[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6637913,"mediaKeyId","2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e","parentId",2578258,"title","Amendment would let high-demand apprenticeship program itself sponsor apprentices, advocates say it will widen access","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4409000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e&start=4409&end=4409","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e/thumbnail_4409000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6637913/Georgia/Amendment-would-let-high-demand-apprenticeship-program-itself-sponsor-apprentices-advocates-say-it-will-widen-access","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637913-8bd7cb00f98382e28a0c34a512c01073/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577489&Signature=O4L0ck-FDIm-LQ9ochBnY5UxysOG2~M6TODUounhbIO4gkYsX5y3KrGXaeNtIm1uCXu~UMYJRTmxoB7y4vYWKNfGeuIzwJGLO7C8W6-pKjQA~xnhQLeCJBQNSIBryf6GQs9e5fdQ0OboIJKY~BOz0YeLml82VGvbW5i755auphFEHVcalQEfIZccIiw-Bngb0TnfTRRI6LMBJ2D2jm6Y5vGZ1lLCJpabgjZSKfp3Q0XUuIWwKUsj3Qa~xGZdG1~cPFZwtRZJB~Hl3kVAXpu9e5NljVq5MXZnr57LWRy8pfQd~3qSydgnofUK-X9sTH7ApaptCw~ODpSb5zPVD3eyMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Georgia ","date","2025-03-12T18:11:51.75Z","article","Senator Dixon presented Senate Bill 180, a technical amendment to Georgia’s High Demand Apprenticeship Program that would allow the program or registered apprenticeship sponsors to serve as direct sponsors for apprentices rather than requiring each individual student to find an employer sponsor.

The bill amends the existing program, created by SB 379 (2022) and amended last year, to allow apprenticeship sponsors (including program administrators) to sponsor students and match them with multiple employers, a change the sponsor said would broaden access when students do not already have an employer connection.

\"The only change to it is currently, you gotta have an employer sponsor and then you're linked up with your school. This would essentially...allow the high demand apprenticeship program to sponsor the student,\" Senator Dixon told the committee.

Industry witnesses supported the change. Masa Porak, CEO of Southern Electric Company and board member of the Independent Electrical Contractors Association, told the committee that registered apprenticeship programs combine classroom instruction with on-the-job training and are essential to employers’ ability to develop skilled workers. Porak described the IEC program’s combination of roughly 144 hours of classroom instruction per year and 2,000 on‑the‑job training hours annually as the pathway into licensure and business ownership for electricians.

Committee members asked about program duration and the 2027 statutory repeal date for the code section; Dixon said the change is intended to improve access while the program remains active and that the program sponsor definition in state code references US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship registration. Governor’s floor leader and others asked whether union apprenticeship programs might be included; Dixon said the bill as drafted ties to the Technical College System of Georgia framework but that he was open to working further.

The bill was taken as a hearing‑only item; no final vote occurred. Testimony from electricians and contractor associations urged the committee to support the amendment on the grounds it would expand apprenticeship opportunities and reconnect students who lack direct employer contacts with a sponsoring program and a network of employers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Higher Education 03.12.25","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 180 would permit the High Demand Apprenticeship Program to act as a sponsor for apprentices rather than requiring each student to secure an individual employer sponsor; industry testimony argued the change would expand access to apprenticeship pathways.","taxTitle","Education, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Georgia","taxId",16944,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637918,"Bill would create adult workforce diploma program for ages 21–40 with outcome-based payments",860,3699000,4559000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e&start=3699&end=4559","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e/thumbnail_3699000.jpg","/articles/6637918/Georgia/Bill-would-create-adult-workforce-diploma-program-for-ages-2140-with-outcome-based-payments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637918-e7a8aa2782d16e59ba8b1d71a3b3f088/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577489&Signature=ZlrRihRrN0bziwPJZk9D5nQKB1pNa35r0T-m9BhIElR95Rs5n9jaW7nEom1mRrpzDwyFWhiJqazXkvF4qAJUBhnKueLoAnW6IKbbxkLKbNHWj07iHmeDHU0WCF6kFUAtUvxn8zUFZLHLHvQlRMIJ9oDhWKFSkzYqojSVUfzNVZO3xhmyE1uJENdINDJlemFR4ztolJw0onx5eB3nPCkkwliH6TAZj2BVKeclT4V5Pe3~g4OGrCkJt0QYR1eHY43oKOsNfRQyBiMDr-WpbHaD~o8S6F9r9~qBIkQ0PsooDS-X7tei70gCycGMBfccTv1oSAbJeDt9vP2d0xNBiEa9~g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Brass presented Senate Bill 193, a measure to create a Georgia adult workforce diploma program that would allow adults ages 21 to 40 to earn an accredited high-school diploma while developing employability and career-technical skills.

\"It creates a framework for an adult workforce diploma program. It provides adults aged 21 to 40 the opportunity to complete their accredited high school diploma and develop critical employability and career and technical skills to prepare for employment,\" Brass said. He described the proposal as similar to a program considered last year and said the bill is designed to work alongside existing Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) offerings, which typically serve younger learners through age 21.

Committee members focused on accountability and the bill’s vendor model. Staff and the sponsor said approved third‑party program providers would receive tiered, outcome‑based payments: providers would receive modest initial payments but the bulk of funding as students reached completion milestones. Brass described this structure as the primary accountability mechanism: \"We're not just giving them a blank check... the power of the purse is probably the biggest accountability we can have in a situation like this.\"

Members asked whether TCSG supported the bill; the sponsor said TCSG does support it. On costs, Brass said lawmakers were seeking appropriations \"about $5,000,000.\" Committee members also asked about reporting requirements; the sponsor said approved programs would be required to report annually on outcomes.

The item was heard as a committee-only matter; no vote was taken. Sponsors and members described the program as potentially serving several thousand adults seeking to complete a diploma, with the program designed to coordinate with existing TCSG services and use reporting and phased payments to promote program integrity.","Senate Bill 193 would establish an adult workforce diploma program for adults ages 21–40 to complete an accredited high-school diploma and gain career and technical skills; funding would be outcome-driven with tiered progress payments and an approximate $5 million appropriation request was mentioned.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637923,"Proposal would create Georgia Foster Care Scholarship covering tuition and living costs",896,2894000,3790000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e&start=2894&end=3790","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e/thumbnail_2894000.jpg","/articles/6637923/Georgia/Proposal-would-create-Georgia-Foster-Care-Scholarship-covering-tuition-and-living-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637923-d859c13204832132b5a8152f16a95aa8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577489&Signature=Zlf~Q29MNLRA47wwfE7G-xUP7e8W8jgt8m1pHK~v5q7d8z0J4tvjpSapy34vkKYv2Xbj-RfXI3Xqx9ucFPPhKitLFAx3Aa7XaJFLRk7DwRn1tfmY~-~ux2RqIEdjKJFwDirhq4iXYSHzr7YOPMGKRHp8WPD1p7WDcDgACgkXT83v9CCgI2507uyZMrmRK3Wos1l7sVad-r6BQ50tUPb8IksUNAzrTOtGkTsBzsewwN4v9FCG5fG4GRtglczbFiouhnC-ZjhtRLMvGBXVQMgH3JvG8-1aTsRpfn5eXBuN6tBdwflQtjt7pJNoWLgqoTXwhqnqUbepNUggTDnSZy4lEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Brass described Senate Bill 85 as the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act, designed to provide scholarships for young people who spent time in the state foster-care system and to cover not only tuition but \"other necessary costs of higher education, like books, fees, housing, and a meal plan.\"

\"It provides a framework by which the General Assembly can fund scholarships for young people or young adults who've been in the Georgia foster care system as children,\" Brass said. The sponsor and several committee members emphasized the program’s goal of supporting transitional needs that go beyond tuition to improve educational persistence for a vulnerable population.

Committee members asked about eligibility timelines, academic requirements and the program’s fiscal implications. Senator Brass and staff said eligibility would generally be within three years of receiving a high-school diploma or equivalent, and the bill includes a simplified application process designed to limit paperwork burdens for eligible students. When Representative Flipp More asked if there is a GPA requirement, the sponsor said eligibility language is in the bill (section cited) and that grades were not currently a gate in the basic eligibility language; staff noted Hope scholarship rules would apply where relevant.

On appropriations, the sponsor said he had been told funding was included in budget planning, though committee members asked for specifics. Brass said roughly 7,500 people per year qualify in general for post‑foster-care services, and the scholarship would cover a subset of that population; the sponsor reported he had been told an appropriation was \"in there\" but did not provide final numbers at the hearing.

Members queried potential open‑ended costs and whether the state would face larger fiscal exposure if students enrolled at higher-cost private institutions. Brass said other financial aid (Pell, Hope) would be deducted and the scholarship would function to \"carry them over the top\" so students could stay enrolled. The bill requires eligible schools to be those eligible for the Hope Scholarship; the sponsor said the total per‑semester award \"shall not exceed the cost of the eligible student's tuition, room, board, meal plan, and books.\"

The committee held the item as a hearing; no final vote occurred. Questions remain about precise appropriation amounts, the number of expected participants, and administrative details for the \"simplified application process.\"","Senate Bill 85 would create the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship to fund tuition, books, room, board and related costs for students who experienced foster care; sponsors said the program complements federal and Hope scholarship resources and is aimed at smoothing the college transition.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637927,"Bill would expand Tuition Equalization Grant eligibility; state official says funds likely sufficient",1423,1651000,3074000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e&start=1651&end=3074","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e/thumbnail_1651000.jpg","/articles/6637927/Georgia/Bill-would-expand-Tuition-Equalization-Grant-eligibility-state-official-says-funds-likely-sufficient","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637927-85bc3f7601b6763e8c90db30eb0ebaa1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577489&Signature=aPbzG3mPGQzceBQBxOPnb5lTwA8LOdPz620XuEbocTIZ5nk9HDcTUHfLfQoMsXaWHaPUjobeYGIFsyUhRCEAS2u0OEmEKURBmap3B~Li4VHuTuynuuMUZANA~t3mK4snoWmqAklQOlB7BRBPwLbWvXAbnwzgXK7UL7IVpEc5jqZi6u3gZKB0S0dDL-uubnhjS1ZzG-VE~3gB37DwpmZJ4hrtp9TktrqVudNkMSiotHiFJdXN~rJY4hQNaSD8iFP~tgyfBVg5KiAUr~DISvAMKFW4boVQnNrlU5QxELceK30m01Vv8h499vVjMxAYOXHP3uMPXvlgOR3CVy9tVeAUWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Heckman presented Senate Bill 149, which would alter eligibility rules for Georgia’s Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) so that certain newly qualified four-year private institutions could receive TEG awards.

\"This is Georgia tuition equalization grant program and that program encourages Georgia residents to attend eligible private colleges in Georgia by aiding towards educational costs,\" Senator Heckman said, noting the program was created in 1971 and currently provides $550 per semester and $367 per quarter to eligible students.

Heckman said the bill would retain rigorous institutional standards while allowing more students to participate as workforce needs change. He noted the sponsor had consulted with the Georgia Student Finance Commission and that the governor’s office had indicated support for the bill in its present form.

Committee members asked how many additional institutions would become eligible and whether existing appropriations could cover any increased demand. Representative Richard Clark asked for a count of newly eligible institutions; Heckman said he did not know the exact number. Lynn Riley of the Georgia Student Finance Commission explained the commission’s fiscal estimate: \"To our knowledge, there is only 1 institution that would apply to all of these parameters in this bill as it is before you today. We have done a fiscal estimate on this bill, and for tuition equalization grants, we estimate a first year need of $1,700,000. We believe we have sufficient funds that have been contemplated in the FY26 bill to provide for that without concern.\"

Representatives pressed about accreditation requirements. The bill as presented requires an institution to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges as a level-6 institution; committee members noted past complications with accreditation language and asked whether other accrediting agencies could be considered. Senator Heckman said the governor’s office prefers the bill remain as drafted.

Cosmetology-sector representatives, including Tiffany Walker of Style Mob University, asked the committee to consider amending the bill to include nationally accredited private cosmetology schools. Walker argued privately accredited cosmetology and barber schools meet state requirements and produce workforce outcomes but are excluded under the bill’s current criteria. The sponsor and staff said they would work with interested parties after the hearing.

The committee conducted this item as a hearing only and did not vote on final passage. Questions about the number of additional institutions, accreditation eligibility, and potential longer-term funding impacts were left for further review.","Senate Bill 149 would expand the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) to allow an additional category of four-year institutions to participate; state fiscal staff told the committee the change appears to require a first-year appropriation of about $1.7 million and, to their knowledge, only one institution would meet the bill’s new parameters.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_46":117,"_48":118,"_50":119,"_52":120,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":121,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":122,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6637933,"Senate bill would offer cancelable loans to veterinarians serving shelter medicine",695,1052000,1747000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e&start=1052&end=1747","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2578258-538e629e6487d5e325d0787d09aa172e/thumbnail_1052000.jpg","/articles/6637933/Georgia/Senate-bill-would-offer-cancelable-loans-to-veterinarians-serving-shelter-medicine","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6637933-54c4bf56ebff746c7b61c94571a205c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770577489&Signature=bYut3s38SXvS0Pz4USO-xVhrxe5CeaQgOgqTz4HK1A7HxBBgLzESG7FKQ6J1ko8j0yYFDSa-Q0HMWxSQJ6WQjZMDhCg2Ony4wk2fOJThXtzp9Gb94Qc3Ygx~vhpPGqOGdZfisxyj5d5M2IStcL41u3kLZeOT28qLn~V66sx4sbbFzExy3li~8P9yjaqeTV4j9hUjWLSh5SmR9ItIgBDoPUWhpQhpD190FLtMqNZut~5L7MRDennd3MYzBKMSb101V-xFOcaS58wVpFsWlMDHZbPlTbguMf-SzxyPlSU~se8CA7G8otIJBCMyi8XT9T-XficFLT6EZq-ulU-ry0uS-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Kirkpatrick introduced Senate Bill 20, saying the measure would provide service-cancelable loans to veterinarians who commit to practicing in shelter medicine or nonprofit pet sterilization clinics for three years.

\"This bill is an attempt to help with the shortage of veterinarians practicing in shelter medicine and nonprofit pet sterilization clinics around the state,\" Senator Kirkpatrick said. She told the committee the awards would be \"consistent with other service cancelable loans at $25,000 per year of service after time served up to 3 years with a total of 4 awards the first year subject to appropriations.\"

The bill aims to address a reported backlog of spay/neuter procedures that, Kirkpatrick said, has increased wait times to two to four months and contributed to \"a doubling of shelter intake and euthanasia since 2021.\" She told the committee veterinarians typically carry large student debt—\"almost $200,000\" in many cases—and that vets working in shelter settings earn about 30% less than private-practice counterparts.

Section 1 of the draft sets definitions; Section 2 authorizes a committee within the existing Veterinary Education Board housed in the Department of Agriculture to recommend applicants and outlines qualifications for two committee additions. Section 3 describes the loan structure and requirements. Kirkpatrick emphasized the program would be administered within the Department of Agriculture and that appropriations for this program and the existing food-animal program would remain separate.

Committee members asked several clarifying questions about scope and funding. Representative Scawkins compared the bill’s structure with prior legislation for large-animal veterinarians and said the intent and structure were similar. Kirkpatrick said she had worked with the commissioner of agriculture, the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, and the veterinary board ‘‘for several months’’ to produce a substitute bill and preferred no further amendments at the hearing. When Representative Merchant Clark asked how the $25,000 award amount was determined, Kirkpatrick replied it matched other service-cancelable loan programs. On funding, she said the program would be \"subject to appropriations\" and that the first-year request was $100,000.

Kirkpatrick also confirmed eligible participants would include veterinarians who choose shelter medicine as a specialty and that nonprofit clinics or staff working in similar roles could be eligible. She declined to broaden the bill at the hearing to fold in a veterinary technician bill that she said had only been brought to her attention that day.

The measure was presented as a hearing-only item; the committee did not take a final vote during this session. The sponsor indicated she was available to answer additional questions and suggested further work on related items could be done outside the hearing.

Details about implementation, including how many awards would be funded in future years and final appropriations, will depend on the legislature’s budget actions and any committee or floor amendments.

","Senate Bill 20 would create a service-cancelable loan program to encourage veterinarians to work in shelter medicine and nonprofit spay/neuter clinics, offering $25,000 per year for up to three years and limiting initial awards subject to appropriations.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Amendment would let high-demand apprenticeship program itself sponsor apprentices, advocates say it will widen access

Bill would create adult workforce diploma program for ages 21–40 with outcome-based payments

Proposal would create Georgia Foster Care Scholarship covering tuition and living costs

Bill would expand Tuition Equalization Grant eligibility; state official says funds likely sufficient

Senate bill would offer cancelable loans to veterinarians serving shelter medicine