Legislation that would make it easier for some former high school students to get their diplomas passed the Georgia House on a unanimous vote Thursday.
Sponsored by state Rep. Brooks Coleman, R-Duluth, House Bill 91 would retroactively eliminate tests no longer required for high school students to graduate, including the Georgia High School Graduation Test. Some former high school students were unable to pass parts of the multi-part exam, which was eliminated as a graduation requirement in 2011. Moments before the vote, Coleman told the House the measure could affect more than 8,000 people.
The bill would also allow former students who failed the graduation tests to petition for a diploma from the local school board where they were last enrolled, instead of going through a drawn-out waiver process through the state education board. In other action, the House:
• Passed House Bill 65, which requires local school boards and charter schools to hold at least two public meetings on their proposed annual operating budgets. The measure — sponsored by state Rep. Michael Caldwell, R-Woodstock — also requires them to make their budgets publicly available online;
• Passed House Bill 52, which is aimed at eliminating duplicative work in child custody cases. Sponsored by Rep. Regina Quick, R-Athens, the measure allows judges to decide whether final orders in such cases must include permanent parenting plans.
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