The General Assembly returned this week for legislative days 19 through 22. Only six legislative days remain before Crossover Day, March 6, the last day a bill must pass out of either chamber to still be considered. House Speaker Pro-Tempore Jan Jones (House District 47), who served in the House for 24 years, announced this week that she will not seek re-election.
The Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Blake Tillery presented HB 973, the Amended Fiscal Year 26 budget with Senate-changes. The bill includes a $43.8-million adjustment in the Qualified Basic Education formula but agrees with the Governor and House recommendation of an $8.4 million increase for dual enrollment. The Senate version also includes a reduction of $85.9 million in Promise Scholarship due to utilization. In transportation, the Senate version includes $11.5 million for state owned short line railroads, $15 million for airports, $250 million for local roads and bridges, and $100 million for a bridge replacement program. The Senate version includes $100 million to the state retirement system, double what the House recommended. While the House version allocated $50 million towards addressing homelessness, the Senate version reduced it to $25 million, with $15 million focused on homeless veterans. The Senate’s budget includes $55 million in infrastructure related to gas lines and $30 million in water infrastructure for tier-one counties. Regarding needs-based student aid, the Senate reduced funding to $100 million compared to the House’s $300 million. While the House proposed a one-time property tax rebate instead of the Governor’s recommended one-time income tax rebate, the Senate version allows for both totaling roughly $1.9 billion. Finally, the Senate proposal includes funding the state’s first mental health hospital. The Senate passed the AYFY26 budget 49-1. The bill was immediately transmitted back to the House.
Lawmakers will return to the Capitol next Monday for a Committee Work Day and Tuesday through Thursday for Legislative Days 23 through 25.
Bills to Watch
Economic Development & Business Climate
HB 880, sponsored by House Ways and Means Chairman Shaw Blackmon, would, under certain conditions, incrementally reduce the state income tax rate each year to until it reaches 3.99 percent, the standard deduction to $15,000, and dependent deduction to $5,000. It also increases the senior exemption to $75,000. The bill passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee the other week but was withdrawn and recommitted this week.
HB 1000, sponsored by Governor’s Floor Leader Matthew Gambill, would provide a one-time tax credit for Georgia taxpayers who filed state tax returns for tax years 2024 and 2025. The bill has been assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
HB 1001, sponsored by Governor’s Floor Leader Will Wade, would reduce the state personal and corporate income tax from 5.19 percent to 4.99 percent for 2026. The bill passed out of the House Ways and Means Committee.
HB 1063, sponsored by House Special Committee on Resource Management Chairman Brad Thomas, would require electric utility companies to not pass on data center construction and operation costs to residential and retail customers. The bill passed in the House this week and was read and referred in the Senate.
HB 1074, sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves, would provide a homestead exemption from City of Suwanee ad valorem taxes in the amount of $15,000 if city residents vote to approve in the November elections. It was read and referred in the Senate.
HB 1078, sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton, would require periodic review and automatic sunset of state agency rules, and require agencies to justify why each regulation remains necessary. The bill has been assigned to the House Governmental Affairs Committee.
HB 1116, sponsored by Representative Shaw Blackmon, would exempt homesteads from local property taxes by 2032. Local governments and school systems would be allowed to levy or repurpose sales taxes to cover the difference. The companion bill, HR 1114, would create a statewide ballot referendum. The resolution will require two-thirds majority vote from both chambers. Both received first hearing this week in the Ways & Means Public Finance and Local Policy Subcommittee.
HB 1185, sponsored by House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, would require certain shareholder-related business disputes to be filed in the Georgia State-wide Business Court. It passed out of the House Judiciary Committee.
HB 1344, sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves, would strengthen the enforcement authority of the Commissioner of Insurance and clarifies regulations on insurance, insurance fraud, uninsured motorists, excluded drivers, premium tax, insurance rates, claims processing, and uninsured or unregistered motor vehicles. It also partners the Insurance Commissioner and Economic Development Commissioner to work together to recruit and retain insurance company headquarters in Georgia. The Blue Ribbon Study Committee on Insurance Rates held several hearings last year, including one at the Gwinnett Chamber. The bill passed out of the House Insurance Committee.
HR 1243, sponsored by House Higher Education Chairman Chuck Martin, would establish the Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund to help pay exclusively for the expansion, maintenance, and operation of 9-1-1 systems throughout the state, including the transition to Next Generation 9-1-1. It would require two-thirds support in both the House and Senate and then appear as a statewide ballot measure in November. The measure passed out of the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.
SB 382, sponsored by Senator Chuck Hufstetler, would mandate the statewide base-year homestead exemption for all local governments and streamline the process for calling a referendum on special district option sales and use tax. The bill passed in the Senate 31-19. It was read and referred to the House Ways & Means Committee.
SB 410, sponsored by Sen. Matt Brass, would repeal the tax exemption for new data centers upon the bill’s effective date, but data centers under contract would have valid certificates until January 1, 2027. The bill had a hearing only in the Senate Finance Committee this week.
SB 437, sponsored by Senate Majority Caucus Vice Chair Clint Dixon, would allow applicants for building, plumbing or electrical plan reviews to use a private professional provider to conduct them and have that work recognized in place of review by a city or county. It also shortens the timeframe for plan and inspection reviews to 10 days and eliminates or reduces certain fees. The Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee favorably reported by substitute.
SB 447, sponsored by Senate Majority Caucus Vice Chair Clint Dixon, would ensure permit applicants receive clear and timely reasons when their permits are denied. The bill also revises how counties and municipalities may accept, reject or deny permit applications. The Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee favorably reported by substitute.
SB 476, sponsored by Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery, would exempt income tax for individuals making $50,000 or less and households making up to $100,000. It makes up the revenue loss by eliminating 29 economic development tax credits/exemptions, including the sales and use tax exemption on high-technology data center equipment. The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
SB 477, sponsored by Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery, would reduce the state income tax rate to 3.99 percent by 2028 under certain state revenue conditions. The bill is assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee.
Transportation & Infrastructure
HB 1115, sponsored by Rep. Derrick McCollum, would limit institutional investor’s ownership of single family residences to 2,000. The bill is assigned to the House Government Affairs Committee.
SB 463, sponsored by Senator Greg Dolezal, would prohibit business enterprises from owning more than 500 single-family residential properties but excludes build-to-rent companies. It also bans foreign investors from purchasing single family homes for rental. It had a hearing this week in the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee where it was favorably reported by substitute.
Education & Workforce
HB 372, sponsored by Rep. Bethany Ballard, would allow certain retired K-12 public educators to return as a teacher to help fill educational workforce needs. The House Retirement Committee favorably reported by substitute.
HB 1009, sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton, would ban the use of cell phones and other personal electronic devices to public high school students. Last year, Governor Kemp signed into law Rep. Hilton’s bill that banned cell phone use to public elementary and middle school students. The bill passed in the House Education Committee and has been assigned to Rules.
HB 1023, sponsored by House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration, would require local boards of education and other public school governing bodies to utilize weapon detection systems. The bill passed in the House Education Committee and has been assigned to Rules.
HB 1030, sponsored by Rep. Sandy Donatucci, is also known as Math Matters Act. The bill aims to improve math proficiency, training, and instruction. The bill passed out of the House Education Committee and moves on to Rules.
HB 1193, sponsored by House Education Chairman Chris Erwin, would require all children to attend kindergarten, places a dedicated literacy coach in every elementary school, and establish the Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee to oversee statewide literacy programs. It passed unanimously out of the House Education Committee hearing on Thursday. SB 459 sponsored by Senator Billy Hickman is the companion bill in the Senate. It is assigned to the Senate Education and Youth Committee.
Healthcare
HB 1110, sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton, would create a tax credit for certain employers that offer individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements to employees. The bill has been assigned to the House Ways & Means Committee.
SB 427, sponsored by Sen. Ben Watson, seeks to address Georgia’s shortage of healthcare workers by creating a process for limited provisional licenses and a pathway to full medical licensure for certain internationally trained physicians. The bill passed in the Senate on Friday.
SB 439, sponsored by Senate Majority Caucus Chair Shawn Still, would require referral agencies for assisted living communities and personal care homes to disclose referral fees to customers. The bill received a hearing only this week in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
Arts, Tourism & Entertainment
HB 1077, sponsored by House Banks & Banking Chairman Noel Williams, Jr., would extend the sunset date for sales and use tax exemption for ticket sales in certain museums and fine arts performances or exhibitions at nonprofit facilities. The bill passed out of the House Ways and Means committee.
Policy
HB 1057, sponsored by Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, would add an eight State Court Judge in Gwinnett County to help meet the demands of backlog cases. It passed through Local Consent Calendar vote and was read and referred in the Senate.
HR 251, sponsored by Representative Kimberly New, would propose a statewide constitutional amendment to change all probate judge elections to nonpartisan. This bill was introduced last year and passed by the Judiciary Committee before being recommitted. It passed out of the House 147-20 and was read and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 457, sponsored by Senate Majority Caucus Vice Chair Clint Dixon, would stagger the City of Mulberry councilmembers’ elections and terms of office, with Districts 1, 3, and 5 serving through 2031 and Districts 2 and 4 serving through 2029. It is assigned to the Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee.
