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Sen. Billy Hickman Celebrates New Law Strengthening Teacher Retirement Benefits

ATLANTA (May 7, 2026) — Today, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) celebrated Governor Brian P. Kemp signing Senate Bill 150 into law.

This measure extends a program that allows certain retired teachers with at least 30 years of service to return to full-time classroom teaching while continuing to receive retirement benefits through 2030. Further, the law would give local school systems greater flexibility to identify their highest-need subject areas and to protect retired teachers who are already hired from losing their positions if those needs change.

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Sen. Billy Hickman Celebrates First Annual Georgia Literacy Night Under the Gold Dome

ATLANTA (December 23, 2025) — On Tuesday, December 16, educators, literacy advocates and community leaders gathered under the Gold Dome for the first annual “Georgia Literacy Night.” Cohosted by Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives John Burns (R–Newington) and his wife, Dayle Burns; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) and his wife, Jo Ann Hickman; and Chairman of the House Committee on Education Rep. Chris Erwin (R–Homer) and his wife, Laurie Erwin, in partnership with the Georgia Literacy Council, the evening highlighted the importance of early literacy and the collective efforts underway to improve reading outcomes for Georgia’s youth.

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Joint Senate-House Education Committees Review Progress on Teacher Workforce and Literacy Initiatives

ATLANTA (November 19, 2025) — Last Friday, Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth, led the joint meeting alongside the House Committee on Education to hear the progress on Senate Resolution 237. SR 237, sponsored by Sen. Hickman during the 2025 Legislative Session, urges the Professional Standards Commission to provide recommendations to support the state’s K-12 education workforce and teacher and school leader pipeline.

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