***NO VOTE EXPANDING STATE-SPONSORED GAMBLING***

During the last two sessions (2023 & 2024) the Georgia Senate endeavored to advance sports betting. Senate Resolution 579 was the constitutional amendment to allow the voters of Georgia to change our state constitution to allow sports betting. Senate Bill 386 was the legislation that detailed how sports betting would operate (licensing, taxing, enforcement, etc.), but could not become law unless SR 579 was enacted. Status: Both SB 386 and SR 579 passed in the Senate and committee in the House, but neither were voted on in the House. These bills would both have to be reintroduced next year.

***PASSED SCHOOL CHOICE BILL***

Senate Bill 233 — The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act — Creates an “Educational Savings Account” for parents to access up to $6,500 for their child’s qualified education expenses (e.g., private school tuition, tutoring services, curriculum). Current private school and home-school students are not eligible. Eligible students would be those in a “failing” public school (meaning the lowest-performing 25% in the state). We were able to strengthen the bill’s religious freedom language in 2023. Status: Signed into law by Governor Kemp.

• Here are some of the changes in the bill (per the AJC):
  • It would prioritize families earning less than 400% of the federal poverty level, or about $120,000 for a family of four, putting them first in line for funding.
  • The program would end in 2035, absent an extension by lawmakers.

Other bills we are tracking, including the religious liberty bill:

• Protecting Georgia’s Children on Social Media Act (SB 351) is a good effort to protect children from addictive behavior on social media, requiring parental consent on social media accounts for children under 16. Status: Signed into law by Governor Kemp.
• HB 1361 prohibits the distribution of computer generated images which obscenely depict children. Status: Passed the House on Feb. 29, 2024, and the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 20, 2024; however it never came to a full vote in the Senate.
• HB 910 requires websites with obscene images to implement age-verification technology or face the possibility of civil penalties. Status: Passed the House on Feb. 29, 2024 and the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 13, 2024; however, it never came to a full vote in the Senate.
• SB 466 is an important bill which updates the laws restricting child pornography to allow law enforcement to prosecute those who use digitally altered images, including CGI and AI, to create images that would otherwise be illegal. Status: Passed in the Senate Judiciary committee, but did not come to a full vote before Crossover day.
• Senate Bill 88 — Parents and Children Protection Act of 2023 — Prohibits an adult who is acting “in place of parents” (e.g., teachers, counselors, social workers) from discussing “information of a sensitive nature” (e.g., sex education, a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity) with a minor without the written permission of parents. Although it is well-intentioned and seeks to protect parents and students, we are opposing this bill because it would apply to private schools. The government should not have a say in what our private schools teach. Status: Passed the Senate Education and Youth committee, but never came to a full vote.

Religious Freedom Bills

• The PRAISE Act (HB 925) requires the government to treat houses of worship equitably during states of emergency. Status: Senate TABLED.
• Senate Bill 180 — Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act — This bill mirrors the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). Put simply, this law would give Georgians their “day in court” to challenge the government if their local or state government infringed on their religious beliefs. Status: Passed the Senate on Feb. 29, 2024, but did not pass out of committee in the House. Unfortunately, RFRA will have to be reintroduced next year.