ATL Standard

Sen. Sally Harrell, along with her bipartisan colleagues, has introduced Senate Bill 526, known as the "Good Faith Grant Act," in an effort to provide a comprehensive needs-based scholarship program for Georgia students who may not qualify for the Hope Scholarship. The bill aims to expand access to post-secondary education for students in the state.

Discussing the motivation behind the bill, Sen. Harrell mentioned that the idea stemmed from discussions with high school counselors who highlighted the need for a scholarship program catering to students who meet college admission criteria but face financial barriers. Sen. Nan Orrock, a mentor to Sen. Harrell, also played a pivotal role in shaping the initiative. Sen. Harrell expressed gratitude towards their Republican colleagues for recognizing the significance of the Good Faith Grants in complementing Governor Brian P. Kemp's Georgia Match Program.

In order to be eligible for the Good Faith Program Grant, students must be incoming freshmen pursuing a degree at a Georgia post-secondary institution, having completed a secondary school program with a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Additionally, students must demonstrate financial need, apply for federal student aid through FAFSA, and qualify for in-state tuition.

Sen. Harrell is set to collaborate with Chairman Hickman and other stakeholders to further refine the bill before the next legislative session. The initiative is poised to address the gap in needs-based scholarship programs in Georgia and provide additional support to students seeking higher education opportunities. More information regarding the filed legislation can be accessed through the provided link.

Sen. Sally Harrell represents the 40th Senate District encompassing parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. She can be contacted at (404) 463-2260 or via email at sally.harrell@senate.ga.gov.