LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 2021 GSSA Spring Bootstrap Executive Director

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 2021 GSSA Spring Bootstrap Executive Director John Zauner

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY OF THE 2021 SESSION The good news is the FY 22 Budget passed and K-12 Education is in reasonably good shape with a reduction of QBE austerity of by 60%. The bad news is SB 47 (special needs voucher expansion) passed both. chambers and has been sent to the Governor’s desk. The ugly news is political rhetoric still reigns and facts have little impact on the decisions of our some of our politicians. The crystal ball of future sessions remains like “ground hog day”. We see things repeat themselves over and over. HB 60 is an example of this……

K-12 KEY BILLS THAT PASSED …(MOSTLY GOOD NEWS, SOME BAD MIXED-IN) SB 47 - sen. Gooch - Expansion of the Special needs voucher. Will now include Section 504 students with a list to be developed by GADOE of other maladies that will qualify. SB 42 – sen. Mullis - Dexter Mosely Act (formerly Tim Tebow) included in this bill. For a student to participate in extra -curricular activites, they must be enrolled in at least one course in the local school. Also the Climate rating of each school district took another hit by requiring posting of discipline data on the districts website. SB 59 – sen. Albers - Charter school funding adjusted and health care options now available, Federal funding now included although the language is vague. (proportionate funding? ) SB 246 – sen. Brass - The Learning Pod Protection Act SB 204 – sen. Tippins – award HS diploma

ADDITIONAL LEGISLATION PASSED…. . (CONT. ) HB 282 rep. Meeks – changes definition of contiguous when referencing timberland property. When application is made identify property that is separated by a boundary can be considered contiguous. Bonifide timberland use. HB 287 - rep. Bonnie Rich - requires tobacco and vaping content to be added to current drug and alcohol courses for K-12. Human trafficking awareness course development by GADOE grades 6 -12. Can be a part of Health and PE. HB 32 – rep. Belton – Tax credit to attract teachers to rural and high needs areas.

ALWAYS GOOD NEWS, WHAT DID NOT BILLS PASS HB 60 - rep. Cantrell - Voucher legislation creating Education Savings Account program. QBE would have followed the child with no accountability or transparency. HB 385 – rep. Blackmon – Allows retired teachers in certain high need areas as identified by GADOE to return to work FT. Allows teachers who return to work to continue to participate in receiving TRS retirement benefits but no accrual of additional retirement credits. Local districts would be required to pay employer and employee share of TRS. HB 120 rep. Carpenter – Provides students in the Deferred of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to participate in the in state tuition at a GA technical college or university. Residential requirements apply dated by 2013 and student must have earned a HS diploma or GED. Any student who is over the age of 30 or has been convicted of certain crimes would be ineligible. HB 134 – Open and public meetings. Cyber Security discussions and planning protected. Any vote on decisions (contracts) must be public.

CONTINUE THE GOOD NEWS -BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS…. (HOORAY!) DANGER – THEY ARE STILL ALIVE! HB 352 - rep. Momtahan – Creates a statewide floating homestead exemption that caps an increase in assessed value of property by one-half the % increase in the CPI. Extends appeal filing from 45 days to 180 days. Allows owner to submit a certified appraisal conducted within six months prior to March 1 in place of county valuation. HB 142 – rep. Carpenter – increases the cap on tax credits for student scholarship organizations (SSO) from $100 million to $150 million. Raises cap on tax credits to shareholders, partners, and members of a limited liability company from $10, 000 to $25, 000. HB 109 rep. H. Clark – sexual abuse holding “entities” liable for their employees who commit these acts on children. Waives sovereign immunity for government immunity protection provided to individuals, employees, volunteers, and entities such as schools….

BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS…. . 2021 SESSION HB 248 - rep. A. Powell – allows local governing authorities to request permits for speed cameras that are in front of your schools. Removes from schools the authority to apply for these permits. SB 240 – sen. Sally Harrell – requires local districts as a condition of graduation for 11 th or 12 th graders to complete an instructional program on the critical role elections play in GA and US. SB 3 – sen. L. Jackson – raises the minimum dropout age from 16 to 17. SB 106 – sen. G. Davenport – Encourages districts to provide wraparound services before expelling or suspending a student. SB 226 – sen. J. Anaviatarte - requires school boards to adopt complaint resolution policies for a parent who is concerned about content ( materials) that could be harmful to minors.

HB 81 FY 22 APPROPRIATIONS TRS adjustment going from 19. 06% to 19. 81% Increase in charter facility grants to $1 million 9 (state) Increase in computer fund SB 48 (2019 session) screening mandate and state agency dyslexia specialist (state) Increase funds for a pilot program to provide access to STEM and AP STEM virtual courses to students in rural Georgia without district. (state) Increase Pupil transportation by $180, 000 of a total budget of $136, 362, 090. Increase formula funds for Equalization grants by $72, 000. Reduce funds formula for 21 -22 school year declining enrollment by $110, 561, 954. Increase in training and experience and health insurance by $58, 166, 829.

HB 81 APPROPRIATIONS FOR FY 22 (CONT) Increase formula funds for T &E and Health Insurance by $113, 617, 112. Increase in funds to offset austerity for K-12 by $554, 905, 095. IN BUDGET DOCS is statement of recognizing Cares Act funding $4. 2 billion.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS Contact: John F Zauner Executive Director GSSA jzauner@gssaweb. com 678. 382. 3856 cell