HB 1413 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia Student Finance Authority; establish a needs based scholarship program for students at eligible public and private postsecondary institutions

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia Student Finance Authority, so as to establish a needs based scholarship program for students at eligible public and private postsecondary institutions; to provide for eligibility; to establish a fund for the scholarship; to provide definitions; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House Passage

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Mar 31, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

LC 61 0457S/hs → LC 61 0470S/rcs · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transferred from the Higher Education Committee to the Rules Committee, which often indicates a procedural shift or a need for broader legislative review. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a 'Student aid index' definition and a reference to Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act, clarifying how federal financial aid calculations apply to this new scholarship. Additionally, the endowment fund structure was expanded to include a specific 'scholarship account' alongside the existing principal account, creating a more formalized financial framework for distributing funds.

Scope change

The bill's scope was technically expanded by incorporating explicit references to federal Title IV standards and creating a distinct scholarship account within the endowment fund, though the core purpose of the DREAMS scholarship remains the same.

DEFINITION

Added a new definition for 'Student aid index' to clarify how federal financial aid calculations are applied to scholarship eligibility.

Added a definition for 'Title IV' to explicitly reference the federal Higher Education Act of 1965 as the governing standard.

FISCAL

Created a new 'scholarship account' within the DREAMS Scholarship Endowment Fund to separate funds used for awards from the permanent principal corpus.

PROCEDURAL

Changed the originating committee from the House Committee on Higher Education to the House Committee on Rules.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 31, 2026 · House Mar 6, 2026

How they voted

35–8

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 47

Mar 31, 2026

D Democratic18

11 Yea 5 Nay 2

61% Yea

R Republican29

24 Yea 3 Nay 2

82% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 31, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (35-8-4)

senate

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Senate Read and Referred

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Passed/Adopted By Substitute

lower

Mar 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

lower

Feb 20, 2026

Introduced

House Hopper

lower

6 primary · 0 co-sponsors