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House approves Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act to fund college for former foster youth
Summary
The House passed Senate Bill 85 to create a grant program covering tuition, room, board and other costs for eligible former foster youth, subject to annual appropriation and a $30,000 per-year cap.
The Georgia House voted Thursday to approve Senate Bill 85, creating the Georgia Foster Care Scholarship Act to provide grants for undergraduate education to former foster youth. The measure passed 166–2.
The program makes grants available to students under age 26 who were in foster care for at least six months after reaching age 14, or otherwise meet the bill's eligibility rules. The scholarship can be used at any HOPE-eligible institution in Georgia and covers tuition, room, board and books, reduced by other federal and state grant aid; no grant may exceed $30,000 in a single year. Funding for the program is subject to annual appropriation.
Supporters, including Representative Butch Parish and Representative Park Cannon, described the measure as a targeted way to remove a major financial barrier for youth who aged out of foster care. "These young individuals face many obstacles that can make educational attainment seem insurmountable," Representative Park Cannon told the House. Lawmakers who spoke in favor urged steady legislative commitment to fund the scholarships in future budgets.
Representative Moore, a member of the House, praised the bill as a measure that could change life trajectories for many Georgians. The floor debate included multiple supportive questions and confirmed the bill was limited to undergraduate grants and included an age cap and duration restrictions. The House adopted the committee substitute and passed the bill on the floor. The bill now goes to the governor.
