# Georgia HB 541: Education; tuition equalization grants; expand definition of an approved school to include certain institutions which offer programs in nursing

Georgia HB 541, Education; tuition equalization grants; expand definition of an approved school to include certain institutions which offer programs in nursing, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Sharon Cooper (Republican), Katie Dempsey (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican) and 2 others; status signed, last action 2026-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB541-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia HB 541
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Education; tuition equalization grants; expand definition of an approved school to include certain institutions which offer programs in nursing
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-20
- Last action: 2026-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Sharon Cooper (Republican), Katie Dempsey (Republican), Lee Hawkins (Republican), Brian Prince (Democrat), Darlene Taylor (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Higher Education, General Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (212 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More tuition grant access for nursing students: benefit, medium. The law expands Georgia tuition equalization grants to students in approved nursing bachelor's programs at private, for-profit Georgia colleges. Only those nursing programs qualify through this expansion. Colleges must have accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or the…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Sharon Cooper (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Katie Dempsey (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Lee Hawkins (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Brian Prince (Democrat), House
- Sponsor: Darlene Taylor (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-20 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 45 | 1 | 4 |
| 2026-02-18 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 167 | 1 | 5 |

## Actions (17)

- 2026-07-01: Effective Date
- 2026-05-11: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2026-05-11: Act 470
- 2026-04-06: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2026-03-20: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2026-03-20: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: House Third Readers (House)
- 2026-02-18: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2026-02-12: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2025-04-04: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- 2025-03-06: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2025-02-24: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-21: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-02-20: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 541/AP* (v8): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/246932)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [HB 541/AP* (v8) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/246932)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB541-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).