Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: Enacted 6 R cosponsors

SB 44 — Equalization Grants, Annual Calculations, and Allocation; the definition of the term "qualified local school system" by reducing the minimum required millage rate; revise

Last action — Senate Date Signed by Governor

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 28, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Brian Kemp (Republican) on May 14, 2025.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (6 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-165 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to equalization grants, annual calculations, and allocation, so as to revise the definition of the term "qualified local school system" by reducing the minimum required millage rate or effective millage rate from 14 mills to 10 mills; to provide for a 25 percent reduction of equalization grant awards for local school systems whose millage rate or effective millage rate does not meet the minimum requirement; to require annual reporting by the Department of Education; to repeal a definition; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Effective Date

  2. Act 280

  3. Senate Date Signed by Governor

  4. Senate Sent to Governor

  5. House Passed/Adopted

  6. House Third Readers

  7. House Committee Favorably Reported

  8. House Second Readers

  9. House First Readers

  10. Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute

  11. Senate Third Read

  12. Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

  13. Senate Recommitted

  14. Senate Read Second Time

  15. Senate Committee Favorably Reported

  16. Senate Read and Referred

  17. Senate Hopper

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 241 not signed on · 23 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (241)

241 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 241 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

PASSAGE

Passed 138 Yea · 23 Nay · 19 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 5019011
Republican 88408
Total 13823019
% of votes cast 77%13%0%11%
How each member voted (180)
Member Party Vote
Al Williams Democrat Not Voting
Angela Moore Democrat Yea
Anissa Jones Democrat Yea
Anne Allen Westbrook Democrat Not Voting
Arlene Beckles Democrat Yea
Betsy Holland Democrat Yea
Billy Mitchell Democrat Yea
Brian Prince Democrat Yea
Bryce Berry Democrat Nay
Carl Gilliard Democrat Yea
Carolyn Hugley Democrat Yea
Dar'shun Kendrick Democrat Yea
David Sampson Democrat Yea
David Wilkerson Democrat Yea
Debbie Buckner Democrat Yea
Debra Bazemore Democrat Nay
Demetrius Douglas Democrat Yea
Derrick Jackson Democrat Nay
Dewey McClain Democrat Yea
Dexter Sharper Democrat Yea
Doreen Carter Democrat Yea
Edna Jackson Democrat Yea
El-Mahdi Holly Democrat Not Voting
Eric Bell Democrat Not Voting
Esther Panitch Democrat Yea
Floyd Griffin Democrat Nay
Gabe Okoye Democrat Yea
Gabriel Sanchez Democrat Not Voting
Imani Barnes Democrat Nay
Inga Willis Democrat Yea
Jasmine Clark Democrat Nay
Karen Bennett Democrat Yea
Karen Lupton Democrat Nay
Karla Drenner Democrat Nay
Karlton Howard Democrat Nay
Kim Schofield Democrat Nay
Kimberly Alexander Democrat Yea
L.C. Myles Democrat Yea
Lisa Campbell Democrat Yea
Long Tran Democrat Yea
Lydia Glaize Democrat Yea
Lynn Heffner Democrat Yea
Mack Jackson Democrat Not Voting
Marvin Lim Democrat Nay
Mary Ann Santos Democrat Yea
Mary Frances Williams Democrat Yea
Mary Oliver Democrat Yea
Mekyah McQueen Democrat Nay
Michael Smith Democrat Yea
Michelle Au Democrat Yea
Miriam Paris Democrat Yea
Omari Crawford Democrat Yea
Park Cannon Democrat Nay
Patty Marie Stinson Democrat Not Voting
Phil Olaleye Democrat Yea
Regina Lewis-Ward Democrat Yea
Rhonda Burnough Democrat Nay
Rhonda Taylor Democrat Yea
Robert Dawson Democrat Yea
Robert Flournoy Democrat Yea
Ruwa Romman Democrat Nay
Saira Draper Democrat Yea
Sam Park Democrat Nay
Sandra Scott Democrat Nay
Scott Holcomb Democrat Yea
Segun Adeyina Democrat Yea
Sharon Henderson Democrat Yea
Shea Roberts Democrat Yea
Sheila Jones Democrat Yea
Shelly Hutchinson Democrat Not Voting
Solomon Adesanya Democrat Not Voting
Spencer Frye Democrat Nay
Stacey Evans Democrat Yea
Sylvia Wayfer Baker Democrat Not Voting
Tangie Herring Democrat Yea
Tanya Miller Democrat Yea
Terry Cummings Democrat Not Voting
Tremaine Reese Democrat Yea
Viola Davis Democrat Nay
Yasmin Neal Democrat Yea
Alan Powell Republican Yea
Angie O'Steen Republican Not Voting
Beth Camp Republican Yea
Bethany Ballard Republican Yea
Bill Hitchens Republican Yea
Bill Werkheiser Republican Yea
Bill Yearta Republican Not Voting
Brad Thomas Republican Yea
Brent Cox Republican Yea
Bruce Williamson Republican Nay
Buddy DeLoach Republican Yea
Butch Parrish Republican Yea
Carmen Rice Republican Yea
Carter Barrett Republican Yea
Charles Martin Republican Nay
Charlice Byrd Republican Nay
Chas Cannon Republican Yea
Chris Erwin Republican Yea
Chuck Efstration Republican Yea
Clint Crowe Republican Yea
Dale Washburn Republican Yea
Danny Mathis Republican Yea
Darlene Taylor Republican Yea
David Clark Republican Yea
David Huddleston Republican Yea
David Jenkins Republican Yea
Deborah Silcox Republican Yea
Derrick McCollum Republican Yea
Devan Seabaugh Republican Not Voting
Don Parsons Republican Yea
Eddie Lumsden Republican Yea
Emory Dunahoo Republican Yea
Gary Richardson Republican Yea
Gerald Greene Republican Yea
Ginny Ehrhart Republican Yea
Holt Persinger Republican Yea
Houston Gaines Republican Yea
Jaclyn Ford Republican Yea
James Burchett Republican Yea
Jan Jones Republican Yea
Jason Ridley Republican Yea
Jesse Petrea Republican Yea
Joe Campbell Republican Yea
John Carson Republican Yea
John Corbett Republican Yea
John LaHood Republican Yea
Johnny Chastain Republican Yea
Jon Burns Republican Not Voting
Jordan Ridley Republican Yea
Joseph Gullett Republican Yea
Josh Bonner Republican Yea
Justin Howard Republican Yea
Karen Mathiak Republican Yea
Kasey Carpenter Republican Not Voting
Katie Dempsey Republican Yea
Kimberly New Republican Yea
Lauren McDonald III Republican Yea
Lee Hawkins Republican Yea
Leesa Hagan Republican Yea
Lehman Franklin Republican Yea
Lynn Smith Republican Yea
Mandi Ballinger Republican Yea
Marcus Wiedower Republican Not Voting
Mark Newton Republican Yea
Martin Momtahan Republican Yea
Matt Barton Republican Yea
Matt Dubnik Republican Yea
Matt Hatchett Republican Yea
Matt Reeves Republican Yea
Matthew Gambill Republican Yea
Mike Cameron Republican Yea
Mike Cheokas Republican Yea
Mitchell Horner Republican Yea
Mitchell Scoggins Republican Yea
Noel Williams, Jr. Republican Yea
Noelle Kahaian Republican Nay
Reynaldo Martinez Republican Yea
Rick Jasperse Republican Yea
Rick Townsend Republican Yea
Rob Clifton Republican Yea
Rob Leverett Republican Yea
Robert Dickey Republican Yea
Ron Stephens Republican Yea
Sandy Donatucci Republican Yea
Scott Hilton Republican Yea
Sharon Cooper Republican Yea
Shaw Blackmon Republican Yea
Soo Hong Republican Yea
Stan Gunter Republican Yea
Steve Tarvin Republican Yea
Steven Meeks Republican Not Voting
Steven Sainz Republican Yea
Tim Fleming Republican Yea
Todd Jones Republican Not Voting
Trey Kelley Republican Yea
Trey Rhodes Republican Yea
Tyler Paul Smith Republican Yea
Vance Smith Republican Yea
Victor Anderson Republican Yea
Will Wade Republican Yea

Official roll call →

PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE

Passed 51 Yea · 0 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 30003
Democrat 21002
Total 51005
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (56)
Member Party Vote
David Lucas Democrat Yea
Derek Mallow Democrat Yea
Donzella James Democrat Yea
Ed Harbison Democrat Not Voting
Elena Parent Democrat Yea
Emanuel Jones Democrat Yea
Freddie Powell Sims Democrat Yea
Gail Davenport Democrat Yea
Harold Jones II Democrat Yea
Jason Esteves Democrat Yea
Josh McLaurin Democrat Yea
Kenya Wicks Democrat Not Voting
Kim Jackson Democrat Yea
Michael 'Doc' Rhett Democrat Yea
Nabilah Parkes Democrat Yea
Nan Orrock Democrat Yea
Nikki Merritt Democrat Yea
RaShaun Kemp Democrat Yea
Randal Mangham Democrat Yea
Sally Harrell Democrat Yea
Sheikh Rahman Democrat Yea
Sonya Halpern Democrat Yea
Tonya Anderson Democrat Yea
Ben Watson Republican Yea
Bill Cowsert Republican Yea
Billy Hickman Republican Yea
Blake Tillery Republican Yea
Bo Hatchett Republican Not Voting
Brandon Beach Republican Yea
Brian Strickland Republican Yea
Carden Summers Republican Yea
Chuck Hufstetler Republican Not Voting
Chuck Payne Republican Yea
Clint Dixon Republican Yea
Colton Moore Republican Yea
Drew Echols Republican Yea
Ed Setzler Republican Yea
Frank Ginn Republican Yea
Greg Dolezal Republican Not Voting
Jason Anavitarte Republican Yea
John Albers Republican Yea
John F. Kennedy Republican Yea
Kay Kirkpatrick Republican Yea
Larry Walker, III Republican Yea
Lee Anderson Republican Yea
Marty Harbin Republican Yea
Matt Brass Republican Yea
Max Burns Republican Yea
Mike Hodges Republican Yea
Randy Robertson Republican Yea
Rick Williams Republican Yea
Russ Goodman Republican Yea
Sam Watson Republican Yea
Shawn Still Republican Yea
Steve Gooch Republican Yea
Timothy Bearden Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 44 do?
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-2-165 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to equalization grants, annual calculations, and allocation, so as to revise the definition of the term "qualified local school system" by reducing the minimum required millage rate or effective millage rate from 14 mills to 10 mills; to provide for a 25 percent reduction of equalization grant awards for local school systems whose millage rate or effective millage rate does not meet the minimum requirement; to require annual reporting by the Department of Education; to repeal a definition; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Who sponsors SB 44?
SB 44 is sponsored by Jason Anavitarte (Republican), John F. Kennedy (Republican), Chuck Hufstetler (Republican), Carden Summers (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), and Sam Watson (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 44?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 28, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 44?
Track SB 44 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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