7 important new laws going into effect in Georgia — from school cellphone policies to an ‘official state fabric’

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Susan Swavely

 –  Staff Writer

 ·  May 13, 2026

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Georgia governor, Brian Kemp, signed multiple new bills into law this month, with topics ranging from literacy and K-12 schools to support for farmers. Keep scrolling to learn more about 7 of these new Georgia laws, and what they mean for YOU.

1. HB 1193 – the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Title 20 of the O.C.G.A., relating to education, so as to promote and advance state-wide literacy and reading education efforts; to substantially revise the “Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act”; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

In plain English: This new law aims to increase Georgia’s literacy rates with a unified literacy plan, along with a new Georgia Literacy Coordination Committee, which among other things, will ensure that all public schools will be eligible for funding to hire a literacy coach.

2. HB 1123 – Quality Basic Education Act

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 14 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other educational programs under the “Quality Basic Education Act,” so as to require certain schools that offer after-school programs to make such programs available to pre-kindergarten students on the same basis as the school’s other students; to provide for limited waivers of such requirement; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

In plain English: This new bill focuses on expanding access to after-school programs for younger children — specifically state-funded pre-K students. In other words, schools can’t automatically exclude pre-K kids from after-school programs, if they already have them for K-5 students. This bill only applies to certain schools.

3. HB 1030 – the Math Matters Act

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to enact the “Math Matters Act”; to require the State Board of Education to adopt content standards for middle and high school advanced math courses; to require local education agencies to establish advance math courses in middle school and high school; to require the Professional Standards Commission to ensure students completing teacher certification programs have the knowledge and skills to teach math including the four strands of mathematical proficiency; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

In plain English: Georgia lawmakers notice too many Georgia students are falling behind in math, and to alleviate this issue, they’re focused on improving math instruction and expanding access to advanced math courses in public schools.

This bill aims to strengthen foundational math instruction in elementary school, improve teacher preparation, and include more required math instruction time in grades 4-5 (a minimum of 60 minutes daily).

4. HB 1009 – Cell phones in schools ban

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elementary and secondary education, so as to require local school systems and public schools to enact policies and procedures for use of personal electronic devices at school and school sponsored events by students in grades nine through twelve; to revise provisions relative to permissible student use of personal electronic devices; to revise a definition; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

In plain English: Schools are required to create and enforce the use of students’ electronics, including:

• cellphones
• smartwatches
• tablets
• earbuds/headphones
• other personal electronic devices

There isn’t a one-size-fits all approach to this law, but individual schools will become stricter with their rules, especially for grades 9-12 (high school).

5. SB 150 – Georgia Teachers Return-to-Work

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 7 of Chapter 3 of Title 47 of the O.C.G.A., relating to retirement allowances, disability benefits, and spouses’ benefits, so as to extend the program to permit public school systems to employ certain beneficiaries of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia as classroom teachers in a full-time capacity to June 30, 2034; to reduce the number of years worked by a beneficiary to 25 before being eligible to be hired under this Code section; to provide for related matters; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

In plain English: To help address the Georgia teacher shortage, SB 150 relaxes restrictions on retired teachers returning to work, while still collecting retirement benefits.

The goal is to let experienced retired teachers fill hard-to-staff classroom positions.

6. HB 1159 – Farmer Bridge Assistance Program and the Specialty Crop Farmers Program tax exemption

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 7 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the imposition, rate, computation, exemptions, and credits relative to income taxes, so as to exempt from taxation all income received by individuals, corporations, and partnerships under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program of the United States Department of Agriculture; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

In plain English: Basically, HB 1159 exempts certain federal farm-assistance income from Georgia state income taxes, including the Farm Bridge Assistance Program and the Specialty Crop Farmers Program.

7. HB 1310 – the official state fabric

Here’s the bill on the Georgia General Assembly:

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other state symbols, so as to designate cotton as the official state fabric; to provide legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 

In plain English: This short, mostly ceremonial law designates cotton as the official state fabric, similar to Georgia’s other state symbols, like the state flower or state wing flavor!