The Holland Report - 2026, Week 7

Sara Fuchs

Energy was high under the Gold Dome this week as more bills cleared committee and advanced to the House floor. Education emerged as the central focus, with the House passing a historic investment in literacy, a school safety measure to install weapons detection systems in school buildings, a bell-to-bell cell phone ban in high schools, and legislation allowing retired teachers to return to the classroom without jeopardizing their pensions.

We also approved the supplemental budget, which includes an additional $1.4 million in surplus funds. This budget lays the groundwork for constructing a new mental health facility, establishing Georgia’s first needs-based college scholarships, and providing income tax rebates to many Georgia families.

Keep an eye out for a midweek email next week with action alerts — we’ll have a clearer picture of which concerning bills may come to the House floor, and your calls and emails will make a difference.

Legislative Highlights from This Week

HB 1009 High School Cellphone Ban
Extends the "bell-to-bell" restriction on personal electronic devices to high schools.

HB 372 Retired Teacher Workforce
Extends for four years a program allowing retired teachers to return to the classroom full-time while collecting pensions.

HB 1123 Pre-K After-School Programs
Requires more elementary schools to offer after-school programs for pre-kindergarten students.

HB 1193 Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026
Sends state funding to school districts to hire an estimated 1,300 literacy experts in schools with K-3 classrooms.

HB 1023 Weapons Detection Systems in Schools
Mandate weapons detection systems at every entry in every school building, emergency exits excluded.

HB 385 HOPE Scholarship eligibility
This bill expands flexibility in the HOPE Scholarship program, allowing certain high-achieving students to use scholarship hours toward combined undergraduate and advanced degree programs.

HB 689 Homeless Prevention Program
This bill establishes a new homelessness prevention program within Georgia's housing trust fund, expanding the existing framework to address housing instability for low-income individuals.

Amended Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget

The Georgia House passed the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, a midyear adjustment that updates spending based on current revenues and needs. The amended budget includes:

$2 billion in tax relief, including one-time income tax rebates of up to $250 for single filers and $500 for married couples.
Property tax relief measures aimed at reducing costs for homeowners.
Funding for a new state forensic mental health facility to expand behavioral health capacity
Additional funding to support education initiatives and state employees, including targeted salary and operational investments.

The amended budget now goes to the Governor for final approval and will fund state operations through June 30, the end of the current fiscal year.

Higher Education Committee Update

This week, the Higher Education committee passed the following bills out of committee:

HB 1293: Updates eligibility requirements for Georgia’s Dual Achievement Program to expand pathways for students to earn high school diplomas while gaining career and technical credentials.
HB 88: Expands Georgia’s state student loan forgiveness program to include biomedical technicians working in veterinary education and workforce fields.
HB 328: Increases the annual statewide cap on tax credits for donations made to student scholarship organizations that provide private school scholarships.
HB 1345: Authorizes the State Workforce Development Board to approve eligible workforce training programs aligned with the new federal Workforce Pell Grant initiative.

Creative Arts & Entertainment Committee Update

This week, the Creative Arts & Entertainment committee passed the following bill out of committee:

HB 566: This bill establishes protections against the unauthorized use of a person’s voice or likeness created through artificial intelligence, aiming to prevent deceptive or nonconsensual digital replicas.

Join Me for a Post–Crossover Day Listening Session!

Once Crossover Day has passed, join me to learn which bills are still moving forward and which ones did not meet the deadline. I’ll also be there to listen to your concerns, answer questions, and hear what matters most to you.

Pre-register for the Zoom link here:
March 8th, 4 - 5 pm

Join Me for a Post–Crossover Day Listening Session!

Pre-register for the Zoom link here:
March 8th, 4 - 5 pm

If you haven’t already, please browse my website, betsyforgeorgia.com.

As your Representative, your concerns are important to me. Please contact me at betsy.holland@house.ga.gov or 404-656-0116 with questions, concerns, or solutions you may have regarding legislation or other happenings in District 54.

To stay updated, follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and follow the Georgia House of Representatives @GAHouseHub on Twitter. Additionally, in-depth information regarding current bills, Georgia's annual and supplemental budgets, committee meetings, and livestreams from the General Assembly can be accessed via www.legis.ga.gov.

I encourage you and your family to visit our State Capitol and my office, where all constituents are welcome. I look forward to connecting with you!

My office is located at:
18 Capitol Square, SW
409-B Coverdell Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.