Overview:
The Georgia Senate Committee held its Education & Youth Committee Meeting at 2:30 p.m. yesterday. During the brief meeting, the committee passed two bills.
The Georgia Senate Committee held its Education & Youth Committee Meeting at 2:30 p.m. yesterday. During the brief meeting, the committee passed two bills.
The first was SB 208, which aims to provide education fees. The bill’s First Reader Summary reads, “To amend Chapter 71 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to 2 development impact fees, so as to provide for development impact fees for education; to 3 provide for definitions; to provide for the manner of calculation, imposition, and collection 4 of such fees; to provide for related matters; to provide for a contingent effective date and for 5 automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.”
Senator Greg Dolezal (R, 27th District), one of the bill authors, presented it saying, “When it comes to the types of things that we that we have fees or taxes around, this is probably one of the most fair ways that we collect revenue in the state of Georgia because it’s directly tied to studies and has limits on them such that they’re only funding their Pro Rata share.” After Dolezal answered questions from the committee about how many districts across the state this bill would impact, it passed unanimously.
The second bill addressed was SB 147, titled the Quality Basic Education Act. Its First Reader Summary reads, “To amend Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the “Quality Basic Education Act,” so as to permit student transfers between local school systems without contracts between the local school system where the student resides and the local school system where the student seeks to enroll; to require the State Board of Education to provide for procedures for such student transfers; to provide for caps on tuition that can be charged to a student by an enrolling local unit of administration that exclusively provides virtual instruction to such student; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.”
“This legislation is simple and allows Georgia families to seek the best public education options for their child,” said Senator Shawn Still (R, 48th District), who presented the bill. “A child’s zip code should not be the deciding factor in determining their future. That’s why this is called boundless opportunities. county and city boundaries should not determine educational opportunities or outcomes for students. This is particularly true in metro Atlanta, where moving even one block can place a child in a different school system without the parent ever realizing it until they go to register for the upcoming year and discover their student can no longer attend the same school.”
Some committee members had questions and concerns about the bill. Senator Dolezal asked for an example of what the bill in action would look like. Senator Freddie Powell Sims (D,12th District) voiced concern about who determines which students can transfer and where. Lastly, Senator Ed Setzler (R, 37th District) asked if the bill is limited to online learning and how it affects the districts financially. Eventually, the motion passed with a 4 – 2 vote.