Bill > HB133

This bill introduces the Student Character Development Act, which allows public school students to attend religious moral instruction courses (called "released time courses") provided by external organizations, subject to specific conditions. Local education agencies may adopt policies permitting students to be excused from school for up to one hour per week to attend these courses, requiring parental consent, maintained attendance records, and student-or-parent-managed transportation. The bill mandates that these courses cannot be held on public school property unless under a neutral community access policy, and students must take responsibility for any missed schoolwork. Local education agencies can choose to award academic credit for these courses based on strictly secular evaluation criteria, such as instruction hours, course syllabus, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications. The bill requires criminal background checks for course instructors and explicitly states that students participating in these courses will not be counted as absent from school. Additionally, the bill provides liability protection for school agencies and directs the Department of Education to maximize funding for local agencies and develop model policies for implementing released time courses. The legislation aims to provide a structured framework for students to receive religious moral instruction while maintaining educational standards and administrative neutrality.

Education

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69532