Georgia House approves charter school recommendations

Mar. 3 2017 - Atlanta - House members vote dozens of bills, including one on charter schools, as the session goes late into the night.   Crossover day on the 28th legislative day of the 2017 Georgia General Assembly.  BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Hyosub Shin, Bob Andres

Credit: Hyosub Shin, Bob Andres

Mar. 3 2017 - Atlanta - House members vote dozens of bills, including one on charter schools, as the session goes late into the night. Crossover day on the 28th legislative day of the 2017 Georgia General Assembly. BOB ANDRES /BANDRES@AJC.COM

The Georgia House of Representatives approved a bill Friday night that implements the charter school recommendations from the Governor's Education Reform Commission of 2015.

House Bill 430 calls on state education agencies to establish charter school authorizing standards, and mandates hearings for charter schools that are trying to obtain unused school buildings.

The legislation by Rep. Buzz Brockway, R-Lawrenceville, also ensures that charter schools get a proportional share of certain federal school funding, and it establishes a $100,000 grant fund for charter school facilities.

It passed Friday night 127-33, and must now get through the Senate.