Day 11: SB 84, School Governance, to be voted on by House Education Committee
3410 on 2/3/2010

No education-related bills were on the dockets for the House or Senate on this 11th Legislative Day.

The House Committee on Governmental Affairs gave a do pass to HB 122 requiring local governments, including school districts, to submit budget and audit data for posting on a website maintained at the University of Georgia.

The House Education Committee is scheduled to vote SB 84, the School Governance bill, at its 1:00 p.m. Thursday meeting in room 506 of the Coverdale Legislative Office Building. Readers remember that among the provisions of the bill is creation of a procedure whereby the Governor may bypass current recall laws and remove local board members in school districts facing loss of accreditation; processes allowing local boards to remove a member who violates conflict of interest provisions;and revised training requirements for local board members to be established by the State Board of Education.  Comments on the bill may be made by contacting members of the House Education Committee: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/house/Committees/education/gahed.htm

Also on the agenda for the House Education Committee is HB 908 which provides flexibility to local school districts on certain expenditure controls and additional days of instruction funds.

Other meetings scheduled for Thursday, February 4:

  • Senate Education and Youth Committee -- Cancelled
  • 1:30 p.m.  Non-Civil Judiciary Committee, Room 132 Capitol -- HB 927 an anti-bullying bill
  • 2:00 p.m. House Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee, Room 515 CLOB -- SB 158 requires a fiscal note for any bill having a significant impact on the anticipated revenue level of any state agency or department.

Bills of interest recently introduced:

  • HB 346 legislates at least 40 revisions in the property tax assessment and appeals process
  • SB 352 establishes a grading system for Georgia schools (A-F) based upon a complicated formula involving student achievement scores; creates awards and interventions
  • Voucher legislation (bill number to be assigned):  Senator Chip Rogers and others announced intentions to introduce legislation that would provide private school vouchers for children of military personnel (active duty, reserves, etc.), and foster children.  The amount of each voucher could reach $9,000 or more.
  • HR 1262 defines the General Assembly calendar through March 2.