Sen. Larry Walker

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 33 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act, so as to revise the prior school year requirement; to expand eligibility for students; to revise the basis for calculating scholarship amounts; to require annual parent surveys; to provide for a review procedure for scholarship calculations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 20-3-519.2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to eligibility requirements for a HOPE scholarship, so as to establish a procedure for students with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act to apply for a waiver from certain HOPE scholarship and grant eligibility requirements; to provide for responsibilities of the Georgia Student Finance Commission; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state flag, seal, and other symbols, so as to provide for placement of a monument in honor of the Honorable Zell Bryan Miller upon the capitol grounds of the state capitol building; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 12-6-90 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to permit required for burning woods, lands, marshes, or other flammable vegetation, and exceptions, so as to except certain yard waste from permitting; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 33-6-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the enumeration of unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices and penalty, so as to provide that certain actions by health care insurers offering eye care benefit plans constitute unfair trade practices; to provide for definitions; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 4 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to vocational, technical, and adult education, so as to provide for the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to award high school diplomas; to provide for a pilot program by the State Board of the Technical College System of Georgia to allow students who are 16 years of age or older, who have completed certain secondary school coursework requirements, and who have withdrawn from secondary school, to enroll in the Dual Achieve Program at a technical college of this state and achieve a high school diploma in conjunction with successful completion of the program; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to elementary and secondary education; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to agricultural commodity commissions generally, so as to replace certain public hearings with online public comment opportunities; to revise procedures for issuing, amending, and renewing marketing orders; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to provide that the Georgia Teacher of the Year shall be invited to serve as an advisor ex officio to the State Board of Education; to provide for a nontraditional teacher certification program for members and veterans of the United States armed forces; to provide for the Professional Standards Commission to require that teacher education programs include mandatory coursework in differentiated instruction and reading fundamentals and to promote increased student enrollment in and completion of teacher education programs offered at historically black colleges and universities in this state; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state symbols, so as to designate the pecan as the official state nut; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations, so as to provide for the appointment, oath, bond, power, duties, and authority of a chief labor officer; to require the chief labor officer to provide reports related to claims for unemployment compensation benefits and implement effective strategies for the timely payment of benefits; to require the chief labor officer to promptly respond to financial audits; to provide for automatic repeal; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.