State Rep. Danny Mathis voted against Senate Bill 47 in 2021, legislation that expanded scholarship opportunities for Georgia children with special needs, according to the Georgia House of Representatives.
The vote is drawing renewed attention as Mathis prepares to face former State Rep. Robert Pruitt again in the upcoming Republican primary. The issue centers on access to educational resources for students with disabilities and the role lawmakers play in shaping such policies.
The Georgia House passed Senate Bill 47 on March 25, 2021, by a vote of 91-71 after it cleared the Senate. State Rep. Danny Mathis voted against the bill, which revised the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act to remove certain eligibility barriers and expand access for students with disabilities. The measure was signed into law May 6, 2021, and the vote is drawing renewed attention as Mathis and Robert Pruitt head into a rematch of their 2022 primary contest, according to official records.
Senate Bill 47 amended Article 33 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated to expand the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship program. It allowed students who spent the prior school year in a Georgia public school or received preschool special education services to qualify, along with those adopted from foster care or with a parent in the military. The law also requires the State Board of Education to designate qualifying conditions for Section 504 plans and mandates annual parent surveys on program impact, expanding access to state funds for families seeking tailored educational options, according to legislative documents.
Georgia’s Special Needs Scholarship program supports families seeking appropriate education placements for children with disabilities. Nationwide, similar school choice programs serve more than 100,000 students with special needs, according to EdChoice. Parents in these programs report higher satisfaction and improved outcomes compared with assigned public school settings, and the expansion under Senate Bill 47 aligns with a broader national trend toward increased parental control over special education funding.
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Georgia General Assembly and plays a central role in reviewing and passing education policy, including programs supporting students with special needs. It works with the Senate to shape legislation affecting families seeking expanded educational options for children with disabilities, according to official information.
