Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SB85 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		25 LC 61 0231S
2		-	Senate Bill 85
3		-	By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Beach of the 21st, Anavitarte of the 31st, Harbison of the 15th,
4		-	Wicks of the 34th and others
5		-	AS PASSED
	2	+	The House Committee on Higher Education offers the following substitute to SB 85:
6	3		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	4		AN ACT
8		-	To amend Article 12 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
9		-	1
	5	+	To amend Article 12 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,1
10	6		relating to postsecondary education grants for foster children and adopted children, so as to2
11	7		establish a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility3
12	8		requirements, subject to specific appropriations; to provide for eligibility requirements; to4
13	9		provide for a short title; to provide for definitions; to limit awards to undergraduate level5
14	10		postsecondary education; to provide for the application process for the program; to provide6
15	11		for the Georgia Student Finance Authority to contract with a qualified grant coordinating7
16	12		organization to administer the program, to establish rules and regulations, and to conduct8
17	13		compliance examinations; to allow for eligibility of part-time students; to authorize the9
18	14		department to suspend institutions from the program for failure to refund moneys in certain10
19	15		circumstances; to provide for criminal penalty for persons making false statements or11
20	16		misrepresentations in the application process; to provide for collection and evaluation; to12
21	17		provide for contingent effectiveness; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting13
22	18		laws; and for other purposes.14
23	19		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:15
24		-	S. B. 85
	20	+	S. B. 85 (SUB)
25	21		- 1 - 25 LC 61 0231S
26		-	SECTION 1.
27		-	16
	22	+	SECTION 1.16
28	23		Article 12 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to17
29	24		postsecondary education grants for foster children and adopted children, is amended by18
30	25		designating Code Section 20-3-660, relating to tuition waiver program for qualifying foster19
31	26		and adopted individuals, as Part 1 and by adding a new part to read as follows:20
32		-	"Part 2
33		-	21
	27	+	"Part 221
34	28		20-3-670.22
35	29		This part shall be known and may be cited as the 'Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act.'23
36	30		20-3-671.24
37	31		As used in this part, the term:25
38	32		(1) 'Eligible postsecondary institution' shall have the same meaning as provided in Code26
39	33		Section 20-3-519.27
40	34		(2) 'Eligible student' means an individual who:28
41	35		(A) Is under the age of 26 years;29
42	36		(B)(i) Is currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time student in an eligible30
43	37		postsecondary institution; or31
44	38		(ii) Is within three years of having received his or her high school diploma or state32
45	39		approved high school equivalency (HSE) diploma and has been accepted for33
46	40		admission to an eligible postsecondary institution; and34
47	41		(C)(i) Is currently in the custody of the Georgia Division of Family and Children35
48	42		Services;36
49	43		(ii) Is currently participating in the Division of Family and Children Services37
50	44		independent living program in accordance with applicable policies and procedures;38
51		-	S. B. 85
	45	+	S. B. 85 (SUB)
52	46		- 2 - 25 LC 61 0231S
53	47		(iii) Has family currently receiving or during the term of such family's eligibility39
54	48		previously received state funded adoption services as provided for in Code40
55	49		Section 49-5-8;41
56	50		(iv) Was adopted from the permanent legal custody of and placed for adoption by the42
57	51		Division of Family and Children Services following the child's fourteenth birthday,43
58	52		including any such individual who, at the time of application to an eligible44
59	53		postsecondary institution, resides outside of Georgia due to such placement;45
60	54		(v) Is a former foster child who was in the custody of the Division of Family and46
61	55		Children Services for at least six months after reaching the age of 14 years; or47
62	56		(vi) Is an aging foster child as such term is defined in Code Section 48-7-29.24.48
63	57		(3) 'Georgia Foster Care Scholarship' or 'grant' means the grant provided for in this part.49
64	58		(4) 'Grant coordinating organization' means a nonprofit organization that is a qualified50
65	59		organization as such term is defined in Code Section 48-7-29.24 and has, within the prior51
66	60		calendar year, made qualified expenditures as such term is defined in such Code section52
67	61		for the direct benefit of no fewer than 100 aging foster children as such term is defined53
68	62		in such Code section.54
69	63		20-3-672.55
70	64		(a) Subject to appropriations made specifically for the purposes of this part, the Georgia56
71	65		Student Finance Authority shall establish the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship program to57
72	66		provide grants on a per-semester basis to eligible students for undergraduate level58
73	67		postsecondary education at eligible postsecondary institutions.59
74	68		(b) The Georgia Student Finance Authority shall be authorized to provide for eligibility60
75	69		criteria and grant amounts as determined to be the most appropriate for particular eligible61
76	70		postsecondary institutions and its student population in accordance with this part and the62
77	71		rules and regulations of the Georgia Student Finance Authority. The Georgia Student63
78		-	S. B. 85
	72	+	S. B. 85 (SUB)
79	73		- 3 - 25 LC 61 0231S
80	74		Finance Authority shall also establish criteria necessary for eligible students to continue64
81	75		to receive such grants in accordance with this part.65
82	76		(c) The Georgia Student Finance Authority may contract with a grant coordinating66
83	77		organization authorized to do business in this state to implement and administer the67
84	78		Georgia Foster Care Scholarship program; provided, however, that such contract shall68
85	79		require the grant coordinating organization to ensure that 100 percent of funds appropriated69
86	80		for such program shall be expended on grants to eligible students.70
87	81		(d) The Georgia Student Finance Authority is authorized to define such terms and71
88	82		prescribe such rules, regulations, and procedures as may be reasonable and necessary to72
89	83		carry out the purposes of this part.73
90	84		20-3-673.74
91	85		(a) Subject to appropriations made specifically for the purposes of this part, to receive a75
92	86		Georgia Foster Care Scholarship, an eligible student shall:76
93	87		(1) Complete a simplified application process established by the Georgia Student77
94	88		Finance Authority, which shall include completion of the Free Application for Federal78
95	89		Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine the level of need and eligibility for state and federal79
96	90		financial aid programs;80
97	91		(2) Remain in good standing with the eligible postsecondary institution in which he or81
98	92		she is enrolled or to which he or she has been accepted for admission;82
99	93		(3) Maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with the standards and83
100	94		practices used for federal Title IV programs by the eligible postsecondary institution at84
101	95		which the student is enrolled; and85
102	96		(4) Comply with the rules, regulations, and procedures prescribed by the Georgia Student86
103	97		Finance Authority in accordance with this part.87
104	98		(b)(1) The total per-semester amount of a Georgia Foster Care Scholarship awarded to88
105	99		each eligible student shall not exceed the costs of the eligible student's tuition, room,89
106		-	S. B. 85
	100	+	S. B. 85 (SUB)
107	101		- 4 - 25 LC 61 0231S
108	102		board, meal plan, and books associated with his or her matriculation at such student's90
109	103		eligible postsecondary institution less an amount equal to the total of any federal or other91
110	104		state grants, scholarships, or tuition waivers for which he or she is eligible to receive.92
111	105		(2) The total per-year amount of a Georgia Foster Care Scholarship awarded to each93
112	106		eligible student shall not exceed $30,000.00.94
113	107		(c) An eligible student may continue to receive a Georgia Foster Care Scholarship until95
114	108		the first of these events:96
115	109		(1) The student has earned a bachelor's degree;97
116	110		(2) The student has attempted at any postsecondary institution a total of 190 quarter98
117	111		hours or 127 semester hours; or99
118	112		(3) The student has received the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship for ten years.100
119	113		(d) In the event a student on whose behalf a Georgia Foster Care Scholarship is paid does101
120	114		not enroll as a full-time or part-time student for the academic semester for which the102
121	115		scholarship is paid, the eligible postsecondary institution shall make a refund to the103
122	116		Georgia Student Finance Authority in accordance with the rules and regulations of the104
123	117		Georgia Student Finance Authority.105
124	118		20-3-674.106
125	119		Each eligible postsecondary institution shall be subject to examination by the Georgia107
126	120		Student Finance Authority for the sole purpose of determining whether such institution has108
127	121		properly certified the cost of attendance, eligibility, and enrollment of students; accurately109
128	122		credited grants paid on behalf of such students; and properly complied with the rules and110
129	123		regulations established pursuant to this part; provided, however, that nothing in this part111
130	124		shall be construed to interfere with the authority of such institution to determine112
131	125		admissibility of students or to control its own curriculum, philosophy, purpose, or113
132	126		administration. In the event it is determined that an eligible postsecondary institution114
133	127		knowingly or through error certified an ineligible student to be eligible for a grant under115
134		-	S. B. 85
	128	+	S. B. 85 (SUB)
135	129		- 5 - 25 LC 61 0231S
136	130		this part, the amount of the grant paid to such institution pursuant to such certification shall116
137	131		be refunded by such institution to the Georgia Student Finance Authority. The Georgia117
138	132		Student Finance Authority may suspend an eligible postsecondary institution from118
139	133		receiving payments under this part if it fails to refund any moneys as required by this part.119
140	134		20-3-675.120
141	135		Any person applying for a grant under this part or assisting a person applying for a grant121
142	136		under this part who knowingly makes or furnishes any false statement or misrepresentation122
143	137		for the purpose of enabling an ineligible student to wrongfully obtain a grant under this part123
144	138		shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.124
145	139		20-3-676.125
146	140		The Georgia Student Finance Authority shall be authorized to monitor, collect, and126
147	141		evaluate enrollment and student record data for the grant program established pursuant to127
148	142		this part. The Office of Planning and Budget, the Department of Education, and eligible128
149	143		postsecondary institutions shall cooperate with and provide data as necessary to the129
150	144		Georgia Student Finance Authority to facilitate the provisions of this Code section."130
151	145		SECTION 2.131
152	146		This Act shall become effective only if the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship program132
153	147		provided for in this Act is funded in an appropriations Act making specific reference to such133
154	148		program and shall become effective when funds so appropriated become available for134
155	149		expenditure.135
156	150		SECTION 3.136
157	151		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.137
158		-	S. B. 85
	152	+	S. B. 85 (SUB)
159	153		- 6 -