Georgia high school students would be required to take at least one online course before graduating if a bill passed by the state Senate on Thursday becomes law.

The legislation, authored by Majority Leader Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock, and approved by a vote of 36-15, would mandate that students entering the ninth grade in the 2014-15 school year or later take at least one online course as a prerequisite for graduating.

Democrats fought the bill as an encroachment on local authority over school instruction. The bill, SB 289, now goes to the House of Representatives.

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(From left) State Election Board member Rick Jeffares, executive director James Mills, vice chair Janice Johnston and member Janelle King listen during an election board meeting at the Capitol in Atlanta on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The board voted down a proposal to eliminate Georgia’s touchscreen voting system and switch to hand-marked paper ballots. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

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Democrat Eric Gisler celebrated his Tuesday election victory at the Trappeze Pub in Athens, Ga. (AP)

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