ATLANTA – State Representative Sandra Scott (D-Rex) commends the recent passage of Senate Bill 107, legislation which seeks to encourage college education opportunities to foster and adopted children, as well as children who experience homelessness. SB 107 incorporates legislation introduced by Rep. Scott in recent years to help homeless youth attend college, and this final version of SB 107 was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on Monday, May 4.
“I want to thank State Representative Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta), chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, for his hard work on getting this final version of the bill to the governor’s desk for his signature,” said Rep. Scott. “I also want to thank Mr. Mike Daily of the Orange Duffle Bag Initiative and Kaitlyn Barnes, who worked with the Barton Child Law and Policy Center, for their hard work of putting together talking points about HB 7 and coming to the Capitol to testify year after year. This bill will definitely help our most vulnerable population make it through college without worrying about how to pay for college. These children can now focus on their school work instead of channeling their energy into less positive outlets.”
SB 107 waives tuition and fees, including mandatory room and board fees, for qualifying foster and adopted children who attend the University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia. SB 107 also provides in-state tuition at units of the University System of Georgia and branches of the Technical College System of Georgia for youth who are from homeless situations; this portion of the bill is reflected in House Bill 7, legislation introduced by Rep. Scott during the 2021 legislative session.
Rep. Scott supports portions of SB 107 that reflect HB 7 and target issues that may make it difficult for former homeless youth to afford a college education in Georgia. SB 107 and HB 7 include language to update Georgia code to ensure that current and former homeless youth living in Georgia can qualify for in-state tuition in the University System and the Technical College System of Georgia. Similar to HB 7, SB 107 also provides that once a student certifies that they are from a homeless situation, their status is maintained until they graduate in order to eliminate the need to recertify this status annually. These two bills also outline that state-funded foster care assistance would not be considered as income in order to determine financial aid.
For more information on SB 107, please click here.
For more information on HB 7, please click here.
Representative Sandra Scott represents the citizens of District 76, which includes portions of Clayton and Henry counties. She was first elected to the House Representatives in 2010 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging, Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment, Science and Technology and Special Rules committees.
###