Tax legislation continued to move this week. The one-time tax rebate bill, House Bill 1000, passed the Senate on Monday and was signed by Gov. Kemp on Friday. Sponsored by Rep. Matthew Gambill, this will provide rebate checks for taxpayers who filed returns for both the 2024 and 2025 tax years. The Senate Finance Committee advanced House Bill 1001, sponsored by Rep. Will Wade, which would further reduce the state income tax rate to 4.99% from today’s rate of 5.19%. Gov. Kemp also signed House Bill 1199, which suspends the state’s gas tax for 60 days and aligns Georgia’s Internal Revenue Code with federal tax law.
In education, Senate Bill 498, sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon, was advanced by the House Appropriations Subcommittee. SB 498 responds to charter schools’ frequent difficulty in paying for capital projects. By creating the Georgia Charter School Facilities Authority, the bill would give charter schools access to revolving loans and other financing tools for construction, renovation and repairs.
As for some workforce-related bills, the Senate passed House Bill 987 on Friday. The Voluntary Portable Benefit Plan Act, sponsored by Rep. Todd Jones, would create a legal framework for independent contractors to gain access to pre-tax benefits like health and retirement accounts while remaining self-employed.
On Wednesday, the House passed Senate Bill 427 by Sen. Ben Watson. This legislation, which would create a pathway to practice for internationally licensed physicians, now heads back to the Senate for final passage.
The Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities approved House Bill 1254, a broad occupational-licensing consolidation bill sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves. It would move regulation of several professions away from standalone licensing boards and place more of that authority under the Secretary of State.
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced House Bill 1247, also sponsored by Rep. Matt Reeves. This legislation would require Georgia courts to make rulings without defaulting to a state agency’s preferred interpretation when ambiguity exists between a regulated party and the agency’s interpretation of the law. The amended version of the bill also added additional language that would require Georgia agencies to periodically review their rules and regulations, including their impact, cost and effectiveness.
On Thursday, the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee advanced Senate Bill 447. Sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon, this legislation would accelerate and clarify the local permitting process for building homes.