Education 2.5.26

Hey. Let me hello? Can we turn this up, or is it loud enough? Let me, welcome everybody to the meeting. As I think many of you are aware, we had a press conference, and that pushed us back a a little bit today.

But visitors, thank you for being here with us. In our press conference, we made a statement, and we members are well on the way here to, if you can't read, we're here to help, and we're coming. And, we kicked that off today with a unified effort with the senate. And, so members stay tuned, and thank you for your attendance at at that as, we begin going to the help of those that are struggling readers. Educators in the room, raise your hand for me, please.

Educators. Okay. Let's recognize educators. Thank you. And I'm all stated in this meeting like I have.

All my others are, daily heroes. Educators, your daily heroes. Every day, you're running to help. And thank you for that educators and and the lives that you change and make better every single day. Committee members, let's, let's do the same.

Let let's run to help, and let's, think about children trying to get it done in this in in this state the best we can with our ability here. Let's begin our meeting with a word of prayer. What number are you down there? Representative Ballard.

K. If you'll bow with me, please. Dear heavenly father, thank you so much for allowing us to gather here today, to work for the students and the teachers of Georgia. Please help us to be ever mindful of our duty toward, our some of our most important people. In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Great. Thank you, representative Ballard. Let's, we're gonna move the agenda around. I'm gonna take, chairman's privilege. I've had a couple of bill sponsors that are in another meeting or presenting in another meeting, and they are gonna come to us.

So we're gonna kick off with, representative Townsend. Do you mind stepping up to the microphone here at the table in front of us? And this is HB971. And if you would read your LC number to make sure sure we're working off the same papers you are.

Yes, sir. Mister chairman, thank you very much.

Hold on one second. Let me get that table mic going. There you go.

Yes, sir. Mister chairman, thank you very much. It is LC492473.

That's it. Yeah. Last time

last time I had a natural resources bill, so I apologize for that.

But I did read

the education one and natural resources, and they liked it. I was consistent that day. Yep. Anyway, mister chairman, thank you very much. This is really a win win bill or it's really extending the bill that originally passed, this house five years ago.

This is for college and career academies, and it's really more about it's more about kids. It's for it's for students. It allows a homeschool student, a private school student to attend a college and career academy at no cost. The school system gets to keep the FTE and the school system also has a chance to opt in or opt out. It's up to them if they wanna do this or not.

And what changes about the law, there's only one thing that changes. If everybody turns to well, I was trying to get the page for you. The only thing changes really is lines. If you look around lines 28 through 32, it just allows you to go across county lines or city school system lines. In other words, like in my home County, Glenn County, what it does allows those kids in McIntosh, Brantley and Camden who don't have access and really other schools in the 1st District, Risa, who don't have career academies allows them to go to the one in Glenn County.

Now they have to provide their own transportation. And, of course, Glenn County has to opt in, and they've already opted in. So they're taking students now. They have approximately 25 to 30. And then there's other school systems around The States that's doing this as well.

And so this just gives an opportunity for all kids to attend a college or career academy. If you notice, it's for CTA e courses. This isn't about academics. We're not getting into that. That's not who what a college career academy is for most college career academies.

This is regarding the CTA courses such as mechanic, auto mechanics, construction, auto body, machining, engineering, nursing, graphic arts, any of those ag f f, you know, ag and any of those, service organizations also as soon as we had to participate in. If you remember if you remember about CTA, that's career technology, ag and education, all their service organizations are co curricular. And what co curricular means basically is it's part of their instruction inside the classroom. So that's what makes CCA special in state of Georgia the way we do it, because we make sure those skills that are being taught in the classrooms carried over through the co curricular organizations and what's being taught in co curricular is also part of the standards instruction in the classroom. And so this bill basically was brought to me by the school system, the principal of the school that you met, Monday, and the superintendent supports it.

The board supports it. And I've talked to other superintendents in place and people around the state they support as well. So this basically is a bill that will benefit all students and it's going to benefit school systems as well and college career academies. And at the end of the day, it's going to build a workforce for those local communities. Think about that.

We're all always looking for trades. We're always looking for those kids interested in that. This just will help enrollment to technical schools and, of course, your workforce as we build it in local communities. And in Georgia, that's a big thing. So, mister chairman, that's basically what it is.

I'll be glad to answer any questions, and I'm excited about this. And I was excited that the, the prospects of expanding and the reason if I could tell you real quick, mister chairman, the reason the school system brought it to me was because parents were calling them up asking, hey. Can we get in that construction class? Can we get in that welding class? That's nice.

And so, that's that's the bill.

Let me begin. You've got some questions, representative. Let me, let me ask you. Is Healthoc It is. Impacted here in this?

Is there a possibility of CNAs and nurses and crossing county lines and getting more involved in that?

Yes, sir. There is. And they'd have access to hoses as well.

Good. Good. Okay. Thank you. I'm a go by the order I see him.

Here represent Townsend. Number 17. Who's down there at seventeen? Represent Carter.

Thank you, chairman. They moved to high chairs, so I'm in seventeen instead of sixteen. It's It's a joke we have at Hunter. Thank you. I really do appreciate the bill, but I do have a couple questions Sure.

That I didn't feel like were answered. So that is the only reason why I did not vote in subcommittee. And I would like to support the bill, but I would like my questions answered.

So I'll do the best I can.

Okay. So the first one, I understand that this bill is to allow homeschool students and private school students to attend the public school for the CTAE purposes at no cost to the student parent. And they'll get the FTE, which comes from the school district budget. So one, for parents who took advantage of the voucher for their private school, how would that be how would that be addressed? Because at this point, you're looking at the pot of money that came that's appropriated for the voucher, and then you're also money that's coming out of the QBE funding.

How how does that balance itself out?

Great question. It's already been addressed because currently, the state this is state law for private school and homeschool kids who well, I'm gonna use Glenn County as an example if that's okay. So if a student lives in Glenn County, they're homeschool right now or private school. They're allowed to attend the college academy within the as long as they live in Glenn County. And they go for free, and the school system gets to FTE.

Now we don't have any promised scholarship kits, but if we did, let's say one was at one of the two high schools that we have. We have two public high schools.

Mhmm.

And if one of those high schools, was part of the voucher program, it wouldn't matter. Two years ago, when the voucher bill passed that you they were very reference to, I made an amendment over there saying we need to protect career academies. And so part of that law that passed a couple years ago protects career academies from, funds getting taken up for kids not be able to do this because kids were already accessing the career academies. We didn't wanna take it away from them. So that's already been addressed in state law, so everything would stay.

Nothing would change what's happening now in current law. All things changing is the boundary. So that helps any. Nothing changes at all. Just the boundary lines.

Thank you. But but you didn't answer my question. So are you saying that in current law

Mhmm.

A private school student could take a CTE course and it'd be paid for by the state?

At a college and career academy?

Yeah. Because what's we're talking about college career academy. But the the caveat is them receiving the voucher. So they'll take advantage of the voucher, and they will also be able to take the classes at the career academies paid for by the state.

That's what's happening now. Yeah.

But, yeah, that

And nothing would change. Correct?

That that's yes.

Yeah.

That's that's And

then the other question is because I don't know the question about the issue. So for public schools to go kids that are already in the district, if or will they also be allowed to take advantage of the opportunity to transfer into maybe a district that has a course that they normally don't? I understand you you're saying maybe the counties one of your counties may not have a career academy at all. But in other counties, they may have career academies that, in in different reasons that touch each other, but may have different programs. So can a student that's currently in a public school also take advantage of going to another district?

Not under this bill. Now we can talk later about it, but I mean, if I understand you correctly, you're saying the kid goes to Glenn Academy, and he knows Liberty Liberty County Career Academy. There's a CCA there, College Career Academy. Let's say it has aeronautical program. Yeah.

And we we came close to it ourselves because of Gulfstream down the street. But, and our partner Coastal Pines. So if Coastal Pines ever gets something, we would get something as well probably. But let's say they wanted to go to Liberty County. According to this law, a student in private school, home school would be able to do that as long as the school system opted in.

Now in this case, you're talking public school student. That's a totally different law, different bill because you're affecting two counties. You're affecting one student leaving a public school to go to another public school, so that would be a different bill, a different law.

Thank you. So first question, yes. Second question, no.

From my understanding.

Thank you.

I did check with ledge counsel and all

that. So you're welcome.

And it it's been some years, but, our students representative do not enroll in two different school systems at the same time, then they have to form what they call MOUs if they are transferring one of their kids over there for a period in time, so that that student is tracked properly in the information system.

Now we do thank you, chairman. Or if I can add to that, we do have McIntosh County kids who come to our school to the Golden House College of Career Academy because they worked out at MOU. So you do have public school public school kids from another county already attending the one in Glen County. That happens in the Vidalia area and a lot quite a few other areas too. I know CC and Newton does that as well.

Okay. Let's go to the next one. Number 25, chairman Chokas, is that you or is that representative Clark?

You. At the appropriate time, I'd like to move this due pass. Okay.

Stand by a second. That was the second at appropriate time.

Mister chairman, I move, house bill 971 l C492473. Move due pass.

We got a due pass. We also second at the end of the table. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, like sign. Thank you. Your bill passes. Thank you.

Mister chairman.

Be sure to get the chairman's form. I can't

do that now, can I? I messed up.

Yeah. Give give me a little bit of time on that one. Alright. Alright. Let's look at our agenda and and see what we can get to.

Representative Cox, he is in the room. Are you ready to go, representative Cox? We'll put you up next if you would proceed down to the, podium. I mean, excuse me, the table in front of me, please.

Okay, chairman. Thank you, sir. Yes.

As we ask everybody at the podium there, representative, would you read your LC number, and then we'll turn the microphone over to you?

Yes, sir. House bill three eighty three. Current LC number is 492009. Perfect.

That's what we have. Mike's yours.

Okay. Thank you. I want to tell you all a quick story from our subcommittee. The day we were doing subcommittee, This exact situation has come up. There's a excellent high school, football quarterback that has a commitment from a major SEC school, and the major SEC school has an NIL million dollar contract waiting for him when he gets to the next level.

At the same time, a high school contract came forward, and an association was received a phone call and said, hey. Should we sign this contract? And the response was, if you want $900,000 instead of a million, because if this contract is not in place at the high school level, the agents fee will carry over and take a part of that collegiate contract. So the purpose of this is to protect these high school kids from contracts that have no sunsets and could go indefinitely if we don't pass this bill. So this literally happened the other day from just when we had the situation occur.

So the NIL Protection Act is nothing more than protecting these kids. And we wanna make sure that once they graduate, they start with a new slate. And I think that story speaks for itself on what that looks like. We had a couple of questions and floor leader asked one as it related to, let's see here. We had on page two, which was line items twenty seven and twenty eight referring to ninth through twelfth grade as the definition of high school.

And the question came up, you can be in JV JV Sports and and have an NIL contract as an eighth grader. As crazy as that sounds, it's very much capable of happening. So ledge council is I have been talking to as well as now. I will refer to her shortly in just an amendment that we had discussed. Also, there will be another amendment adjustment and I'll let her explain the why.

But one of the code sections needed to be adjusted that I found out when I walked in the door. So there's two things that we would like to adjust as well. Please understand there's some false information out there that we are the ones that are trying to allow nil in high school sports. That's not the case. Once the amateur status went away from the collegiate level, you no longer can hold a high school athlete to an amateur status because it's not required at the collegiate or the Olympian status.

So the reality is we're trying to protect what's already happening across The United States. This is not about us deciding what child actors can act, what writers can write and painters can paint and what athletes can do. But know this, they're not gonna use their school logos. They're not gonna promote their high schools. There's gonna be their name, image and likeness and that and that alone.

So, ask for your favorable consideration at the appropriate time. But can I refer to ledge council, or would you like for us to go through some questions?

Stand by for a second because I'm also gonna want you to explain after she talks the changes and how that came about, to the LC number in front of us. Let's hit a couple of questions, then we'll refer over to ledge council. Number three. Representative O'Lalier. Thank you, chairman.

Representative, appreciate all your work on this. I support the bill. I believe that high school, athletes should be compensated for, the value that their name and likeness creates. And we mentioned this in subcommittee emphasizing the the education piece and and clearly spelling out the do's and don'ts so that we're we're actually protecting the interests of, those minors and their parents. But I appreciate all the work that you've done on this.

Thank you.

Thank you. And I know that the athletic association, that there's some programs that can be utilized to make sure that that's occurring, and we will make sure we're working closely with them to make sure that's done as well.

Thank you, representative, and we'll go all the way to the end. Floor Leader, I believe it is your mic.

Thank you, chairman. Thank you, representative Cox for your leadership on this issue. Just for clarity, I definitely my intent is to acknowledge and I think that you are going to do this, but just for a 100% transparency, I'm not trying to redefine high school as eight through 12. I'm just trying to acknowledge the fact that some eighth graders play high school sports so that we can allow eighth graders to be included as coverage under the NIL consideration that you're presenting. So I I know that in many cases, high school is technically designed as nine through 12.

So it's just as it relates to them playing in athletics. I know you know that. I just wanna make sure the committee and the folks that are here, we're not trying to redefine high school as eight through 12 and mandate that somehow. I had somebody confuse that, issue that reached out from back in the district, so I wanna make sure that's clear. The other thing and this is not to change your bill today.

I think this may actually be as as NIL continues to spread across, you know, our country. One thing I'd like to work with you on, and I'd like to engage, other advocates for this, I think the testimony that we received from the High School Association that the majority of students that are receiving these contracts are typically in small dollar or not even in actual cash payments, but more, you know, Lord help me, I probably could have only earned the free Dairy Queen ice cream and I would have been in a mess. Not the best thing for an athlete, back in my day. But so I don't want to really kind of govern

small dollar type levels, but I

think our our team, our education,

team, our education committee, should consider if there's going to be some materially relevant dollar levels, I would like the conversation to go to I want the parent to have input. I want the child to have the cash or the money invested in them for their in a with their name, image, and likeness protected. And I think it may be an opportunity to create trust accounts so that those funds can be held. So you should never have given Will Wade at seventeen twenty five thousand dollars. I was not cognitively in a position to know I needed to save that money because that would have been more money than I'd ever seen in my life.

I wasn't ready. And honestly, I probably would have given it to my parents because my parents were struggling financially at that time. And that may be fine for families to do that, but I don't want to embolden parents to take advantage of children if they are starting to receive huge, payouts. I also wanna acknowledge something that was brought to my attention from coaches in my district, and this is not to blame or to cause any negativity because I'm not I don't think this is a rampant issue. But there are, in certain cases, recruiting efforts being used where there are direct payments for rent to entice athletes to move districts as a port a part of some, maybe not so transparent recruiting.

And it's not obviously for their name, image, and likeness. It is for their athletic ability to be a part of the program. But there there are situations, I think, long term, we need to work with these associations to try to stamp out bad behavior that is putting kids and student athletes in positions to make decisions in the short term that may have long term negative impact. So I hope you and I can work on that and tackle it separately. But as this relates, I can see in the future years, we need to talk about certain dollar limits and consider a trust account to hold those funds so these kids don't lose out on what they've worked so hard for.

So thank you.

Would you like for me to respond to the three Since

it wasn't a question and I'm putting him in time out, no. It didn't learn for time out last week. So Well Y'all y'all take that offline.

We'll go old Dawsonville, and we'll have a conversation in the backroom.

Okay. We're gonna go to a question, I'm sure, from as a preacher front row. I'm proud of him, representative Howard over there.

Yeah. Thank you, mister chairman. Thank you, representative Cox, for this bill. I'll I'll get our support it. Piggybacking off of, this idea of of finances for these young people.

Are there any guardrails up as it relates to financial literacy? Them not been able to know what money is how to handle money and even when it comes to parents one of my concerns would be even with parents who don't have financial literacy and and they can be taken advantage of. I say this, I had the I had the basketball team up here from Westside High School last last year and they had won three championships and the N. I. L.

Question came up while they were here on the capital. And one of the kids have been offered like $1,200 or something and he really thought that was a million dollars. Because he didn't understand finances are there is there anything in place for that that would be first of my question the second part of the question is where is the account is there any accountability as far as the things that they can't they that the- people that cannot they can't cannot sponsor them I know we talk about pornography and beer Who oversees that part of it?

Thank you for the questions. I I'll I'll I'll start with the latter first. I would say the law will oversee that. If it's found that they're utilizing any of these, they've broken the law. And, at that point, the agents and will be held accountable.

At that point, I believe that's how that would be handled because we clearly state what products and things. I mean, minors should not be in NIL contracts as it relates to alcohol, tobacco, porn, any of those things. As it relates to the first one, you're talking about literacy. I think there's a literacy bill coming up which will help us. Maybe we could put it in the financial piece but to the representative just to your right that somewhat what we were discussing as well it's very important that financial literacy isn't just at this level but frankly, it should be at every level of a kid's life and the parents all the way through college.

We had the originally, we had a process where trusts were actually mentioned in the literacy world and I removed that language after much conversation with colleagues on both sides of the aisle at the collegiate NFL level as well as the high school level. I wasn't interested in seeing at least with this bill more government and at that point I want to entrust the parents and the guardians to take care of those issues if they're struggling. As I had said earlier it's very important that the associations that we have programs that can help teach that and I'm confident that that will occur because I've already reviewed information that can help that literacy program. I do not want to see this be codified with trust programs that how you manage it, the cost to do all these things. I want the parents I want them to be parents and I want them to be able to do this and yes there will be some bad actors and at the same time we can hope in that literacy part that they can do trust or LLCs or what they need to do.

So that would be my hope.

Thank you. Number 27, representative.

Thanks, mister chairman. Representative, thank thank

you for this bill. I think it's it's it's a really good bill, and I think you hit it nail on the head when you said, right, a

lot of people

are thinking you're trying to start NIL, but you're not. And so I appreciate that. But the question is, what are the penalties? You mentioned penalties, like, if, there is a bad actor out there, like, an agent or something like that, doesn't do what they're supposed to do.

Well, at at that point, you've broken the law, and I think, you that would be determined by the court system, which is for them to determine I mean, you're not allowed to do these things. If you do it, then, I'm not an attorney, so I will defer to the attorneys in the room. Are there attorneys in the room? The reality is ultimately, that's what our court system's for.

Okay. Thanks.

Mhmm. K. I think we're at the the stage if we can. Let's turn it over to legislative counsel. Is that number 13 is your number?

We'll cut it on. And, why don't you start with the part representative that you want her to discuss? You mentioned there were two changes.

Yes, sir. So and and representative Wade brought this up just a minute ago as it related to high school. And you're correct. We're 100% not going to use redefine high school. It's it actually will but that's where we referenced from, nine through 12.

The actual point, I believe, is gonna be on, and you can correct me, ledge council, but I believe it's, pay page three, thirty eight through 42. I think that's where we're going to insert eighth grade, but, we need to really define a student athlete could in fact be an eighth grader. And this, I think, is where we're gonna land that. So and ledge counsel, would you?

Yeah. I can I can read it all? So this would add to the definition of student athlete. At the end of line 42, add an eighth grade student to participate in or eligible to participate in an interscholastic activity or athletic activity on behalf of a participating school.

And that's after the code section?

Yes. That's it.

We're gonna restate it. All members, we're gonna restate that to you. And, let let's all make sure we're we're getting into this. What I'm understanding is you're adding eighth grade.

That's yes, sir.

Into this. Uh-huh. And then the language begins on line 42. 42. Is that correct?

Yes.

K. Would you read it again for us, please?

Yes. So this would be before the period, so the same sentence. So adding an eighth grade students who participate in or eligible to participate in such in scholastic athletic activities on behalf of a participating school.

Okay. I'm gonna let you digest that for a second group, And then, let's allow questions along this addition, not others or other changes. We're talking about this, addition to line 42. Representative Carter 17, I believe.

Thanks, sheriff. I was following you. I thought when when, other friend was speaking. So during that grade, they're participating in interscholastic athletic athletics in a participating school. So is there are are there participating schools that are not high school?

If you're an eighth grader

You're in middle school for the most part.

And you get called up to play on JV sport in your high school.

That's

mhmm.

Okay. That's that was the clarity that

the eighth grader could already have an NIL contract. Yes. So we wanna make sure that NIL contract is an eighth grader is also sunsetted at the end of it. Eight through 12 is what this means.

Okay. You you asked because my clarity was that the eighth grader was playing in high school athletics. That was

That yeah. Which would be JV

as it

relates to the

assessment.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay. Further questions along this addition on line 42. Okay. I would need for this addition on 42, a motion in a second. No.

I don't believe no. We do not. Representative. Okay. We've got a motion, and a second by somebody raise your hand down there, and we've got a second, for this, amendment here.

Yep. Yep. You're correct. You're correct. Let's back up for a second.

If we know this is in place, hold your thought. You you all right. Let's do this. Let's see if we can get this bill moving, and then we'll add the amendment. Alright.

Chairman Chokas, we've got a move. We got a second. We have a second. Please ignore him. We're letting you out momentarily.

The let's think. We got a motion in second. Seeing no other discussion on this bill, let's work on this amendment before we vote on that motion in second. So we have, let's think in the line 42 with the addition. I don't think we need to cloud the water with reading it again.

So, I can let's go ahead and do it clearly. A motion. We have a motion. Do we have a second? We do on this.

Seeing no further discussion. All in favor of this amendment. Friendly amendment.

Yes, sir.

Say I all opposed like sign That one. That amendment will carry. Now we got a second one that I think you mentioned sitting there. Would you start that?

Yeah. And I'm gonna I'm gonna defer to ledge council because this one came up on something that occurred last year. I think so. Can we

A legislative council. It is,

yours.

If you would direct us to where we're talking about in the bill first.

Yeah. So on page three, looking at lines fifty six and fifty seven, it's where it says post secondary educational institution as such term is defined in code section 20 dash three dash six eighty. That code section was repealed last year. So what we had discussed was, adding a definition for post secondary educational institution in this bill, and the definition would cover the same institutions that were in the repeal code section.

K. You wanna discuss that any?

No. I I'm I'm I'm thankful we have legislative council to tell us that it was repealed because I did not know that that occurred

so far. Code section was repealed?

It was repealed.

And and we're adding it with language that still carries the the statements there of post secondary educational institutions, as such term is defined?

So we would just strike the starting with as such term as defined in code section

Gotcha. 20

dash three dash six eighty, and then add a definition of post post secondary educational institution in the definition section.

Gotcha. So then you'd add the the definition. Members, questions?

Say that one more time.

Re read that definition one more time. We're we're striking the words as such term as defined in code section 20 dash three dash six eighty and adding.

Yes. So adding definition, it'd be online, after line 37, a new paragraph eight. The post secondary educational institution shall have the same meaning as eligible post secondary institution

section. And then redesignating paragraph eight as paragraph nine. Paragraph

nine. That cleared it up like mud, didn't it? Representative Carter.

So so we're, page two after line 37. There'll just be a new definition eight post secondary that's going to give us the definition with the new code section. And on line 57 fifty six seven, as such term is defined, that's being removed since that was changed, I think, last year.

That's how I understand it. Any questions? Let's vote on that amendment. Well,

yeah,

we need a motion in a second. We got a motion again. Do we have a second? We got a second. All in favor of this amendment with these changes we just discussed, say I all opposed like sign hearing none.

That amendment then will be added. Now I believe we are on to approving this bill or not approving this bill. Let's do this at this time. Seeing no questions. Let's vote on this.

We have a motion in a second on the floor. All in favor, say aye. All opposed like sign. Thank you, representative. Your bill passes.

I'm glad I could make it lengthy for you guys. Apologize for the mud.

Get get your chairman's form signed, and let's move on.

Alright. Let's

step on to the next one, which, we all have a lot of interest in, I believe, members, and and a lot of possibility at really helping some learning take place in our high schools. So, representative Hilton, if you would, let's go to, HB1009. And as you walk down there, please, read your LC number to us, and then we'll turn the microphone over to you.

Thank you, mister chairman.

Before I get started Read that LC number.

I'm gonna read the LC number. LC, 492527 is what I'm working for.

That's perfect. Awesome. Awesome.

That's it. Before I get started too, I'm gonna just put my phone away.

I like that. Yeah. Good job.

So don't ask me to anything too hard so I don't have to refer to there you go. You guys can put yours away too if you want. No. No. Thank you, mister chairman.

You were listening to I have the tiger on the way in. My Spotify had a song, and it was kind of interesting. It came up today. It's it's a great song. It was really popular about six months ago called, Dusty Bibles.

And, if you guys get a chance on the drive home, bring that song up, because I think it really speaks to where our generation is right now, and where we are kinda collectively as a as a society. One of the lyrics goes, I miss the way things used to be back in 2017, and I just miss my friend. I've been struggling to find some peace of mind. It's the problem of our nation. It's the problem of our generation.

And that's what this bill aims to to solve for. I really you know, there's a lot of work we down do down here that's pretty important, But I

think this is gonna be one

of those legacy things we look back on five, ten years from now and say, man, I can't believe it used to be this way. But I was a part of that solution. And that solution is house bill. It was house bill three forty now house bill, ten o nine. And I appreciate this committee passing, I believe, is unanimous last year.

And, we're we're back at it this year. And and why are we back at it this year? Well, the results from March have been so outstanding and transformative that, really, the momentum came back and said, you guys, why didn't you do high school? Go ahead and do high school. So here here's where we are.

And and what's amazing about how transformative it was is three forty hasn't technically really gone into full effect yet, but so many, not only lower schools, but high schools. We had a we put out a survey, and about 50% of respondents came back and said we've already done some form of this in high school. So I don't know what the rest of the 50% they're probably waiting for this bill right here to give them the excuse to go ahead and do it. I'll walk you through the bill, give you a few data points, and then pause and and answer any questions. The bill, just like $3.40, is is fairly short, and it looks a lot like three forty because it is, with the exception of a a couple lines.

Most notably on line 28, we exclude ereaders. Those do not have most of them don't have two way communication. So you're not able to text, email, things like that. So it's oftentimes used for education in the classroom. So we wanted to take that out.

You'll see at the top there, we had a good discussion on dates last year. I think that was wise of us. Implementation for lower middle school, they had to have a policy in place by January 1 and then effective date of July 1 of this year. So our lower schools don't go into effect until this upcoming school year. We're doing the same with high school.

So with high school, they've gotta have a policy in place by January and then, July '27. So for the beginning of the 2728 school year is when this would go into effect, giving parents, families, administrators, teachers plenty of time to adjust to the change. And like I said, many high schools around our state, nearly half of them have already done some form of this. Thank you to the chairman and and many others. You'll note online 54 through 56.

We do realize high school students, have different responsibilities. We offer different opportunities for them, and so we made sure to exclude dual enrollment, work based learning, apprenticeship programs, anything that may call call them off of campus. Obviously, we want them to have access to their cell phone for that. Couple things were brought up to me, along the way. Most notably, you know, Scott, we've seen you know, have you have you considered this is a a bell to bell.

Right? So beginning of the day to end of the day. Since last time I was in front of you, I think we had roughly about nine states that had done some sort of policy. Now we're up pushing about 40 states. So this has really caught fire nationwide.

Of those nearly 40, I think the number is 35 states that have some policy in place. More than half have a bell to bell policy, and those that don't have a bell to bell policy are actually working on legislation now to move it that direction. We surveyed our teachers, and the teachers told us this. They said with a bell to bell policy, they had about a 80% satisfaction rate. Those that had a instruction time policy, was down to about 50%.

And and we know why intuitively. Why is because instruction time what we're trying to get away from is the teachers being the cell phone police. Teachers wanna teach. Kids wanna learn. And if they're having to you know?

And I know I've talked to some folks about discipline policy. Right? A bell to bell model is the best model for discipline or or taking away discipline. If if your instruction time and the teacher say, no. No.

No. That's a detention. That's a discipline. We're trying to get away from that. Right?

So that that's where the bell to bell comes in. There's a number of studies that, have been done here in Georgia, most notably Georgia Southern and Emory University. They've studied both schools that have it currently in place, and they also survey teachers. Hey. What do you what do y'all wanna see?

And and I thought the results were just amazing. Eighty eighty seven percent of teachers, and this is a huge survey put on by Georgia Southern, said personal devices are a 95% said that personal device use is negatively impacting kids' ability to learn in the classroom. I thought another stat, less than 10% thought banning these would impact school safety, which is another kind of question that that we get from time to time. I'll just close with this. I wish you guys could have access to my email.

The number of emails I get from parents, teachers, and I'll tell you, even students. And that that's the one that really surprises me, is I have students that email me and said, you know, representative Hilton, I was hesitant at first, nervous. I didn't know you know? And they put about two, three months post implementation. It's like a whole new world for them.

You know, chairman Choke has shared a great story for those in subcommittee. He hosted two school groups, down here at the Capitol. One that had implemented a policy, one that had not. And just the difference in afflicatur, the how they would look at you in the those that had implemented one were regaining social skills. And and this is what the data tells us.

When you have a bell to bell cell phone policy, your grades go up, your bad behavior goes down, your test scores go up, social and emotional well-being improves across the board. So I'll pause, take questions, but I thank this committee for for your work on a number of issues, literacy, safety. And I think this fits right along with all that.

Great. Thank you, representative. And and good bill and well thought out over the years that you've been doing this. And so appreciate your efforts and drive for this. Let me begin by asking you a question here.

Is it your experience that these phones can be used by bullies to, bully other students?

Yeah. There was a mother, for those of you in subcommittee, you got to meet her. It was a heartbreaking story. I don't know if she's with us here in the audience. I don't see her, but, her son actually passed away, took his own life from from cyberbullying.

That was happening during the school day, during the school year. Kids texting each other, you know, harassing each other online, scheduling times, 02:00, we're gonna go fight in the bathroom. I'm gonna video it and put it on social media. That's the type of behavior that I don't want my school or classroom, and that's what we avoid through policies like this.

That that, that behavior is is difficult to control in the environment we have with these phones and, also sometimes difficult to catch in an appropriate time. So thank you. Thank you for this bill. I believe we have quite a few questions. If you're willing to take a few, I'll I'll go through them.

I think the first one came up was number 25. Oh. Representative Chokas.

Thank you, mister mister chairman, at the

representatives. I believe we're gonna jump all the way over there to representative number one, which is Howard, I believe.

Yes, Yes, sir. Once again, thank you for the for the bill. We know it works. Short story, last year when you were had the, elementary and, junior high schools, there were some pages behind me in the in the in the on the floor, and I told them about the bill. And they said they told me, so you all can do anything you wanna do but we'll find a way to use our phones.

So my question is, is there any uniform discipline recommendations for violations or how do we handle that, or would it be subjected based on each school district?

Great question. And and it's interesting. I'd encourage you to talk with I've heard Grant Rivera. He's Marietta, superintendent. He he's gone.

He was really a leader in all this, and he tells a great story of exactly that. You we all kind of assume kids are gonna find their own way to get around these things. It's fascinating. When they put it in place in his school system, it just became kind of part of the culture where when a kid pulled out the phone, it was kind of an odd thing. You know, kids looked at it like, hey.

What are you doing? You know? And so it's really a culture change. So I I think, yeah, kids are gonna try to get around it, but I think we're gonna change it to a point where that's that's not an issue. The second part of your question was around discipline.

So Florida was the very first state to pass this, and so they've got a pretty long big longitudinal study on on discipline and what happened. And what's fascinating is when the policy went into place, you saw a small uptick in discipline. And then by year two, three, four, it went back down to really below what discipline was before. Right now, I would submit to you the patchwork policies that we have across the state are creating more discipline issues. Whereas if we have kind of a uniform policy, then you're gonna see consistent discipline, across the state.

Thank you. Number 16.

Thank you, chairman.

Representative Lovett.

Thank you, representative Hilton. You know, I love this bill. I'm my kids are not in high school anymore, but, boy, I wish they had, they had had this. I think this is gonna be an an incredible boost to mental health. And because and oddly enough, because it's a boost to mental health, I think it will be a boost to school safety.

Thank you so much for bringing those pouches that you have, to the subcommittee for us to see a good example of what p you know, what, students might be able to use. What's a cost estimate on something like that?

I I'm I'm gonna quote a number and and there's probably people behind me that offer these that are gonna whack me in the head for being wrong. I believe it's anywhere from 18 to $30 a pouch. $15 I'm hearing

from right here.

I don't

know who this

person is. Hear 12 going

once? Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

We did learn going through three forty last year that school systems are able to tap into the school safety

That was grants

and resources. So that does qualify. Most importantly, we want a system that works best for whatever school. So some have used pouches, things on the back of the door. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't have to be necessarily expensive. And my follow-up question was how long what's the life of a pouch? Like, you know, you pay 15 ish dollars for it.

How many years can you expect to use it?

I text I text somebody to ask, but I yeah.

I don't know. But you've put away your phone.

Yeah. Let let's do this, representative. Let let's get that offline there.

Good. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Yeah. Thank you. Members do not see any other questions at this time. So, let's, well, there we go.

Number 17.

I thought

she was gonna ask. So so, the cost for the pouches that we're mandating, there will be no additional funds, but you're saying the whatever safety funds the state has allocated that the school system districts are gonna take take the funds out of that.

They can. Yeah. Those are eligible to be used for a program like that, or schools can go the free route. Yeah. I mean, there's a number of different options that the schools can do.

What's the free route?

Tell them put it away. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I

can tell you

that. Yeah.

So so, basically, the mandate is for them to not to have a school, not necessarily invest in additional cost of power. Correct. Correct. Thank you.

I I will offer if anyone on the committee does have a high school student that I'd like to name the bill after, you're you're welcome to do that as well. I've threatened to embarrass my daughter by naming it after

her. But okay. No further questions. Do I have a motion and a second? I'm looking for a motion.

We have a motion and we have a second. Seeing no further discussion, let's vote on this. Let let me look at it here myself again. House Bill 10 o nine, which is LC forty nine twenty five twenty seven. All in favor, say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, like sign. Your bill passes. Thank you, mister. Get your signatures you need. Thank you.

Good bill. Yes, ma'am. Yes.

Yes. I'm wondering if next year we're gonna be adding the first four years of college to another bill like that.

Got literacy. Sorry. Sorry.

Let's see. I see him in the room. Let's go to it then. Let's keep rolling members. Three good work on three bills there.

Let's, ask our leader, Estrachian, to come to the table up front, and we're looking at HB1023. And leader, if you would, read us your LC number, and then I'm gonna turn the microphone over for you.

Yes, sir, mister chairman. It's LC492599S. It's committee substitute. Perfect.

And it is a substitute, members.

Thank you, mister chairman. Under the leadership of speaker John Burns, you, mister chairman, and the members of the house, keeping our students and educators safe has remained a top priority. With landmark legislation passed in the 2025 legislation in mind, I have introduced house bill ten twenty three, which will require all Georgia public schools to implement one or more weapons detection system systems at points of entry to Georgia public school buildings intended for student and public use. This does not apply to entrances that remained locked or equipped with alarms and are not intended for daily use such as emergency exits. As a practicing attorney, just in my everyday life, when I'm going into the court courthouse, I'm used to passing through courthouse security, which includes a weapons detection system.

It's just part of my everyday life and I'm used to it. And I think that it's a necessary component of keeping our courthouses safe. And so in my mind, I believe that our public schools, should have similar systems in place. Now at the same time, I don't want a top down proposal from the state that specifies which weapons detection system is most appropriate to use. I think that our local school boards and school superintendents will have the ability to evaluate the uniqueness of the campuses, to evaluate the different options for weapons detection systems and then define the most appropriate system for their schools.

Obviously, the general assembly has made clear as part of our budget that keeping Georgia students and educators safe is a priority. Our budgets the last several years have included substantial investments in security for our state. Now this bill was favor favorably passed by chairman Hilton's subcommittee, and, there are a few, modifications in this substitute I'd like to just go through with you briefly. The first is that this makes clear this is for permanent buildings. And you'll see that on line 22.

So if there's any question about which buildings the next change is line 29 to 30. It's and not included for student use or is intended for student use only on an emergency basis, including but not limited to any designated emergency exit. Just to make clear for emergency exits that those those would still be accessible to leave the building in the event of an emergency. And that, and finally, that the effective date would be 07/01/2027 to allow

school systems time necessary to

implement, any additional, well, to implement a weapons detection system if they don't have it already. And I should note that there are, there are school systems that already have these in place. They'd be able to utilize other options. Concern has been raised as to the ability to staff or equip these. Obviously, depending on the type of weapons detection system utilized, that could have a staff component.

But there are, weapons detection systems that include, where it's really it's software and there's the ability to to, through cameras or other monitoring device, devices to minimize those cost concerns. There's really a range of potential costs out there as well. These can be done comparatively relatively inexpensively higher dollar figure for a weapons detection system. But as I said earlier, my objective was to maintain local discretion as to the most appropriate system to use at each school, depending on the unique needs of that school. I believe that this is a reasonable measure under the circumstances of wanting to ensure every Georgia parent knows when they drop their Children off at school, they're gonna be able to pick them up safely at the end of the day.

Mister chairman, this, issue is something that I've discussed extensively with a constituent of mine. He's very passionate for this issue, and I believe there may be some supporters of House Bill ten twenty three in the room. What we did at subcommittee, just in the interest of time, is we had all the supporters stand so the committee members could see them. And if that's appropriate to do, I'll be happy to do that in lieu of, going through extensive testimony from, those in favor of the bill. Thank you.

Thank you. Let's do this first if we can, mister leader. Let's ask some questions of you, and you answer those questions, and then we'll entertain that.

Yes, sir.

I believe the first one that came to me was number 18.

Thank you, mister chairman, and thank you so much for bringing this bill. I line 17, talks about hazardous objects. So I wanted to ask if you would give me an idea of a hazardous object that would be detected through a normal, metal detector.

So, so first of all, a just to answer your question directly, I don't I don't know the specifics about what a metal detector would detect as it relates to hazardous objects. But this, this contemplates, potentially, well, weapons or hazardous dangerous objects, which would not be permissible to bring into a school under existing law that this weapons detection system would be able to detect.

Okay. So can I just further indulge you? So if it if it's something metal, then we assume that it's gonna be something that the machine would detect. But what if it's something that's not metal? So is that where maybe security guards and being able to utilize that?

Or does the security now check the students? Or if they see something that they can't identify to check further? So, what

what I would just say is that the definition of weapons detection system, I believe, has been written very broadly

for

broad application for available what you and I may consider a common weapons detection system that is certainly not limited to only metal detectors.

Okay. Alright. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Cut on there. Number 16, I believe you are next.

Thank you, chair. Thank you. Hello. Hello. Hello.

There's heads in the way, but I'll try to make my way around to you. My, okay. So for instance, my kids when they went to my son when he went to elementary school, they had, like, a main entrance, an entrance that kids from carpool came in, and entrance that kids who were dropped off on the bus came in. But by the time my son was in fifth grade, he was in some trailers out in the back and never even entered the building. School back there.

And, I mean, that's just one elementary school in DeKalb County. I have a concern that what sort of liability does this put our school systems in if we say you have to have every entrance covered? And because every school can be so different, something slips past. And is it now the school system's fault that a shooting occurred? I'm I'm concerned about that.

Yeah. I I don't see that this in any way changes liability. It's just my opinion, on that. I'm sure there are attorneys in that area who could comment on that. That issue hasn't been raised with me since I've introduced this bill, but I don't see there being any difference in liability standards simply because this, state would require a weapons detection system is to be used.

Okay.

One more? Sure.

I I don't have any idea besides a metal detector what a metal what a weapons detection system could be. Do you have other examples of what this could be?

Absolutely. So if you enter a major sporting event, these days or a concert venue or things like that, there are now these systems that have these, pillars up. And if you walk between them, they are able to detect the presence of a weapon without the need to empty your pockets or, take other steps. Now I wanna be very clear. This is something that I have passionately worked on without working with any vendors.

There are no vent there's no recommended vendor for use here with that. But I'm just familiar with that from going to sporting events and seeing that the technology has advanced now in many ways where it's not a common metal detector or a TSA type experience. There's less intrusive ways that people can be checked.

Okay. Thank you.

Number 25.

Is that the appropriate time?

Thank you. And it's not in just a second, by the way. Number 29.

Briefly, just to help the sponsor. I'm in the banking industry, and I worked at a financial institution that had a weapons detection system, and it had the ability to detect certain chemicals as well as materials that might not necessarily be a weapon at the time, but components of weapons so they can be detected. So someone wants to try to assemble it once they've gotten into it, like blasting caps, detonators, wiring equipment. So they're the the technology has gotten so much better, and the cost curve has come down. So those are some things, that can be added.

And you're not suggesting that you are gonna make specificity as to what the capability of those are that will be left up to the local school system?

That's correct, sir.

Sir.

The definition written, I think, is broad to allow discretion for local school systems. Let's go to

local school systems. Let's go to number two.

Thank you, mister chairman. Thank you, leader. So I know both of us in Gwinnett County, and, you know, we have a lot of buildings and a lot of schools. And we already have, those, detectors in our high schools and middle schools. We still have a lot of elementary schools.

And when you start thinking about installing those devices in schools and the operational costs continuously down the road because it's not just a one time investment just a onetime, investment for the equipment, but you also have to invest in the people that are gonna manage and provide that support. And I know you talked a little bit about, software, but you'll still need bodies. You'll still need people to enforce, some of the you know, if something does happen. Can you go back to cost? Just talking about the cost and see because for the schools themselves, it's pretty hefty, pretty hefty amount to fund, at least in Gwinnett.

Right now, we're looking at about 6,600,000 for, which they got from the school safety grant. Do you foresee, from a cost perspective, if that additional funding will be provided by the state?

So my perspective on this is we need to I would encourage the committee to consider this for a moment. We need to take steps necessary to ensure that our children are safe. And while they're, in school buildings, any, way in which we can verify that weapons that are, brought in by unauthorized individuals to bring those into the, buildings, that that can be prevented on the front end. And so I really begin with my analysis there. Now there is a range of costs, and there's a range of whether or not staff or manpower is necessary to support these systems.

There are some systems that can be employed without the use of manpower as I understand it. It's really a software generated, detection device. There are other systems which would involve the presence of individuals there to actually do the checking, right, if it's, say, a one, for example. So there there's a huge spectrum of that, and, obviously, there's a difference in cost. It is my belief that with existing grants that systems could school systems could employ, options to allow for weapons detection systems in a desire, let's say, you know, we're in Gwinnett County.

And Gwinnett County, voluntarily implemented a certain type of system at middle and high schools as you just pointed out. And if Gwinnett County has decided to implement a more expensive or extensive system voluntarily within, within that that school system, that's their choice.

K. Thank you.

Number three.

Thank you, chairman leader. Thank you for bringing the bill. Cost is my biggest question. I don't think anyone up here is against wanting to ensure the the safety and protection of our children while they're in school. Most high schools and middle schools, at least in my home, school district APS already have these systems in place.

And so the cost, has less to do with those levels and and more to do with what rep, Adena was speaking to elementary schools. They're familiar with with costs. Again, having these systems, these comparable systems at the high school and middle school levels, the the the figure that was relayed to me was $3,000,000 per elementary school. It it might be less than that. Again, I this is just the number that was shared with me.

My next question was how many elementary schools are at APS? There are 49 schools. And so we we keep I I I am supportive that the previous bill that was brought forward, is an incredible bill. And it it will be drawing from the school safety grants, which is a limited resource that we're providing on an annual basis. And so I would imagine this, as well would be drawing from those school safety that school that fixed school safety grant.

And so my my question is, is there any, effort, to provide additional funding to to help offset some of, the potential great costs born to some of these larger districts?

Okay. First of all, I, believe that your numbers are incredibly incorrect. So the figures that you just cited are what are way beyond very different than the information that I have, which is that effectively per, per checkpoint, per, weapons detection system, you're looking at between $2,000, and it could get up to, like, a $130,000 for the very best top of the line with a several year subscription involved. Nowhere close to the figures that you just gave. So, so I just wanna begin there.

I think that the information you've received is is very incorrect. The next thing I would say this is of the tax dollars that I spend for my local school systems, you know, taxpayer money being spent to keep ensure that kids are kept safe, I think, is money well spent.

I agree.

What's the well, I I would I would just say this, that, the as I said a moment ago to the other representative's questions, I begin from a place of what is it going to take to ensure that this, building, public school, is kept free of weapons brought in by unauthorized individuals. And allowing local discretion to implement that, what I would just submit to you, there's no there's nothing more important than the safety and the futures of our children and that we shouldn't, we shouldn't be bogged down with incorrect figures about cost when when the outcome is that important.

And and and and, again, I think we both share a a common focus and agreement that nothing is more important than the safety of our children. We just keep adding costs to districts and school leaders, and there's one fixed pot that they're drawing from. And so we need we need to be taking these steps. I think you and I both agree leader. My only question is at what point are we going to also increase the support that schools have in offsetting these increasing costs.

But, again, I'm I'm supportive of, the the spirit of the bill and what you are trying to achieve. I'm only asking if there's any consideration being placed on the increasing amount of costs that are going to be placed and burdened, by these school districts. Thank you.

Number let's just keep working. We've got a lot going, guys. We got a little bit of time, but we got another bill to cover too. Number 27.

Thanks, mister chair leader. Thank you

for the bill. I totally, support this bill. And my my question is a question and, kind of a comment. I think based on my past experience in schools and as superintendent, I think the cost are kind of what what I'm hearing you say yourself, for that. And each school's gonna be laid out differently with fences and entrances, things like that.

And based on the amount of money we give for those safety grants, the 65,000, I think that's gonna help pay for this something like this. And that's where I think the schools would have to use it, with those safety grants or however they wanna pay for it, they can. And then down the road, we can look at something else possibly. But I think for the student now, they my opinion is they do have the funding for it. They do have sufficient funds to carry it out.

Is that kind of your perspective as well from what you've studied?

Yes, sir.

Okay. I'm just and I know I've been out here for a couple years, and I don't think cost have gone up that much, but that's kind of my understanding.

Yes, sir. Thank you. Number four.

Thank you, mister chairman. And and, thank you for, you know, sparking this discussion. I think my goal would be that we get to the end line that we can all kind of agree on what this looks like. And and I hear the questions about cost. So school safety is not something that's publicly available as far as the cost and the entrance and everything like that.

So what I have to use is public available data. So if you look at Gwinnett County, for example, they spent $20,000,000 on the fifteen three different schools. And so if I take that $20,000,000 divided by 53, I get about $370,000 per school. And if I use that as an average to add another 81 schools and they're not gonna I mean, you can't use averages, but to get a good idea, that gives me another 30,000,000. So I don't think the cost is 3,000,000.

I don't think it's 2,000. But by going by that, I would say it's about 300 to $400,000 per school. Is it do you are you am I off somewhere?

So, so first of all, so I would say this. What's important to know about Gwinnett is that you have high schools with 2,000 plus students per high school. So they have some of the highest student population schools in the state. It's my understanding. And that also you have potentially well, you had a decision voluntarily by Gwinnett to enter into this, and they selected the system likely because Gwinnett is a very well funded school system.

They chose to, have a system that may cost a lot more and due to the student population. I would submit that what you just outlined is probably the ceiling of what it would be. Obviously, if you're talking about other schools with a much lower student population, it would be far less. I would think we would agree on that.

Well, I don't know if we would because I again, I don't know because I would let's use Cobb. Cobb is a comparable school system. The difference is that Gwinnett tends to have more cookie cutter schools. Cobb is you don't have one building you go into. So for example, I think the school district mentioned the 22 different buildings and on major college campus.

So I would assume there's something comparable. So what Cobb has done is the vape like, the vape dogs, but that's not technology. Would that count those vape dogs that detect weapons? Because that's what they do. They detect weapons, etcetera.

Would those be will be used?

So the definition is written is very broad for a weapons detection system. And what I would submit

to you is that that was intentionally

broadly drafted to allow local systems to pick the best local schools to pick the best weapons detection system for their use. You and I represent may have a difference of opinion as to whether there should be a weapons detection system, in place for all permanent buildings, which is what the bill proposes to do. My my perspective is that that's the right policy decision to make. And for the unique circumstances such as this COB with different buildings on the campus, that safety professionals would be able to come up with a plan to implement that effectively.

Okay. Last comment, and you can respond if you want. When I started this statement, I said we all wanna get to the end and agree. I was asking specifically about costs and what would qualify. Do dogs qualify?

Do they not qualify? So please do not say that I don't want the systems there. I'm just trying to understand what the cost is and the impact when you have multiple answers.

We we got let's go on I think we've got number 19. Wanted to respond with an answer too.

Yeah. And and and I thank you for bringing this as well, and I, understand what you're saying too. So I know in Forsyth County and I as I've talked to you, I had struggled and as I've worked through some of this. In line 17 code section 20 dash two dash seven five one, you all can pull it up. It gives you some excellent definitions of exactly what we're talking about.

And what we're talking about in Gwinnet County is a very high end AI based system. That's not what's being required by all schools. You can have just walk through basic metal detectors that meet these requirements as well, which is significantly less. In Gwinnett County, for instance, they've already they've already paid the nut to get this done. Correct?

That's right. Middle and high school.

So I think a lot of our systems already have a lot of the structure in place because our law enforcement's actually moving in that direction. I would highly encourage the school systems that are struggling to go with metal detectors if they can't afford it and begin to upgrade as the technology cost continue to go down. AI is the ultimate way to do it. If you can afford that, if you can't, I understand. I think many of us understand the needs.

And at that point, I think there's grants as well. Correct? Let's get to questions.

Thank you.

Yes. That's my statement.

Yes.

No. Not time out yet. He stopped when asked. Alright. Representative, number 15, representative

Paris. Thank you, chairman. Thank you. Thank you, mister majority leader, for bringing this bill. I I I can only imagine the fear of parents that have children in school now and not ever knowing whether or not something's gonna happen here.

So I I completely understand the premise of the bill. Just personally, I back when they had the big shooting in in, in Texas. I have grandchildren that don't live too far from there, so it was a very scary day. I'm I I have a very fundamental question though, and that is, have we already made it unlawful for people to carry guns that are unauthorized personnel on school campuses?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay. I I think that's a good thing. And this is just reinforcement. I've you know, I I hear a lot about the cost, and I understand that that's our our position. We we deal with the money every day.

But any any loss of life is just priceless. So thank you for the bill. Good.

Thank you for your support. Number 29. You've been blinking for a while too.

I've been in time out. Yes, sir. I'm learning my lesson quite well. I would like to ask this as a question to you, mister chairman, and to the sponsor. Would it be appropriate and would you allow me to remind the committee of what governor Kemp and the legislature have done as it relates to school funding and since 2019?

So you're asking, are you gonna give us some some figures Yes. Yes. On this?

That addresses the cost concerns that have been mentioned, I think. Very briefly.

Exactly. Very briefly. Yes, sir.

Would it be true that Governor Kemp and this legislature began a line item funding for school safety grants in 2019? Haven't have additional had added additions to that over the years based on what we are experiencing plus and this is a partnership between the state legislature, our governor, and the local school systems. And with that, I would like to call the question. I think you've done a phenomenal job addressing this in a balanced and very, very thoughtful approach.

Thank you. I'm gonna allow one more. I know you're calling the question over there, but I'm a allow one more because he has been blinking for a while. I believe representative Howard.

Yes. I thank you, mister speaker. Thank you, leader, for the for the bill. Of course, we know that school safety is, you know, it's it's a front of front of blank brave for all of us. I I had discussions with my school board folk, in Augusta over the cap last couple of days, And they've already rolled out.

We've already rolled out of the 11 high schools. We've rolled out eight metal detectors already. And and and to your to your point, one of the I asked the question, somebody did the research and wanted to know whether detectors would deter have deter would have deterred any other shootings or anything over the past five years. And the and the answer was probably not. But one of the comments that they they made was superintendent says, but the students feel so much safer simply because the metal detector is there.

And that made they talk about how they feel free. They feel okay, you know, a a much safer moving around. But the the the caveat to the to it all was that maybe they didn't maybe they got the high end metal detectors as well when maybe not the AI, but they are having demand those, metal detectors, two persons at every metal detector at eight schools, which is costly to them. And that that question to me was was that was that anyway or are there other grants that can can help just with the operational piece, not the not the capital layout but just the manpower to make to keep this going on a regular basis. Maybe once we get better, we can get some of the AI where we won't need to man them but right now, they are manning two persons at every at eight schools for the ones they've already done.

So no extra no extra grant

money

or whatever. How we can do that to support that. I think it would be good for schools.

Yes, sir. Understood.

We we we'll let one clarify his number and then we're gonna call the question number 3.

Thank you, chairman. Leader, my apologies. Long day misread of my figure. That was 3,000,000 total for those 49 schools. So roughly 61,000 per school.

So I did wanna, take that one on the chin. Yes, sir. No problem.

Okay. Let let let me do this, mister leader. You said you had a group that you wanted to stand and stand only? Yes, sir. Explain who that group is to me.

Believe there are they are individual Georgia citizens here to express support for House Bill ten twenty three?

You can then ask them to stand. Alright. You all if you're here

to support House Bill two twenty three, please stand so the committee can see you.

Are these constituents? So,

Jeremy here is my constituent with his family. And then you. Does it because

I am too.

Yes.

Thank you. Barrow County for Mapalachee High School community.

Apalachee. Sorry. I didn't see you.

Yes. Buford as well. So I'm sending from schools and conservation.

And Buford?

Yeah. That's correct. Gonna.

So this is a student from Apalachee. I'm sorry if I'm speaking out of attorney, but she was there that day. So this bill is really important to our community and the families there.

Well, thank you and thank you for your courage and strength to young ladies. So, thank you. I know those are tough times, but and thank you for coming here today. Alright. Thank you very much.

Y'all can be seated there. We're gonna call the question committee at this time. We have a motion. We do have a motion. Do we have a second?

Okay. We have a motion and a second. Okay. Let's see. We are on HB ten twenty three l c four nine two five nine nine s.

All in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, light sign. No. It carries.

Brent, get your signatures, mister Leader, and we'll go.

Thank you, mister Leader.

Thank you. Thank you, committee.

Thank you so much, Jeff. Thank you.

Okay. Committee working hard. I need you to train on this next one, and I'll let it let you go after that. Here where is my somehow, it has disappeared. There we go.

Okay. We are moving on to HB907. Madam pro tem, if you would come to the table and read your LC number, to us, and then we'll turn the microphone over to you, ma'am.

Yes, sir, mister chairman. This is a substitute to HB907LC492591S.

Perfect. That's it. Mike's yours.

So this is a revision to the completion schools, what is in law regarding completion schools. For those of you who've been on the committee for a while, you know we've been working on this as a group a number of years. This is probably the fifth bill that we've done. And this comes as a result of a couple years of experience with the changes that we made earlier. Completion schools, as many of you recall, used to be called alternative schools.

There were three it was really, you know, one, two, and then three original ones that predated, what we now call completion schools. Subsequently to this committee in the House and Senate passing this, an entire statewide network of these completion schools. I wanted to give you a report for those of you who are not in subcommittee. We divided the state up into seven zones honoring, to the degree that we could, the three preexisting what we now call completion schools. And since that time, a few years ago, the Albany reach so Northwest, Northeast, Georgia, and the coastal area already had them.

They cover numerous schools, systems that go together and offer night classes, online classes, part time, full time, for students who are most at risk of dropping out, or for whom their home school just doesn't work for them. It could be a bullying situation. Albany Region has been added. It is going very well, and the chairman, chairman Irwin, knows better than I. He's been keeping up very closely with all of his superintendent friends on how this is doing.

And it is robustly operating. Next year, next school year, the Columbus region will come online. And, just for you to know, there was, there will be a million dollars. Is that in the '27 budget, mister chairman, or was that in the in the amended?

1.7 in the amended. In the amended

for the, Columbus School, so that it's for us to fulfill our commitment to help them get going. And so, Macon is forming. I I expect them to come online maybe after next school year, and the only region that will be left is the Metro Atlanta area. And there's not really been any movement there, but most of those school systems are large and robust on their own and can offer alternatives. I still think that we should encourage them to form one of these, because not all the school systems in the metro area offer night classes for students who would prefer to take that and not at their home school.

So I'll take you through essentially four changes. And this is as a result, in my opinion, of experience over the last few years. The first change is on page mine doesn't have a page on it. But line 61 starting there. We want to make sure that every student knows about these programs and, how to register.

So twice per year, the completion schools will provide the school systems that are in that region with information about the programs and how to register. I wanna make sure every parent knows about this, and every student. They will provide this information both electronically, and they will post it prominently at at each school, at each high school. On the next page, starting around, let's see, line 74, it's a very important change that has been asked for both by completion schools and by students and their parents. Parents may register.

They have the right to directly register their student with a completion school without having to go through their home school. And then it'll be worked out between the home school and the completion school. Because if you recall, if you're 16 or 17, you are actually still enrolled at your home school, so that all of your, you know, your graduation, all those, test scores go back to your home school. But as the chairman has mentioned to me, sometimes these students, they maybe they had a bad experience at their home school. Might have been their own doing.

I'm not, you know, assigning blame to the school, but they feel more comfortable going directly to the completion school. And in the age of technology and electronic communication, this can be handled. If they've already, I use the word quit because dropped out has a federal definition. If they've already quit and unenrolled, then, the completion school and the resident school system shall work together in coordination to get that child, registered. The next, change comes on the following page in section two, And this let me just let me come back here.

This makes it clear that, this this is a I call this the Rockdale issue, but it's really beyond Rockdale, which is in the Metro Atlanta area. And and and there this could be in the Macon area currently, too. If there is a school system that is not served, is not a party, and is not served by a completion school in that zone, then one of the existing completion schools may continue to offer services to that school system if they so choose. They could come up with their own agreement with the completion school. That helps make sure that we have this option, in some of some school systems that may or may may or may not, ever be in a zone, which would be the metro area.

I believe it's Foothills is offering the previous legislation had a deadline that's coming up in the next few years, '28 twenty twenty twenty eight, that they would have to cease those services because the end the thought at the time of that bill was that there would be a completion school in every region, and there may not be one in the metro area in time. So we're just gonna let them continue to do that until or if a completion school is formed. And the final change, and this is what used to happen before we made these changes, is that school sys but we're going back to the school systems, will provide I call it leads, kind of like sales leads to, the completion school for students who fit the criteria down before. If they've missed a certain if they're chronically absent. The criteria down before, if they've missed a certain if they're chronically absent, or if they've quit, they've withdrawn, but they have not enrolled in another public school.

And so they would it tells you what information you would supply to the completion school

so that they can

reach out to the school so that they can reach out to the student and their parents to let them know of the services that, are available to try to, to be frank, recruit these students back, into a program to because the goal is we want them to graduate from high school or to get as close as they can to you know, just make progress. But ultimately, the goal is that they would complete high school. And, with that, committee, I will certainly stand or sit for any questions.

Great. And you do have at least one question. Let let me point out to the committee for a minute is I'm very versed in this with, having written bills for completion schools. These are students that are at the late in their career with us. There also would be students that need options.

Something in life is not necessarily making it where they can attend a regular school or their school from eight to three. They need an option. And this allows them to complete their program with us. Now they might be on the last semester. They might be on the last year.

And so giving students options, I support fully. And I will tell you that what you have is we look at a box and we put 20 kids in it and we expect them expect them all to run-in that box the exact same speed learning the exact same way. And that's not how in real life it works. So these kids need this net with an option to get somewhere to complete their program with us, and these systems are one other thing. There are seven zones designed for the state.

We're in the process of getting the fifth zone set up. The sixth zone will come online in a little over a year, and then there will be only one zone left. And that is Metro Atlanta. Here is the seventh zone. Metro Atlanta, by the way, have a lot of these programs within themselves.

So the need is not as great as it is outside of Metro for the completion. They can and we hope they do start it, a program that is where the Rockdale need comes in. If Rockdale says, hey, we'd love for one of these neighboring completion schools to function within us with that your bill, and I I appreciate it. And that's how I understand your addition to the bill to work. Is that correct?

Yes, sir. It does. And I I might further clarify. Federal federal definition. They're an adult, and they directly can enroll in the school.

Also can work with our ROYDCs. That's right. And that's very beneficial to us and those in that situation. So, I we'll entertain a a few questions. But, madam pro tem, thank you for the effort on this bill, and, let let's continue giving options to these kids.

Number 25.

The appropriate time.

I heard you. I heard you. Number 17. You've been blinking, miss Carter.

Thank you, chairman. Thank you for, bringing this bill. My only question is about the, instruction. Are these live instructor instructors, or are the students gaining their instructions from, some type of computer program similar to what they do at YDC?

It's a combination, but I I'll let the if you don't mind, mister chairman, I'll let you

respond to that. They hire teacher certified teacher, and they get FTE credit for this. So they have the same requirements that you have for a, day school. I will say, they can ask for waivers if they're a certain type of school. They could do, strategic waiver and waive some things, but you would have in person instruction.

I accept let me Mhmm. And and thank you for clarifying for that because I asked that question because I know at YDC that they don't have all live instruction and the students are in front of computers going through a program. But you're seeing in these programs here, there is a live teacher instructing daily.

That is correct. And they do have some online, which most every school does, but they have hired instructors.

Thank you.

Number 18.

You answered my question about the FTE of the following student up to age 22.

There you go. Age 22. It does. That that that is right. Remember, members, I I wanna use that statement from representative Glaze.

And it's not just these students. It's all our students. It's getting across the finish line. And and it's not how quickly you do it. And and, you know, we we like to shame when somebody's 19 years old graduation.

What I'm gonna tell you is they graduated.

That's right.

And it goes back to the old statement, what do you call the guy that graduated last in in, med school? Doctor. Doctor. Okay? So let let let's continue to work towards getting children across the line that we need to do for them so they'll have a successful life.

We're gonna take one more question, number 15.

Thank you, chairman. Thank you, madam Pro Tem, for bringing this bill. You said to make

a bid was, like, number seven, I think, coming on. So so we had three, and then Albany was the fourth. Columbus will, Albany is already, operating. Columbus will start next school year. Macon is forming, and I'm hoping it'll be the school year after that.

And we put money. It was in the original bill, where we called them completion schools and set up this network that the state will appropriate money because they need money to get going, to pay teachers, to rent well, actually, I guess, usually, the schools offer the space to them.

Yes. Well, thank you. I will be taking credit for that. Thank you.

Take credit for what?

For that money that you're putting forth.

Oh, we're we're gonna

keep Sorry.

Well, thank you. We, we we want more money in the the spending on these children. We're we're gonna call question. We've got a motion. Second.

Motion. We got a second. Let me look at the LC number. It's HB907. LC492591S.

All in favor, say aye. Aye. All opposed, like sign. Your bill carries. Let's get those signatures move on.

Thank you, mister Pro Tem. Hey. We're adjourned, guys. Great job. Great work, team.

Thank you.