GA HB1121

Tampering with state assessments administered under Georgia's Quality Basic Education Act is classified as a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to 30 days, or both

Prohibited acts by local school employees include allowing examinees to view test questions before or after testing, copying secure test booklets, providing guidance toward correct answers, making answer keys available, failing to follow security protocols, and failing to report violations

School superintendents and principals who knowingly fail to develop, implement, and enforce test security policies based on State Board of Education requirements and test publishers' directions are also subject to criminal penalties

The Office of Student Achievement must annually establish statistical guidelines, adopted by the State Board of Education, to identify testing irregularities, including threshold values for examining assessment results; the State Board may invalidate individual tests where tampering is found

Convicted individuals face suspension or revocation of Professional Standards Commission certification, ineligibility for performance pay in the year of the violation, and potential forfeiture of retirement benefits; prosecuting attorneys and the Attorney General are authorized to investigate and prosecute violations