Gov. Brian Kemp signed seven bills into law this week that he says will ensure fairness in school sports, further safeguard students and teachers, and improve the quality of education.
Kemp was joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Speaker Jon Burns, lawmakers, educators, and students at the signings.
“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 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.”
Among the bills was House Bill 268, a measure designed to enhance emergency response systems and strengthen school safety protections across Georgia. In addition to mobile panic alert systems and mapping requirements, HB 268 contains a portion of legislation, known as “Ricky and Alyssa’s Law,” which tasks the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) with creating uniform guidelines for implementing panic alert technology and coordinating verified threat responses statewide.
The legislation honors Richard “Ricky” William Aspinwall, the defense coordinator at Apalachee High School who was tragically killed during a shooting there in September 2024, and Alyssa Alhadeff, a 14-year-old student who lost her life during the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Holt Persinger, R-Winder, and carried by Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, in the Senate,
Other education related bills signed into law include:
SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, and carried in the House by Rep. Josh Bonner, R-Fayetteville, was a legislative priority for both Speaker Burns and Lt. Gov. Burt 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 Rep. Bethany Ballard, R-Warner Robins and carried by Sen. Larry Walker, R-Perry, in the Senate, establishes an interstate compact for school psychologists, helping ease the burden on these essential employees in our schools. HB 307, also sponsored by Ballard and carried by Sen. Billy Hickman, R-Statesboro, 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.
“As a former educator, I have seen firsthand the tremendous progress students can make when they have access to mental health support and early intervention with reading,” said Ballard. “By investing in mental health resources and specialized educational services for our children, we help ensure that every student has the chance to reach their full potential. I am excited for the rollout of these services in schools across the state.”
HB 235, sponsored by Rep. Rick Townsend, R-Brunswick, and carried in the Senate by Mike Hodges, R-Brunswick, 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 Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Gwinnett, and carried by Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, 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, R-Macon, and carried by Rep. Matt Dubnik, R-Gainvesville, 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.
