State Sen. Marty Harbin has introduced a bill in the Georgia Senate targeting mandatory cursive handwriting instruction for schools that receive state funds, the Georgia State Senate reports.
This legislation, designated as SB425 and brought forward on Tuesday, Jan. 27 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, seeks to “require all schools that receive state funding with students in any of grades three through five to provide instruction in cursive handwriting to all students by no later than third grade.”
Here is a summary and clarification of the bill’s details, based on the actual bill text.
Under this proposed law, every state-funded school serving grades three through five would be required to teach cursive handwriting to all students by third grade. The measure allows that this instruction can take place within other classes, not as a separate subject. In addition, the proposal would repeal any existing, conflicting statutes.
The bill’s list of co-sponsors includes Rep. Lee Hawkins (Republican-27th), Sen. Ed Setzler (Republican-37th), and Sen. Carden Summers (Republican-13th), as well as seven more lawmakers.
Since the session began, Harbin has introduced eight other bills, with one already adopted.
Harbin earned his BA from Georgia State University in 1977.
A member of the Republican Party, Harbin began representing Georgia’s 16th Senate District in 2015, taking over after Ronnie Chance.
In Georgia, the legislative process starts when a legislator—sometimes prompted by a constituent—works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the measure is read for the first time and assigned to a committee, where most debate occurs. If the committee approves, the bill moves to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. Each chamber must approve it, and, if needed, a conference committee resolves version differences before the bill goes to the governor. The governor has 6 days during a session—or 40 days after adjournment—to sign, veto, or let the bill become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets 40 days annually starting on the second Monday in January.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| SB424 | 01/27/2026 | “Transactional Gold and Silver Act”; enact |
| SB399 | 01/14/2026 | “Mason Sells AED Coordination Act”; enact |
| SB325 | 03/05/2025 | Education; local school systems and public schools to employ or accept as volunteers school chaplains; authorize |
| SB324 | 03/05/2025 | Life Insurance; certain protections for life insurance policyholders and beneficiaries; provide |
| SB261 | 02/26/2025 | Magistrates Retirement Fund; early retirement benefit; provide |
| SB120 | 02/06/2025 | Education; public schools, local education agencies, and public postsecondary institutions shall not promote, support, or maintain any programs or activities that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion |
| SB121 | 02/06/2025 | Uninsured Motorist Coverage; minimum required under motor vehicle liability policies for a individual convicted of driving under the influence or reckless driving; increase |
| SB46 | 01/28/2025 | “Government Serves the People Act”; enact |
Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State Senate. The source data can be found here.
