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HB 451GEORGIASession 2025_26State Billpassed both

Passed

Georgia requires local school districts to excuse students for independent religious instruction

Original title: Quality Basic Education Act; local boards shall be authorized to provide instruction in hunting safety in grades six through 12; provide

Last action · March 27, 2026: Senate Passed/Adopted By SubstituteSponsors: Chas Cannon and 5 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Would Do

Official description

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs under the "Quality Basic Education Act," so as to provide that local boards of education shall be authorized to provide instruction in hunting safety in grades six through 12; to provide for the adoption of content standards by the State Board of Education; to provide that local boards of education may establish a curriculum in hunting safety; to provide for instructor requirements; to provide legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Why it matters

Parents gain the right to withdraw students for up to an hour weekly without attendance penalties, while school districts must establish administrative oversight including criminal background checks for instructors and policies handling off-campus transit and liability.

Background

Released time education policies allow public school students to leave school property during the school day to receive religious instruction, provided certain constitutional and statutory safeguards are met. context

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

public school students

Students are permitted to be excused from school for at least one hour per week for religious instruction without being counted absent, and may receive academic credit.

Directly affected

parents and legal guardians

Parents must provide written consent for student participation and transportation, and assume responsibility for missed school work and off-campus transit.

Directly affected

local education agencies

School districts must adopt compliant policies by August 1, 2026, oversee attendance records, ensure instructor background checks, and manage facility access.

Directly affected

Department of Education

The Department is directed to promulgate model policies and procedures and take steps to maximize state and federal funding for local education agencies.

Key Facts

By August 1, 2026, every local education agency must adopt a policy permitting students to attend released time courses for at least one hour per school week.
Student attendance in a released time course requires written parental or legal guardian consent.
Participating students are not counted as absent from school while attending a released time course.
Local education agencies may choose to award academic credit for released time courses based exclusively on secular criteria such as instructional hours, syllabus review, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications.

Show all 8 facts

Except for de minimis administrative costs, no local education agency funds may be expended in providing or accommodating released time courses.
The provider of the released time course must maintain attendance records, verify full responsibility for students during the activity, and require criminal records checks for instructors.
Local education agencies, officials, and employees are granted immunity from civil liability for injuries arising from transit to or from a released time course when private transportation is used.
The Department of Education is directed to take steps to maximize state and federal funding for local education agencies regardless of student participation numbers and must promulgate model policies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my child get school credit for attending a released time course?

Yes, local education agencies may adopt a policy providing academic credit, provided the course is evaluated using strictly secular criteria such as instructional hours, syllabus review, assessment methods, and instructor qualifications without testing for religious content.

Who is responsible for transporting students to and from a released time course?

If the course is held off public school property, transportation is the responsibility of the student, parent, or legal guardian, unless the provider supplies transportation with appropriate parental consent.

Will my child be marked absent from regular school while attending a released time course?

No, the statute specifies that while in attendance in a , a student shall not be considered absent from school.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

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Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

14 actions

Mar 27, 2026Senate
Senate Third Read
Mar 27, 2026SenateFloor
Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
Mar 20, 2026SenateCommittee
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
Jan 12, 2026Senate
Senate Recommitted
Mar 27, 2025SenateCommittee
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
Mar 27, 2025Senate
Senate Read Second Time

Show 8 earlier actions

Mar 10, 2025SenateIntroduced
Senate Read and Referred
Mar 6, 2025House
House Third Readers
Mar 6, 2025HouseFloor
House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
Feb 27, 2025HouseCommittee
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
Feb 21, 2025House
House Withdrawn, Recommitted
Feb 19, 2025House
House Second Readers
Feb 18, 2025HouseIntroduced
House First Readers
Feb 13, 2025HouseIntroduced
House Hopper

Version history & redline

6 versions on file

Comparing Sen Ctee Sub LC 61 0491S → SCSFA to HB 451

removed addedOfficial text

26 LC 61 0491S The Senate Committee on Education and Youth offered the following substitute to HB 451: 451/SCSFA SENATE SUBSTITUTE TO HB 451 ADOPTED SENATE A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Subpart 2 of Part 1 of Article 16 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of […] released time course maintains attendance records and makes such records available to the officials of the school in which the student is enrolled; (3)(A) Transportation If the released time course is not held on the property of the public school in which the student is enrolled, transportation to and from the location of the released time course, including transportation for students with disabilities, is the responsibility of the student or his […] this Code section, no local education agency funds except de minimis administrative costs are expended in providing or accommodating the released time course; (6) Released A local education agency may permit released time courses are not to be held on public school property unless permitted under a neutral policy of equal access opening such public school property for use by community groups; and (7) The student assumes responsibility for any missed school work. (c) The policy adopted by a […]

What This Bill Would Do

Who It Would Affect

Key Facts

Frequently Asked Questions

News Coverage

Where This Stands

Procedural history

Version history & redline

Voting Record

Lobbying Activity

Full breakdown

Sponsors

Discoveries

Mandatory Local District Policy Adoption

Connected Entities

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Analysis Score

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