Bill > SB248

Introduced Session

AN ACT To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to establish and provide for the Georgia Council on Library Materials Standards; to provide for definitions, including definitions for the terms "harmful to minors," "restricted materials," and "sexually explicit materials"; to require the Georgia Council on Library Materials Standards to establish standards for the designation of restricted materials by local boards of education, standards for the use and restriction of instructional materials, and standards for the use and restriction of public school library collection materials; to require the Georgia Council on Library Materials Standards to annually update such standards; to require the Department of Education to provide technical support to local boards of education for implementing such standards; to require local boards of education to adopt and annually update policies and procedures that comply with such standards; to provide for certain instructional materials to include ratings which indicate whether any portion of such material includes sexually explicit material; to prohibit local boards of education from acquiring instructional materials from vendors who do not provide such ratings and other required information; to require local boards of education to periodically publish lists of instructional materials that include sexually explicit materials; to require periodic review of restricted materials in public school library collection materials and determination of what restricted materials should be retained; to require local boards of education to periodically provide to the Department of Education a list of restricted materials included in its school library collection materials; to require the Department of Education to publish such lists; to provide that existing complaint resolution policies for materials that are harmful to minors shall apply, subject to an embargo provision; to revise and expand the definition of "harmful to minors" regarding the complaint resolution policy for materials that are harmful to minors; to prohibit sex education for public school students in this state before sixth grade; to prohibit instruction or discussion of inappropriate sex based topics; to require revocable written consent from parents or guardians of students before any sex education is provided; to require governing bodies of public schools and local school systems to afford parents and guardians of all students and the public opportunity to review and to provide comment on proposed sex education curricula before approval by such body; to require the State Board of Education to approve age- and grade-appropriate content standards for sex education curricula; to provide for definitions; to provide for construction; to revise the "Parents Bill of Rights" to provide for parents to revocably opt-in to sex education for their children; to prohibit instruction and informal communication with an emphasis on sexual orientation or gender identity for public school students in kindergarten through grade three under any circumstances and for public school students in grades four through 12 with limited exceptions; to provide for such exceptions; to require annual notification to parents of the health services offered at their children's public schools; to provide for procedures for parents to decline or withhold consent for health services to be provided to their children; to provide for parental rights to access student education and health records; to provide for limitations on the administration of well-being questionnaires or health screening forms to students in kindergarten through grade three; to prohibit, either through policy or practice, public schools and school personnel from discouraging or prohibiting parental notification of and involvement in critical decisions affecting a student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being; to require public schools to adopt policies and procedures for notifying parents of changes to student support services, to student monitoring, to the school's ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for a student, or to a student's observed mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being; to provide for requirements for such policies and procedures; to require public schools to adopt complaint resolution policies to address complaints of violations of certain laws relating to prescribed instruction and to the mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being of students; to provide for remedial actions and sanctions; to provide for a model policy and guidance; to provide for statutory construction; to prohibit certain waivers; to provide for definitions; to provide for short titles; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Jason Anavitarte (R)*,  Clint Dixon (R)*,  Marty Harbin (R)*,  Billy Hickman (R)*,  Chuck Payne (R)*, 

Senate Read and Referred (on 02/26/2025)

Official Document