DAY 25

Thanks to all who attended the GSBA/GSSA day at the Capitol. We hope you had a great visit with the various legislators and a safe return home.

As we move closer to the 30^th day, crossover day, the number of bills that we are following continues to increase. The House passed HB315, which will change the name of the Technical College System of Georgia to the Georgia Career College System. The Senate passed SB 89.  This bill will require all instructional materials and content to be in digital or electronic format after 2020. The bill would strongly encourage all school districts to provide a laptop, tablet, or other wireless device to each of its students.

HB243, the Education Savings Account Act, would establish a state-funded education savings account, which parents may use at their discretion to pay for expenses outside the public school system.  It has been moved from the House Education Committee to the House Ways and Means Committee. The authors of this voucher bill are attempting to get the bill to the House floor for a vote before the 30^th day. Please read the entire bill, which is available at the link, and contact your delegation to let them know your concerns about the bill. The bill may be taken up on Thursday in the House Ways and Means Committee.

The House Education Sub Committee on Academic Support met today to consider the following bills: HB502, the Title 20 clean-up bill to update and clarify provisions and repeal obsolete provisions, and HB414, the establishment and implementation of policies and requirements of student data collection and disclosure. HB414 has many implications for the DOE regarding monitoring the collection and disclosure of student data. This bill may impact information systems of local school districts. The effective date of this bill has been moved to 2016.  After amendments, both bills were voted out of the Sub Committee and will be in the full House Education Committee on Wednesday, the 26^th day.

The House and Senate will convene for the 26^th day of the session on Wednesday, March 4, 2015.

There will be several committee meetings on the calendar for Wednesday. The committee agendas change as bills may be added or removed during the day. Please remember that amendments may be added to the original bills as they move through committees.

The Senate Education and Youth Committee will meet to consider the following bills and resolutions:

SR393, encourage the Department of Education to make revisions to allow computer programming courses to count toward graduation requirements;

SR80, demand revision of the College Board AP US History standards;

HB91, eliminate the Georgia High School Graduation Test as a graduation requirement;

SB116, celebrate Freedom Week, posting of historical documents;

SB147, impose requirements on certain contracts and purchases by local boards of education;

SB157, establish limitations and requirements regarding student data;

SB187, expand eligibility of the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship to include refugees.

The House Education Sub Committee on Academic Innovations will meet to consider the following bills and resolutions:

HB474, provide for enrollment priorities for educationally disadvantaged students and military students in charter schools;

HB209, change the attendance requirements of the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship from the prior school year attendance, to the prior semester;

HB401, regarding restrictions on persons with criminal records as pertaining to child, family, or group care facilities;

HR4, authorize the establishment, by local law, of an independent school system.

The House Education Committee will meet to consider the following bills and resolutions:

HB414, the establishment and implementation of policies and requirements of student data collection and disclosure;

HB502, Title 20 clean-up bill to update and clarify provisions and repeal obsolete provisions;

HB313, limited paid leave by public employees for the purpose of promoting education.

Possible additions to the agenda include bills from the House Education Sub Committee on Academic Innovations.