators Anavitarte of the 31st, Sims of the 12th, Albers of the 56th, Summers of the
13th, Hufstetler of the 52nd and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 8 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia
1
Annotated, relating to State Board of Education under the "Quality Basic Education Act,"2
so as to require local school systems to maintain and publish a registry of all contracts worth3
more than $10,000.00 involving the use of any state funds; to provide for such information4
to be included on the contract registry; to require local boards of education to adopt policies;5
to provide for enforcement; to prohibit waivers; to provide for related matters; to repeal6
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
SECTION 1.9
Part 8 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,10
relating to State Board of Education under the "Quality Basic Education Act," is amended11
by adding a new Code section to read as follows:12
"20-2-245.
13
(a) By August 1, 2026, each local school system shall maintain a contract registry that14
includes a complete record of all contracts, agreements, and other financial obligations by15
any other name in an amount greater than $10,000.00, if such contract, agreement, or other16
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obligation is paid for or otherwise financed in whole or in part using state funds. Such17
contract registry shall be prominently posted and readily searchable on the local school18
system's public website. Such contract registry shall include the information required in19
subsection (b) of this Code section.20
(b) By January 1, 2026, the Department of Education shall create a template for local21
school systems' contract registries required by this Code section. Such template shall22
provide for the contract registry to include the information relevant to the public's right to23
know how tax dollars are being spent or obligated, to whom and for what purposes such24
tax dollars are being obligated, and shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:25
(1) Name of the contracting entity, contractor, vendor, or payee;26
(2) Contract initiation and end dates;27
(3) Contract renewal and extension options, if any;28
(4) Contract payment terms;29
(5) Total contract amount or obligation;30
(6) Contract funding source or sources;31
(7) Contract spending category;32
(8) A brief description of the purpose of the contract, including, but not limited to, what33
goods, services, and other things of value are being purchased, leased, received, or34
otherwise procured; 35
(9) Whether the contract was competitively procured, and if not, an explanation for why36
competitive procurement was not used or required;37
(10) The names of each officer of the contracting entity, contractor, vendor, or payee and38
of each individual who signed or otherwise executed the contract on behalf of the39
contracting entity, contractor, vendor, or payee;40
(11) Whether any individual identified pursuant to paragraph (10) of this subsection, or41
any individuals lobbying for such contracting entity, contractor, vendor, or payee, was42
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employed by the local school system or its local board of education in the previous five43
years; and44
(12) Whether the local board of education or the local school system contracted with45
such contracting entity, contractor, vendor, or payee in the previous five years, and if so,46
when.47
(c)(1) Each local school system's contract registry shall be regularly updated and not less48
often than by August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1 each year.49
(2) Each local school system shall have no more than 60 days from the initiation of a50
contract, agreement, and other financial obligation by any other name in an amount51
greater than $10,000.00 to update its contract registry to include the information required52
in subsection (b) of this Code section.53
(d) By July 1, 2026, each local board of education shall establish policies to implement the54
requirements of this Code section.55
(e) If a local board of education fails to comply with any provision of this Code section,56
compliance shall be subject to enforcement pursuant to Code Section 20-2-243.57
(f) This Code section shall not be subject to waiver pursuant to Code Section 20-2-82 for58
a strategic waivers school system or Code Section 20-2-2063.2 or 20-2-2065 for a charter59
system."60
SECTION 2.61
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.62
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