Lawmakers were in session Monday through Friday this week for Legislative Days 1 through 5. As they have done in recent years, House and Senate leaders came to an agreement on an adjournment resolution and released a calendar for the entire 2026 session. Crossover Day, which is Legislative Day 28, has been set for Thursday, March 6, and the legislature will Sine Die on Thursday, April 2. Legislators will not be in session next week for budget hearings. Legislative Day 6 will be next Monday, January 26.
Much of the first week of the legislative session is ceremonial, with events like the Georgia Chamber’s annual Eggs and Issues breakfast, press conferences, and the governor’s State of the State address, but the remarks given by state leaders at many of these events provide a great deal of insight into their priorities for the session.
At Wednesday morning’s Georgia Chamber Eggs and Issues breakfast, Speaker Jon Burns, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, and Governor Kemp gave attendees a glimpse of their 2026 legislative agendas.
Speaker Burns revealed the House will be focused on improving literacy rates by placing literacy coaches in every elementary school in the state, as well as delivering property tax relief by pushing enabling legislation to eliminate the homestead property tax statewide. He said the House will also prioritize addressing the cost and accessibility of insurance, as well as access to quality affordable healthcare by focusing on Georgia’s healthcare workforce shortage.
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones emphasized the Senate’s focus on eliminating the state income tax. Like the House, the Senate is also interested in property tax reform to address longstanding rising property taxes. Legislation being pushed by the Lieutenant Governor will limit increases in home values for property taxes year to year and require more accountability and transparency in local taxation procedures.
On Thursday Governor Kemp gave his eighth and final State of the State Address to a joint session of the General Assembly, during which he announced his legislative and budget priorities for the session. Governor Kemp plans to give Georgians a fourth tax rebate. If approved by the legislature, single Georgia taxpayers would receive a $250 tax rebate and married couples filing jointly would receive $500. Kemp also unveiled plans to accelerate the reduction of the state income tax from 5.19 percent to 4.99 percent.
Governor Kemp’s top budget priorities include $1.8 billion to increase road capacity on I-75 in Henry County; $200 million to continue improvements to Georgia 316 between Atlanta and Athens; $250 million for local road projects; and an additional $100 million to strengthen and improve Georgia’s bridges. Governor Kemp’s Amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget recommendations also include $2,000 bonuses for teachers and other state employees. Another $50 million state investment would be coupled with other funds from public, private, and non-profit partners to create the Homelessness Response Grant to tackle homelessness in urban areas across the state.
Governor Kemp also announced the DREAM Scholarship, a needs-based scholarship for Georgia’s university system, which would include a $300 million state appropriation.
Leadership and Other Legislator Changes
Before the session started, the Senate Republican caucus elected new leadership. Senator Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas) is the new Senate Majority Leader; Senator Shawn Still (R-Suwanee) is the new Majority Cacus Chairman; Senator Clint Dixon (R-Buford) is the new Majority Caucus Vice Chair, and Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta) was elected as Majority Caucus Secretary.
In the House, the Republican Caucus elected Representative Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville) as Vice Chair of the House Majority Caucus to fill Representative Houston Gaines’ (R-Athens) remaining tenure as Vice Chair of the caucus for the 2025-2026 legislative term.
House Majority Caucus Whip James Burchett (R-Waycross) announced his Caucus Whip Team for the 2026 legislative session. The team includes the new appointment of Representative Carter Barrett (R-Cumming), who will serve as a deputy whip.
Additionally this week, Senator Colton Moore (R-Trenton) qualified to run for the March 10th special election to replace former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, which required Moore to immediately give up his State Senate seat. Governor Kemp will call a special election to fill the north Georgia vacancy.
Senate Committee Chairs
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
Frankie Atwater President & CEO
Legislators were back under the Gold Dome this week for the start of the 2026 Legislative Session. Several newly elected members completed their first day on the job on Monday— Representative Akbar Ali (D-Lawrenceville), Representative Eric Gisler (D-Watkinsville), Representative Bill Fincher (R-Canton), Senator Jaha Howard (D-Smyrna), and Senator Jason Dickerson (R-Canton).
This week senators officially elected Senator Larry Walker (R-Perry) as the new President Pro Tempore. Senator John Kennedy stepped down from the leadership position when he announced he was running for lieutenant governor. Senator Kennedy has since resigned his Macon-based Senate seat.
On Monday, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones announced committee chairmen for the 2026 Legislative Session:
Governor’s Floor Leaders
Just ahead of the session, Governor Kemp announced his floor leaders for the 2026 Legislative Session: