Archived Reports | PAGE INC

2020 Page Capitol Report Archive

(These reports from the Capitol reflect activity only for the legislative day indicated.)

Senate Committee Explores Multiple Diplomas & Increasing Male Teachers (Oct. 13, 2020)

Gov. Kemp Signs Education Legislation (Aug. 7, 2020)

PAGE 2020 Legislative Session Final Report (July 20, 2020)

Day 40 (June 26, 2020)

2020 Session Adjourns, Sine Die
Budget Squeeze Ahead for School Districts
Senate Approves Bill Ending University System Obligation to TRS
House Gives Final Approval to Education Bills

Day 39 (June 25, 2020)

State Budget Compromise Includes $950 Million Cut for K-12
Senate Acts on Testing Reduction & Educator Evaluation Bills; Tables TRS Repayment Bill
Education Bill Becomes Reduce Legislator Pay Cut Bill
House Agrees to HB 993, Sending Child Abuse Registry Elimination to Governor

Day 38 (June 24, 2020)

Testing Reduction Bill Passes the House
Senate Passes Breast Cancer Screening Bill for SHBP Participant

Day 37 (June 23, 2020)

PAGE Encourages Educators to Contact House & Senate Members to Minimize School Budget Cuts
Educator Evaluation Appeal Passes Senate Education Committee
House Judiciary Strips Bill Regarding Sexual Assault in Schools

Day 36 (June 22, 2020)

Governor Kemp Shaves Proposed K-12 Funding Cuts
Senate Retirement Passes University System TRS Bill
House Passes TRS Alternative Investment Bill

Contact Your House & Senate Member Today to Discourage Cuts to K-12 Education: Difficult Budget Decisions in Difficult Times (June 23, 2020)

The 2020 General Assembly is expected to adjourn this Friday, June 26. Now is the time to make your voice heard at the Capitol. In concert with PAGE advocacy under the Gold Dome, PAGE urges educators to contact their House and Senate members today and ask lawmakers to consider revenue solutions which soften harmful cuts to K-12 education.

Days 34 & 35 (June 20, 2020)

Closer Look at Senate’s Budget Proposal
House Ed Passes Revised Testing Reduction Bill
House and Senate Meet Through the Weekend
Senate Finance Committee Seeks State Revenue Boost

Day 33 (June 18, 2020)

Two Opportunities to Rollback Testing – SB 367 Needs Your Help
Tax Credit Review Bill Stalls in House Subcommittee

Day 32 (June 17, 2020)

Budget Cuts Loom as Districts Work to Safely Reopen Schools
Standardized Testing Bill Stalls in House Education Committee
Charter School Clean-Up Bill Advances in Senate

Day 31 (June 16, 2020)

Committee Approves Alternative Investments for TRS

Day 30 (June 15, 2020)

Legislators Prepare for Budget Discussion as 2020 Session Resumes
Senate Education Committee Updated on School Reopening by Georgia Department of Education

General Assembly Set To Reconvence in Mid-June

Steep Cuts Projected for State Education Agencies

$1.3 Billion Cut Projected for QBE
4,000 Pre-Kindergarten Slots at Risk
New Strategy to Reduce Teacher Costs
Cuts Touch Other Education Agencies
Next Steps
Member Action

State Lawmakers Receive Update on Georgia’s Pandemic Related Fiscal Challenges (May 15, 2020)

Sliding Consumer Confidence Reported by State Economist
Budget Director Details State Revenue Drop
Presenters Answer Questions Submitted by Legislators

Legislative and Budget Update, CARES Act Grants (May 6, 2020)

State Funding Cuts Anticipated for FY 2021
Preliminary Estimate of Cuts to FY 2021 Budget
SBOE Approves $457 Million CARES Act Funds for Local School Districts
Farewell to Sen. Jack Hill, a Friend to Public Education
Sen. Tillery Named Appropriations Chair

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Summary (April 6, 2020)

Impact on Individuals
Impact on K-12 Education

Families First Coronavirus Response Act Summary (March 26, 2020)

Paid Sick Leave
Family and Medical Leave Expansion
Free Testing for COVID-19
Expansion of Food Assistance Programs

Legislative Update: Uncertainties in the Midst of COVID-19 Epidemic (March 25, 2020)

Update on where the General Assembly Stands During COVID-19 Epidemic

Day 28 (Part 2) and Day 29

Legislature & Many School Districts Suspend Indefinitely
Day 28 Report (Part 2): House Passes Evaluation Review, Return to Work, and Tax Credit for Educators in Rural and Turnaround School Bills; Tim Tebow Bill Did Not Receive a Vote
Day 29 Report

Day 28, Part 1 (March 12, 2020)

Legislature & Many School Districts Suspend Indefinitely
Partial Report from PAGE
Senate & House Approve Changes to Amended FY 2020 Budget
House Passes REACH Scholarship Reduction
Senate Passes Whole Child, Period Products, and Career Academy Bills; Other Bills Did Not Receive a Vote

Day 27, Part 2 (March 10, 2020)

Busy Day at the Capitol – Partial Report from PAGE
New Adjournment Resolution – Sine Die April 2
Senate Passes Educator Evaluation Legislation and Several Other Education Bills
House Ed Committee Passes Child Entertainer and Whole Child Bills
House Committee Hears Bill Exempting Schools from Paying Plant Vogtle Financing Costs Up Front

Day 27, Part 1 (March 10, 2020)

Busy Day at the Capitol – Partial Report from PAGE
Senate Approves Controversial Voucher Bill
House Passes FY 2021 Budget Reducing Educator Pay Raise from $2,000 to $1,000 for 2020-2021
House Passes Flat Tax Income Tax Reduction
Family Leave and Bill Allowing Home Schooled Students to Enroll in College & Career Academies Pass

Day 26 (March 9, 2020)

Senate Scheduled to Vote Tomorrow Morning on Harmful School Voucher Bill – Your Help Needed
House Appropriations Cuts Proposed Educator Pay Raise from $2,000 to $1,000
PAGE Responds to Proposed Pay Raise Reduction & Proposed Income Tax Cut – Vote Expected Tomorrow – Contact Reps Now
COVID-19 Press Conference

Day 25 (March 5, 2020)

Teacher Evaluation Review, REACH Scholarship Reductions, and Homeschool Legislation Pass House Ed
Senate Ed Passes College Entrance Exam, and College and Career Academy Bills
House Begins Conference Committee Process for Amended Fiscal Year Budget; Approves Bill Expediting IEP Review for Foster Care Students
Senate Approves Bill Defining ‘On-Time’ Graduation Rate
Senate Committee Approves Career Academy Bill

Day 24 (March 4, 2020)

Senate Committee Approves Voucher Expansion Bill
House Committee Revises Proposed Student Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers
Senate Committee Passes Teacher Evaluation Bill, Work-Based Learning Bill, and Others
Senate Committee Holds Bill Allowing Police Departments Operated by School Districts to Use Speed Detection Devices

Day 23 (March 3, 2020)

Senate Passes Bill Reducing the Number of High-Stakes Assessments
Charter School, Retirement, School Allotment, & Dual Enrollment Bills Pass House
Bill Allowing Homeschooled Students to Participate in Public School Sports & Extracurriculars Moves Forward
House Judiciary Subcommittee Hears Bill on Criminalizing the Sharing of Obscene Materials in Public Schools
House Subcommittee Approves Cuts to Need-Based Financial Aid Program

Day 22 (March 2, 2020)

Senate Committee Approves Amended FY 2020 Budget
Senate Ed Holds College & Career Academies & School Impact Fee Legislation, Passes Whole Child Bill
Referendum on Daylight Saving Time Passes Senate

Day 21 (February 28, 2020)

Special Needs Private School Voucher Program Should Not Be Expanded Without An Evaluation
House Retirement Passes Teacher Return to Work Bill, Again

Day 20 (February 27, 2020)

Committee Examines Career Academy and Dual Enrollment Bills
House Ed Committee Passes Bills Including Legislation Expediting IEP Review for Foster Care Students

Day 19 (February 26, 2020)

Senate Ed Hears Controversial Voucher Bill
House Higher Education Committee Has Hearing on Bill Providing Stipends for Teachers in Rural and Turnaround Schools
PSC Budget, Student Transportation Funding Discussed at Committee Hearing

Day 18 (February 25, 2020)

Harmful Voucher Bill in Senate Committee Tomorrow – Gear Up for Advocacy
Hearing on Daylight Saving Time Referendum
Senate Passes Bill Allowing Teacher Retirement System to Invest in Alternative Investments
House Academic Achievement Subcommittee Passes Charter School “Clean-Up” Bill

Day 17 (February 24, 2020)

ACTION ALERT: Contact Your Senators and Ask Them to Oppose Private School Vouchers
Senate Education and Youth Committee Passes Bill Cutting Back High Stakes Testing
Senate Passes Bill to Annually Review Tax Credits

Day 16 (February 21, 2020)

Two New Private School Voucher Bills Could Carry Big Cost
New Proposal to Reduce State Assessments
Your Input Needed on Educational Impact of Daylight Saving Time
Georgia School Nurses Association and Georgia STOMP Webinar for School Nurses on Feminine Hygiene Product Distribution

Day 15 (February 20, 2020)

Houses Passes TRS USG Bill
Charter School Allotment Bill Passes Subcommittee
House Education Committee Passes Bill Renaming Voucher Program

Day 14 (February 19, 2020)

House Approves Revised 2020 Budget
House Does Not Move TRS Bill
Senate Retirement Committee Passes TRS Alternative Investment Bill
Senate Education Committee Considers Raising Age of Compulsory Attendance

Day 13 (February 18, 2020)

PAGE Day on the Hill 2020
Retirement Committee Hears But Doesn’t Vote on Controversial TRS Bill
House Appropriations Committee Approves Revisions to the 2020 Budget
House Education Subcommittee Passes Foster Care IEP Bill

Budget Hearing and Committee Report (February 14, 2020)

Kemp Presses for Statewide Educator Raises During News Conference at McEachern HS
Amended Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Moves Forward in the House
Senate Begins Review of Amended Fiscal Year 2020 Budget
House Appropriations Education Subcommittee Examines Educator Retirement
Senate Education and Youth Committee Hears Coach Safely Act & CAPS Program Bill

Legislative Budget Analysis (February 12, 2020)

Day 12 (February 5, 2020)

Budget Disagreement Under Gold Dome – Calendar Reset
Education Appropriations Committee Examines Gov. Kemp’s Proposed FY 2021 Budget
Vaping Bill Clears Senate Subcommittee

Day 11 (February 4, 2020)

TRS Bill Held – Now Limits COLAs to Once Annually for All Educators & Prohibits Use of Unused Sick Leave Toward Retirement for New Hires
Gov. Kemp Holds Press Conference Announcing Rollback of High-Stakes Testing
Return-to-Work Bill Gains Committee Approval

Day 10 (February 3, 2020)

Alterations to the Teacher Retirement System Would Constrain Cost Growth and Future Educator Benefits – Action Alert
Senate Finance Committee Takes Steps toward Improved Fiscal Transparency

Day 9 (January 31, 2020)

Short Day for the House and Senate
HB 109, the TRS Bill from 2019, Resurrected for Committee Hearing on Tuesday

Day 8 (January 30, 2020)

Educator Pay Raise Controversy
Joint House and Senate Ed Committee Explores Student Literacy, Top 10 Ed Issues & More
House Education Committee Assigns Legislation to Subcommittee
New Regulations on Vaping Proposed

Day 7 (January 29, 2020)

Lawmakers Debate Student Loan Forgiveness Bill for Teachers
Education Agency Staff Describe Cuts to the Amended Fiscal Year 2020 Budget
Retirement Committee Hears Bill Allowing TRS to Invest in Alternative Investments

Day 6 (January 28, 2020)

Senate Passes Revised Dual Enrollment Bill
House Retirement Passes Bill Eliminating University System Payment to TRS; Holds Return to Work Legislation for Edits

Day 5 (January 27, 2020)

House Subcommittee Passes School Safety Plan Development Exemption

Day 4 (January 16, 2020)

Kemp Delivers State of the State and Releases Proposed Budget
Salary Hike for Educators
QBE Protected but Budget Cuts Loom
Senate Higher Ed Committee Passes Bill Changing Dual Enrollment

Day 3 (January 15, 2020)

Renewed Discussion about Changes to Dual Enrollment Program
Georgia Professional Standards Commission Presents to House Higher Ed Committee

Day 2 (January 14, 2020)

House Retirement Hears Controversial TRS Bill
2020 PAGE Legislative Priorities

Day 1 (January 13, 2020)

Pushing for a Third Private School Voucher Program