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Senate Resolution 474
By: Senators Orrock of the 36th, Dixon of the 45th, Harbison of the 15th, Burns of the 23rd
and Harrell of the 40th
ADOPTED SENATE
A RESOLUTION
Creating the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability; and for other
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purposes.2
WHEREAS, Georgia has the third highest graduate and undergraduate student loan debt per3
borrower in the nation; and4
WHEREAS, by 2031, 72 percent of all jobs will require postsecondary credentials and5
currently Georgia has a postsecondary completion rate of 50.8 percent among young adults;6
and7
WHEREAS, unlike many other states, Georgia does not have a means tested scholarship8
program; and9
WHEREAS, the amount of unrestricted education lottery reserves currently totals $1.610
billion; and11
WHEREAS, this body should explore options for making higher education more affordable12
for Georgians, including the creation of a means tested scholarship program.13
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:
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(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee15
on Higher Education Affordability.16
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of five members of the17
Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President shall designate one18
member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.19
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,20
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or21
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.22
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee23
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or24
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and25
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.26
(5) Allowances and funding. The legislative members of the committee shall receive27
the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia28
Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any29
member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. 30
Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds31
appropriated to the Senate.32
(6) Report.33
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that34
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the35
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to36
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.37
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for38
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)39
of this paragraph.40
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(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of
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abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.42
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with43
the Secretary of the Senate.44
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary45
of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.46
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.47
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