Lawmakers wrapped up the 13th day of the legislative session on Thursday, meaning they are about one-third of the way through the 2025 session. Bills continue to be introduced, committee hearings are being held, and proposals are starting to move.
Here is a recap of what else happened this week:
- The House passed the $40.5 billion midyear budget overwhelmingly on Thursday. The spending focuses on hurricane relief and public safety. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.
- Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, announced his school safety plan, which “mandates statewide participation in a new student information sharing and safety database, requires threat assessment teams to be implemented in schools, requires schools to utilize an anonymous reporting app that meets certain standards, addresses physical security infrastructure needs, increases penalties for individuals who make terroristic threats and incentivizes responsible firearm ownership practices.”
- This package will be sponsored by Rep. Holt Persinger, R-Winder, who represents Barrow County, where the tragic school shooting at Apalachee High School took place.
- The Senate adopted the Fair and Safe Athletic Opportunities Act, which will prohibit males from participating in women’s sports. Senate Bill 1 is sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming.
- SB 2, which would exclude tips from taxation, cleared the Senate Finance Committee. This bill is also sponsored by Dolezal, who claims that it will save taxpayers $65-$95 million per year.
- Bills intended to encourage and provide incentives for local boards of education to approve new charter schools have been introduced in both chambers.House Bill 202 and SB 82, both referred to as the Local Charter School Authorization and Support Act of 2025, are sponsored by Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, and Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, respectively.
- HB 92, sponsored by Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, will extend the timeframe for local governments to opt-out of the floating homestead exemption that voters adopted last year. Previously local governments and school systems were required to opt out by March 1, 2025. This allows them the ability to initiate the opt-out proceedings for any year, until March 31, 2029. This passed out of committee.
- HB 192, sponsored by Rep. Matthew Gambill, R-Cartersville, is Gov. Brian Kemp’s “Top State for Talent Act.” The purpose is to align career education with the needs of Georgia’s workforce. This passed out of the Curriculum Subcommittee and heads to the full House Education Committee.
- Another workforce education bill has been introduced. HB 217, sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville, would make the Dual Achievement Program a permanent statewide program.
- The Senate Education and Youth Committee unanimously advanced SB 22, sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia. The bill would require the Georgia Department of Education to publish all guidance received from the federal government. The Foundation’s Kennedy Atkins testified in support of this bill.
- The Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee postponed its first hearing for SB 28, “the Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025.” The bill is sponsored by Sen. Dolezal and is expected to receive a committee hearing next week instead.
- Next week, the Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to begin its hearings on the tort reform legislation, SB 68 and SB 69.
- HB 341, sponsored by Rep. Mark Newton, R-Augusta, would provide employers with a state tax credit for contributing to an Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) for their employees.
- SB 122, the “Craft Beer and Local Economy Revitalization Act,” was introduced by Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell. It would remove the current limit on buying beer directly from the brewer for off-campus consumption and would lessen restrictions on craft brewers’ ability to donate beer for charitable events.
- Lawmakers will reconvene on Monday.
