WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

SR 489

CONGRATS-LEO HS CHOIR

104th Regular Session Introduced by Willie Preston

Creates a temporary Senate study committee to evaluate inclusive educational settings for students with disabilities and recommend actions or legislation.

Resolution Adopted
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SR 489

Summary — SR 489 (2025)

Purpose and Intent

SR 489 creates a temporary Senate Study Committee on Inclusive Educational Settings for Students with Disabilities. The resolution directs the committee to examine the conditions, needs, issues, and problems related to including students with disabilities in general education settings in Georgia and to recommend any actions or legislation deemed necessary.

Note: The bill file also contains text from an unrelated Illinois congratulatory resolution for the Leo High School choir (appears to be a separate SR 489 text). The substantive Georgia action described below is the creation of the study committee.

Key Provisions

  • Creation: Establishes the "Senate Study Committee on Inclusive Educational Settings for Students with Disabilities."
  • Membership and leadership:
    • Seven members of the Georgia Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate.
    • The President of the Senate designates the committee chairperson.
  • Powers and duties:
    • Conduct a study of conditions, needs, issues, and problems concerning inclusive educational settings for students with disabilities.
    • Recommend actions or legislative changes as appropriate.
  • Meetings:
    • Chairperson calls all meetings.
    • Committee may meet at such times and places as necessary to complete its work.
  • Allowances and funding:
    • Legislative members receive allowances in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8.
    • Allowances not to be paid for more than five days per member unless additional days are authorized.
    • Funds for the committee come from funds appropriated to the Senate.
  • Reporting:
    • If the committee adopts findings or recommendations that include proposed legislation, the chair must file a report before the committee is abolished.
    • Reports (with or without legislative proposals) must be approved by a majority vote of a quorum and filed with the Secretary of the Senate; in the absence of an approved report, the chair may file meeting minutes instead.
  • Sunset:
    • The committee is abolished December 1, 2025.

Who Is Affected

  • Primary: Students with disabilities in Georgia public schools and the educators, administrators, and school districts that serve them.
  • Secondary: State policymakers (legislators, State DOE), parents and advocates for inclusive education.
  • Potentially affected by follow-on action: state funding priorities, special education placement policies, professional development for teachers, and legislative changes recommended by the committee.

Timeline and Procedural Status

  • Introduced: May 1, 2025
  • Current status (as provided): Referred to Assignments
  • Other recorded actions in the provided file include: Read & adopted (May 5, 2025), reported enrolled (May 5, 2025), received by Secretary (May 1, 2025), committee favorable report and senate readings in late March/early April (dates listed in the file), and filed with Secretary (Oct 28, 2025). (The mix of dates suggests multiple procedural entries; the committee’s abolition date is December 1, 2025.)
  • Sponsors (primary): Senators Clint Dixon, Sally Harrell, Brian Strickland, Billy Hickman, Drew Echols, Kay Kirkpatrick, Willie Preston.

Potential Impact

  • Short-term: Produce an evidence-based report on benefits, barriers, and policy options for inclusive educational settings in Georgia; may increase legislative and administrative attention to inclusion practices.
  • Medium/long-term: If the committee recommends legislation and the General Assembly acts, possible changes could include revised placement criteria, new accountability or reporting requirements, funding adjustments for supports/services, and professional development initiatives to promote successful inclusion.

This resolution is a fact-finding and advisory vehicle; any substantive policy changes would require subsequent legislation or administrative action based on the committee’s recommendations.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.