Both the House and Senate considered dozens of measures on Crossover Day. The Senate wrapped up their business for the day just after 10 PM, and the House adjourned around 11 PM. A number of pending bills did not make it across the Crossover Day finish line, including a pair of measures that could have authorized sports betting in Georgia, a bill that would withhold funding from any public school or college that promotes DEI programs, a bill that would prohibit businesses from owning more than 2,000 single-family homes in Georgia, and a measure that would have placed a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas across the street from the State Capitol.
House and Senate members will be back in session next week Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for Legislative Days 29 to 31. Wednesday will serve as a committee work day as committees begin to consider legislation that came out of the other chamber.
Members now have just a few weeks to consider bills that crossed over from the opposite chamber- Sine Die is set for Friday, April 4.
Budget
The House is expected to pass its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget next week.
Social Issues
On Monday the Senate passed Senate Bill 30 by Health and Human Services Chairman Ben Watson (R-Savannah), which would prohibit the prescription and administration of certain medical procedures and treatments for minors related to gender dysphoria. The bill would expand the prohibition to include both irreversible and reversible treatments, including hormone replacement therapy. The measure passed the Senate 34 to 19 and now heads to the House, where it has been assigned to the Public and Community Health Committee for consideration.
Senate Bill 120 by Senator Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone) would prohibit public schools, local education agencies, public colleges and universities, and the Technical College System of Georgia from promoting, supporting, or maintaining any programs or activities that advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion beyond what is required by the equal protection clause of the U.S. and Georgia Constitutions. The legislation proposes withholding state funding and state-administered funding from postsecondary institutions that violate the provisions of the bill.
On Monday the Senate Higher Education Committee passed the measure. It was scheduled for a floor vote on Crossover Day, but the Senate adjourned before voting on the bill, so it cannot move any further this session.
On Crossover Day the Senate took up Senate Bill 57, the ‘Freedom of Speech and Belief Act,’ by Senator Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia). The legislation would make it illegal to deny financial or utility service to someone based on their political beliefs or their exercise of any constitutional right. After a lengthy debate on the floor, the measure, which ended up including several floor amendments, failed by a vote of 13 to 43.
Several other bills have already passed at least one chamber this session including Senate Bill 39 by Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia), which would specifically prohibit the coverage of expenses associated with gender-affirming care under the State Health Benefit Plan or with the use of any state funds; and House Bill 267, the ‘Riley Gaines Act,’ and Senate Bill 1, the ‘Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act,’ both of which would prohibit males from competing in women’s sports.
Tort Reform
Last week the newly created subcommittee held its first hearing on Senate Bill 68, which proposes comprehensive changes in provisions regarding civil practice, evidentiary matters, damages, and liability in tort actions. President Pro Tempore John Kennedy (R-Macon) presented the bill in committee and took questions from committee members. The subcommittee held a second hearing on the bill this week that consisted of testimony both for and against the measure. No formal action was taken on the bill.
Last week the Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 69, the ‘Georgia Courts Access and Consumer Protection Act,’ which would regulate third-party litigation financing practices in the state. The measure, which is also being carried by President Pro Tempore John Kennedy, has not yet received a hearing in the Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform.
Tax Relief
Another one of Governor Kemp’s priorities that the House took up on Crossover Day was House Bill 112, which is being carried by Representative Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming). The legislation would provide for a one-time tax credit for all Georgia taxpayers who filed returns in 2023 and 2024. Single taxpayers would receive $250, married taxpayers filing jointly would receive $500, and taxpayers filing as heads of household would receive a $375 tax rebate. This measure was passed unanimously by the House and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
School Safety and Education
The Senate also took up several bills related to school safety this week. On Crossover Day the Senate considered Senate Bill 17 by Senator Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas), ‘Ricky and Alyssa’s Law.’ The measure, which passed the Senate unanimously, would require public and private schools in Georgia to implement a mobile panic alert system and establish school mapping that is accurate and integrated with software platforms currently in use by local, state, and federal public safety agencies. The measure now heads to the House for consideration.
The Senate also approved Senate Bill 61 on Crossover Day by a vote of 33 to 22. The measure by Senator Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) would strengthen school safety measures through threat assessments, updated safety plans, and increased training. It would also enhance information sharing between schools, courts, and relevant agencies. It would create specific criminal offenses for acts of school violence and would increase accountability for serious school-related offenses committed by minors. The bill now heads to the House for consideration and will be assigned to committee next week.
Senate Bill 179, which was passed 54 to 1 on the Senate floor on Crossover Day, would require record transfers within 10 days for transferring students, and would allow parents to access records of their student within five days of a request. Under the legislation by Senator Clint Dixon (R-Buford), parents and guardians would be subject to a misdemeanor for not disclosing ongoing disciplinary issues if their child is in the process of transferring schools. Additionally, students in grades six through 12 would be required to take at least one suicide prevention class. The measure now heads to the House for consideration.
One of the final bills passed on Crossover Day was House Bill 328 by Representative Kasey Carpenter (R-Dalton). The bill would increase the student scholarship organization (SSO) program’s annual cap from $120 million and $140 million. It would also eliminate the ability for taxpayers and businesses to carry forward unused credits to future tax years and would amend some of the provisions related to insurance companies’ participation in the program. The bill, which passed 98 to 75, now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Gambling
House Resolution 450 proposes an amendment to the Georgia constitution to authorize the General Assembly to provide by law for sports betting in the state. The proposed amendment would need to be approved by a majority of voters in Georgia. In the Higher Education Committee hearing on Wednesday, House Minority Whip Sam Park (D-Lawrenceville) offered an amendment that would add i-Gaming, which would allow for online casino games in addition to online sports betting. The amendment failed and the underlying resolution passed out of committee without any changes.
House Bill 686 would create the ‘Georgia Sports Betting Act’ and would set the powers, duties, and rulemaking authority of the Georgia Lottery Corporation in relation to the control of sports betting in Georgia. The bill would impose a 24 percent privilege tax on the adjusted gross income from sports betting and would create the Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund for tax revenue.
Both measures were added to a House floor calendar late on Crossover Day, but neither was called up for a vote by the time the House adjourned at 11 PM.
A measure by Senator Carden Summers (R-Cordele) that proposed amending Georgia’s constitution to legalize sports betting and casino gaming, Senate Resolution 131, failed in the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee and is not eligible for further action this session.
Gun-Related Legislation
Senate Bill 47, which was passed out of the Senate earlier this session, proposes an 11-day sales tax exemption on the sale of firearms, gun safes, ammo, and other accessories beginning the second Friday of October each year. The measure by Senator Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas) has been assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.
Data Centers
A bill passed by the General Assembly last session would have paused the issuance of certificates of exemption between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2026 and created the Special Commission on Data Center Energy Planning. House Bill 1192 was vetoed by Governor Kemp at the end of the 2024 bill review period.
Another data center-related bill that did not cross over this week was Senate Bill 34 by Senator Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome). The measure would require costs incurred by electric utilities to serve commercial data centers to be recovered from the data centers themselves. The bill was passed by the Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee but was not selected by the Rules Committee for a floor vote ahead of the Crossover Day deadline.
Speed Cameras
House Bill 225 by Representative Dale Washburn (R-Macon) would restrict local governing bodies or law enforcement agencies from entering into or renewing a contract in conjunction with an automated traffic enforcement safety device. The bill seeks to phase out the use of school zone speed cameras entirely by 2026. The measure passed the House this week 129 to 37 and has been assigned to the Public Safety Committee in the Senate for consideration.
Another bill related to the use of school zone speed cameras, House Bill 651 by Representative Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), passed the House 164 to 8 this week. While Representative Washburn’s bill seeks to ban the cameras, Representative Powell’s seeks to put guardrails in place, including setting standards for warning signs in school zones where speed cameras are used; mandating that funds collected from violations must be used for public safety and school safety; and requiring schools to obtain a permit from the Georgia Department of Transportation before a camera could be installed. This measure has also been assigned to the Senate Public Safety Committee for consideration.
This weekly Legislative Update report is courtesy of the Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta (RBC), an organization of over a dozen of the largest and most active Chambers of Commerce throughout the metro Atlanta region. RBC member chambers represent over 15,000 member companies who employ millions of metro Atlanta residents. The RBC’s primary goal is to represent the interests of RBC Chamber members on regional public policy issues impacting our transportation, water and air quality and to advocate for solutions that improve metro Atlanta’s quality of life and economic vitality.
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
Frankie Atwater President & CEO
This week legislators were in session Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday for Legislative Days 26 through 28. Thursday was Crossover Day, which is the deadline for a bill to successfully move out of its chamber of origin to stay alive this session. Any bill that did not make it out of at least one chamber by the time the legislature adjourned on Thursday night is effectively dead this session unless the bill’s language is successfully attached to a related bill later this year.
On Monday the House and Senate agreed to a final version of House Bill 67, the Amended Fiscal Year 2025 budget, that has now been sent to Governor Kemp’s desk. The House voted 170 to 3 to agree to the Senate substitute version of the measure as amended by the House. The Senate then voted 55 to 1 to agree to the version that the House sent over.
On Crossover Day, along with Speaker Jon Burns and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Governor Kemp held a signing ceremony in the Capitol for the $40.5 billion Amended Fiscal Year 2025 budget. Budget highlights include:
In his remarks, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones highlighted the Senate’s additions for transportation and Hurricane Helene relief funding. Speaker Burns highlighted the House’s inclusion of funding for school safety and rural hospitals.
On Tuesday Senate passed Senate Bill 36, the ‘Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act,’ or ‘RFRA,’ by Senator Ed Setzler (R-Acworth) by a vote of 32 to 23. The legislation would restrict state and local governments from burdening a person’s exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability. The bill’s language mirrors a federal RFRA law that does not currently apply at the state or local levels. The bill has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration. A similar bill from Senator Setzler was passed by the Senate last session, but it did not make it out of the House for final passage.
Both bills that make up Governor Kemp’s tort reform legislative package have already passed out of the Senate. Last week Rules Committee Chairman Butch Parrish (R-Swainsboro) announced the creation of the Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform, which includes Representative Rob Leverrett (R-Elberton) as Subcommittee Chairman, Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones (R-Milton), Majority Leader Chuck Efstration (R-Mulberry), Rules Committee Chairman Butch Parrish (R-Swainsboro), Judiciary Committee Chairman Stan Gunter (R-Blairsville), Appropriations Committee Chairman Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin), Representative Mark Newton (R-Augusta), Representative Al Williams (D-Midway), Minority Caucus Whip Sam Park (D-Lawrenceville), Minority Caucus Chairman Tanya Miller (D-Atlanta), and Representative Stacey Evans (D-Atlanta).
House Bill 111, which is being carried by Representative Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville), would accelerate the reduction in the state income tax from 5.39 percent to 5.19 percent for 2025. As part of previously passed legislation, the income tax rate will decrease 0.1 percent each year until it reaches 4.99 percent. The legislation was debated on the House floor on Crossover Day and passed 110 to 60. The legislation, which is a priority for Governor Kemp, now heads to the Senate for consideration.
On Crossover Day the House passed House Bill 268 by Representative Holt Persinger (R-Winder) 159 to 13. The measure, which is a top legislative priority for Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) this session, would require all relevant student records to be shared with the receiving school within a given time when a student transfers between school districts. It would also create a Student and School Safety System (S3), which will be used to store information related to credible threats against Georgia’s schools and students. Under the bill, schools would be required to adopt Behavioral Threat Assessment Teams and to use an anonymous reporting app. It would create mental health coordinator positions for each school district to connect students facing a mental health challenge with available resources. The legislation would also increase penalties for terroristic threats and requires schools to suspend and provide counseling to students who make credible threats. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Late last week, Representative Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) introduced two pieces of legislation that could authorize and regulate sports betting in Georgia.
On Tuesday the House took up House Bill 79 by Representative Mark Newton (R-Augusta), the ‘Firearm Safe Handling and Secure Storage Tax Credit Act.’ The legislation would allow a taxpayer to claim a tax credit of up to $300 for eligible expenses related to firearm safe handling instructional courses and firearm secure storage devices. The tax credit would have an annual aggregate cap of $3 million, and an individual taxpayer may only receive credits totaling $300 in their lifetime from this program. The bill sets the aggregate annual cap for the program at $10 million. Any unused tax credit could not be carried forward, and the program would sunset at the end of 2031. The measure passed 165 to 8 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
Earlier this session Representative John Carson (R-Marietta) introduced House Bill 559, which would eliminate the sales and use tax exemption for data centers at the end of 2026. The tax exemption is currently set to sunset at the end of 2031. The measure never received a hearing in the Ways and Means Committee and is not eligible to move forward this session.
This week the House took up two measures that would change laws dealing with school zone speed cameras in Georgia.