The Georgia Senate passed Senate Bill 552, known as the True Patriotism and Universal Student Access (TPUSA) Act on Tuesday with a 46-7 vote.
The bill will now move on to the House for consideration.
Lt. Governor Burt Jones announced the bill, sponsored by state Sen. Ben Watson (R-Savannah), as one of his priorities for the 2026 legislative session in February.
"In the spirit and memory of Charlie’s work, the TPUSA Act in Georgia would ensure that students’ First Amendment rights to organize, gather, and speak are protected, regardless of their religious, political, or social viewpoints or those of school administrators,” Jones' team wrote in a Feb. 23, 2026, press release.
The bill, which was introduced in the memory of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk who was assasinated at a speaking event for his organization Turning Point USA in September, would protect certain political activities by public students.
If passed, students would be allowed to organize political activities and group meetings before, after or during school, as allowed for other non-political extracurricular activities. The bill would also allow students to wear clothing displaying political messages.
It would also prevent schools from discriminating against groups based on viewpoint, and would ensure all student groups, both political and non-political, have equal access to school resources.
Jones celebrated the bill's passage in the Senate with a post on X, formerly Twitter.
I want to thank the Senate for taking final action on a priority of mine, the True Patriotism and Universal Student Access Act, inspired by Charlie Kirk’s brave efforts. In the spirit and memory of Charlie’s work, the TPUSA Act in Georgia ensures that students’ First Amendment… https://t.co/04EEAJmpNl
— Lt. Governor Burt Jones (@LtGovJonesGA) April 1, 2026
