# Georgia SB 85: Grants for Foster Children; a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility requirements, subject to specific appropriations; establish

Georgia SB 85, Grants for Foster Children; a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility requirements, subject to specific appropriations; establish, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Brandon Beach (Republican) and 6 others; status signed, last action 2025-05-12 (Senate Date Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB85-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia SB 85
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Grants for Foster Children; a grant program to provide grants to former foster youth who meet eligibility requirements, subject to specific appropriations; establish
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-03
- Last action: 2025-05-12, Senate Date Signed by Governor
- Sponsors: John Albers (Republican), Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Brandon Beach (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Jason Esteves (Democrat), Ed Harbison (Democrat), Randy Robertson (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican), Kenya Wicks (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Higher Education, General Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 3 (272 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- New college grants for Georgia foster youth: benefit, high. The law creates undergraduate scholarships for eligible current and former foster youth and certain adopted youth under age 26. Qualifying paths include current state foster custody, state independent-living programs, adoption assistance, or the state's aging foster child definition. Other paths in…
- Scholarship safeguards and penalties for false applications: mixed, low. The Georgia Student Finance Authority runs the program and can hire a qualified Georgia nonprofit grant coordinator. That contract must direct 100% of appropriated program funds to student grants, not administrative costs. Schools must return improper payments for students who do not enroll or were…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: John Albers (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Brandon Beach (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jason Esteves (Democrat), Senate
- Sponsor: Ed Harbison (Democrat), Senate
- Sponsor: Randy Robertson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Blake Tillery (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Kenya Wicks (Democrat), Senate
- Cosponsor: Trey Kelley (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-04 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE SUBSTITUTE | pass | 53 | 1 |   |
| 2025-03-27 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 166 | 2 | 5 |
| 2025-03-03 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 53 | 0 | 3 |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-05-12: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-05-12: Act 120
- 2025-04-10: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-04-04: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-27: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- 2025-03-18: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- 2025-03-06: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-03-04: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-03-03: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-03-03: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-04: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-02-03: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 85/AP* (v9): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239462)

## 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
- [SB 85/AP* (v9) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239462)

## 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-SB85-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).