Georgia Senate Bill SB154

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/12/25
• Refer: 2/13/25
• Report Pass: 2/19/25
• Engrossed: 3/4/25
• Report Pass: 3/18/25
• Enrolled: 4/7/25
• Chaptered: 5/14/25
• Passed: 5/14/25

Caption

United States Department of Education; references from the Official Code of Georgia Annotated; revise or remove

Summary

SB154 updates Georgia law to remove or future-proof references to the U.S. Department of Education across Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. In many places, the bill adds the phrase “or its successor” after references to the U.S. Department of Education, so the affected statutes would continue to function if the federal department were reorganized, renamed, or replaced. The bill touches a wide range of subject areas, including education programs, law enforcement training, student loan and aid provisions, and professional licensing and interstate compacts for several regulated occupations. The bill also makes a targeted substantive change to Georgia’s tuition waiver program for qualifying foster and adopted students. It revises the statute to tie the waiver calculation to the FAFSA submission summary rather than the older “Student Aid Report” terminology, while still requiring institutions to cover remaining assessed costs of attendance after available federal and nonfederal aid, excluding loans and work-study. The bill includes a contingent effective-date provision: most of the act becomes effective upon enactment, but the sections revising or removing references to the U.S. Department of Education only take effect if Congress abolishes that department or repeals its establishment. The bill’s impact on state law is primarily technical and conforming, but it is broad in scope because it updates many statutes that reference the federal education department. It would preserve the operation of Georgia laws that depend on federal education terminology and would reduce the need for future legislative cleanup if the federal agency changes. It also modernizes one student-aid reference in the foster/adopted student tuition waiver statute, which could affect how institutions determine and document aid eligibility and remaining costs. Overall sentiment appears strongly favorable. The Senate passed the bill 37-17, the House passed it 144-15, and the Senate later agreed to the House substitute 44-8, indicating substantial bipartisan support despite some opposition. The voting pattern suggests the measure was viewed as largely administrative and precautionary rather than controversial in substance. The main point of contention is the bill’s premise and contingency: it is written to anticipate the possible abolition of the U.S. Department of Education, which may be seen by opponents as speculative or politically symbolic rather than immediately necessary. Any disagreement likely centers on whether Georgia should be revising large portions of its code in advance of a federal change that has not occurred, and whether the bill’s broad references to a department successor are prudent drafting or an unnecessary policy statement.

Impact

SB154 amends numerous provisions in Titles 20, 35, and 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated by updating references to the U.S. Department of Education and, in many instances, adding “or its successor.” It also revises the foster/adopted student tuition waiver statute to use the FAFSA submission summary in place of the Student Aid Report and to clarify how remaining costs of attendance are covered. The bill is largely conforming and future-proofing legislation, with the federal-reference changes contingent on congressional action abolishing the department.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have received broad support in both chambers, with comfortable passage in the Senate and House and later Senate agreement to the House substitute. The vote margins suggest the measure was generally viewed as a practical housekeeping bill. Any opposition was limited and likely reflected discomfort with the bill’s contingent premise or its symbolic framing around the U.S. Department of Education.

Contention

The principal contention is the bill’s contingent structure tied to the possible abolition of the U.S. Department of Education. Supporters appear to favor updating Georgia law in advance so statutes remain functional if the federal agency changes, while opponents likely view the measure as unnecessary, speculative, or politically motivated. A secondary point is the shift from “Student Aid Report” to “FAFSA submission summary,” which is a technical modernization but still changes the statutory language governing tuition waivers for foster and adopted students.