Gov. Kemp signs workforce, education bills supporting students, economy
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp attends a back-to-school event in Carrollton on July 31, 2024. (FOX 5)
ATLANTA - Gov. Brian P. Kemp signed major pieces of legislation Monday aimed at strengthening Georgia’s workforce and supporting students, their families, and educators.
What we know:
At the first ceremony on Monday at the Georgia State Capitol, Gov. Kemp was joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lieutenant Gov. Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Constitutional officers, members of the Georgia General Assembly, and education advocates. The legislation signed during that ceremony focuses on advancing education initiatives across the state.
"As the parents of three daughters, Marty and I know just how important it is to keep our children safe and to give them the best possible start in life," said Gov. Brian Kemp. "That's why I'm proud to sign these bills that will further safeguard our classrooms, both from those with violent intentions and from out-of-touch political agendas. Girls should not have to share a playing field, a restroom, or a locker room with boys and vice versa, and the commonsense legislation I signed today is about what is fair and safe for our children. I want to thank the members of the General Assembly for putting the well-being of our students over politics. Like Marty and me, they want to protect their daughters and sons, they want them to grow up and compete in a fair environment, and they want their children to know that political agendas won’t dictate their lives."
Later Monday afternoon, Kemp delivered remarks and signed additional legislation at the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Leadership Summit at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead. Joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, TCSG leadership, and lawmakers, the governor highlighted efforts to bolster Georgia’s growing workforce.
"As the No. 1 state for business, Georgia has seen record-breaking jobs and investment come to communities in every part of the state," said Gov. Kemp. "With the bills I signed today, we're taking further steps to prepare Georgians to walk through those open doors. I'm proud to sign these bills with so many of the men and women whose work every day is building the workforce of tomorrow."
Why you should care:
The bills are part of Kemp’s broader agenda to maintain Georgia’s economic momentum and ensure its education system continues to meet the needs of students and industries statewide.
Legislation signed by Gov. Kemp on Monday included:
SB 1, sponsored by Senator Greg Dolezal and carried in the House by Representative Josh Bonner, was a legislative priority for both Speaker Burns and Lt. Governor Jones. It prohibits both males and females from competing on teams designated for the opposite gender and requires multiple occupancy restrooms, changing areas, and sleeping quarters be designated for use exclusively by one gender.
HB 81, sponsored by Representative Bethany Ballard and carried by Senator Larry Walker in the Senate, establishes an interstate compact for school psychologists, helping ease the burden on these essential employees in our schools.
HB 307, sponsored by Representative Bethany Ballard and carried by Senator Billy Hickman in the Senate, builds on the work of the Georgia Early Literacy Act by consolidating existing statutory requirements on dyslexia screening so that we can reach students earlier and get them the assistance they need.
HB 235, sponsored by Representative Rick Townsend and carried in the Senate by Mike Hodges, entitles public school employees and postsecondary education employees to receive a leave of absence for donation of bone marrow or organs.
SB 82, sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon and carried by Representative Scott Hilton in the House, incentivizes local boards of education to approve charter school petitions while preventing school systems from unfairly attempting to shutter these school options.
SB 123, sponsored by President Pro Tem John Kennedy and carried by Representative Matt Dubnik in the House, requires school systems with chronic absenteeism rates of 10 percent or more to establish an attendance review team to determine the underlying causes of that issue.
HB 268, sponsored by Representative Holt Persinger and carried by Senator Bill Cowsert in the Senate, was also a top priority of Lieutenant Governor Jones, Speaker Burns, and many others in the General Assembly as we built on the work we've done in recent years on this issue. This bill requires schools to have up-to-date mapping and mobile panic alert systems, requires student records be transferred within five school business days so potential dangers can be addressed quickly, provides for a Student Advocacy Specialist grant program to reimburse districts for hiring said position, requires local boards to offer an anonymous reporting program, and creates the offenses of "terroristic threat of a school" and "terroristic act upon a school."
HB 217, sponsored by Representatives Soo Hong and Chuck Martin and carried in the Senate by Senator Bo Hatchett, is TCSG agency legislation that reforms the Dual Achievement Program and extends the pilot an additional five years. It also includes Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) agency legislation on granting the agency the ability to use DOR's data to verify income for Promise Scholarship applicants and a fix on the enrollment count reference date for the school board elections nepotism clause. The Governor is also grateful for the leadership of Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier, and GSFC Presidents Lynne Riley and Chris Green on this legislation.
SB 180, sponsored by Senator Clint Dixon and carried in the House by Representative Matt Dubnik, enables apprenticeship sponsors in addition to employer sponsors to participate in the High Demand Apprenticeship Program and receive funding for the successful completion of apprenticeships.
SB 193, sponsored by Senator Matt Brass and carried in the House by Representative Houston Gaines, establishes an adult workforce high school diploma program within TCSG to award diplomas to individuals between the ages of 21 and 40.