ATLANTA - State Rep. Matt Dollar (R-east Cobb) introduced legislation this week that would prevent kindergarten to 12th grade public schools in Georgia from starting their academic year before the third full week in August.

"Many families in my district have told me that they have seen their summer vacation time disappear over the last few years," Dollar said. "My bill not only serves to enhance family togetherness, but will save our school systems substantial money and also benefit the state's ailing economy."

Dollar said because of the sweltering heat in August, Georgia schools spend substantial amounts of money keeping buildings cool for students. This typically results in August being the most expensive month for Georgia schools. Also, when high school employees return to school before the third week of August, it forces many Georgia tourist attractions to shut down early, resulting in economic loss for the attractions, their local communities and the state as a whole, he said.

The start date of the academic year has proven to be fiercely contentious in recent years in the Cobb School District. Last fall, for instance, the Cobb school board voted to start school on the first Monday in August over the protests of parents. Although both board members Dr. John Abraham and David Banks campaigned on a later school start date, both reversed their positions to vote in favor of the earlier one.

"It's very disruptive," Dollar said of the earlier date.

The earlier students report to school, the earlier teachers have to, disrupting the teachers' family reunions, vacations and summer camps as well as those of their students, he said.

Dollar expects school superintendents will oppose his bill. He said they argue in favor of an earlier school start date in order to finish first semester before winter break, so that exams can be taken before Christmas. But Dollar said the state has given school districts flexibly in allowing first semester to have a different number of days than second semester. And as for the argument that students will forget what they've learned on exams if they take them after winter break, Dollar said that argument is a shallow one.

"If they can't remember what they were taught two weeks ago why are we teaching them it to begin with?" Dollar said.

HB 1097 has been assigned to the House Committee on Education.

"It's been very well received by legislators and very well received by parents," Dollar said.

State Sen. Judson Hill (R-east Cobb) said all Georgians would benefit from a consistent and later school start date.

"Today with school beginning in early August, almost in July for Cobb students, taxpayers must pay for almost year round school facility operations, higher energy costs to operate schools and buses, expensive mid year children's camp programs for child care, modifications to child custody orders and a lack of focus on what's best for our children," Hill said.

Hill said he introduced an amendment to an education bill last year to do just what Dollar's bill provides.

"I welcome the opportunity to work with Rep. Dollar to help our students succeed in school and life," Hill said.

Among the bill's co-sponsors are Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta), the House majority whip; Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), chair of Economic Development & Tourism; Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Fulton), chair of Ethics; and Rep. Don Parsons (R-east Cobb), chairman of Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Committee.