Bill > SR432

This resolution creates the Senate Higher Education in Prison Study Committee to investigate postsecondary education opportunities for incarcerated individuals in Georgia. The committee will consist of six members, including two Senate members (one from the majority and minority parties) and four ex officio members representing corrections, community supervision, the Board of Regents, and the Technical College System. The committee's primary duties include examining current postsecondary and transition offerings in prisons, studying successful educational models from other states, and recommending potential legislation or actions to improve educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals. The resolution is motivated by evidence that higher education can significantly reduce recidivism rates (by up to 43%), improve employment outcomes, and benefit both individual prisoners and broader community economic development. Committee members will receive standard legislative allowances and expenses, and they are required to file a report with findings and potential recommendations by December 1, 2025. The study is particularly timely given recent federal changes to Pell Grant eligibility for prisoners and Georgia's current recidivism rate of at least 30 percent.

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71538