ATLANTA (March 26, 2025) — Yesterday, the Georgia House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 123 with strong, bipartisan support. Authored by Senate President Pro Tempore John F. Kennedy (R–Macon), SB 123 takes meaningful steps to address the growing chronic absenteeism crisis in Georgia schools by ensuring students cannot be expelled solely for missing school. The bill also mandates a more localized and individualized approach to reviewing chronic absenteeism cases., requiring local boards of education to adopt policies that identify and support students who are chronically absent.
“The final passage of Senate Bill 123 is a major victory for students across our state,” said Sen. Kennedy. “Last year alone, nearly 360,000 students missed 10% or more of the school year, missing out on critical opportunities to reach their full potential because they were not in the classroom. Once SB 123 is signed into law, school systems will be better equipped to understand the root causes of absenteeism, intervene earlier, and build a stronger system for recognizing and addressing warning signs. Our goal is to respond to absenteeism fairly and constructively, not punitively, and this legislation is a positive step toward real reform in Georgia’s education system for the benefit of our children.”
With passage in both chambers, SB 123 now heads to Governor Kemp’s desk. The bill will require School Climate Committees to develop a comprehensive framework to improve student attendance if signed into law. Additionally, it will create local attendance review teams who will assess individual student attendance cases. The School Climate Committees must report their progress to the Georgia General Assembly, ensuring accountability and continued focus on this critical issue.
For more information about the legislation, click here.
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Sen. John F. Kennedy serves as the President Pro Tempore of the Georgia State Senate. He represents the 18th Senate District, which includes Crawford, Monroe, Peach and Upson counties, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston counties. He may be reached at (404) 656-6578 or by email at John.Kennedy@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.