It was another busy week under the Gold Dome as lawmakers now have two weeks left in the session to finish their business. With the conclusion of Legislative Day 34 on Friday, we have just five legislative days until Sine Die, scheduled for April 4.
Here is a recap of what happened this week:
- Lawmakers advanced Gov. Brian Kemp’s top priority, tort reform, this week. On Thursday, the House passed an amended version of Senate Bill 68, sponsored by Sen. John F. Kennedy, R-Macon. This bill would address several aspects of tort reform, including but not limited to reevaluating premises liability, requiring a truthful calculation of damages in personal injury cases (thereby eliminating “phantom damages”), and allowing a jury to know whether a plaintiff was wearing his or her seatbelt in an auto accident. The bill also proposes changes seeking to amend other procedures to ensure a fairer legal environment. The House added language to exempt premises liability cases involving sex crimes, while also giving judges discretion to reject splitting trials in cases with damages below $150,000 and those involving sex crime victims who “would be likely to suffer serious psychological or emotional distress” from testifying a second time” and to determine how seatbelt evidence can be used.
- After an immediate transmittal back to the Senate, the Senate approved the changes on Friday and it will now be headed to Gov. Kemp’s desk.
- Meanwhile, the other major tort reform legislation, SB 69, also sponsored by Sen. Kennedy, has not yet been considered in the House. Hearings are anticipated to begin next week. It would regulate third-party litigation funding with the hope of limiting outside influence on trials, which includes that from foreign governments, institutional investors and predatory lending practices. The Foundation released a video on third-party litigation funding.
- Two tax relief measures have been approved by the legislature and are headed to Gov. Kemp’s desk. This week the Senate adopted House Bill 111, sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville, which reduces the state’s flat income tax rate from 5.39% to 5.19% and adjusts the rate to reach 4.99% by 2027. The Senate also passed HB 112, sponsored by Rep. Lauren McDonald, R-Cumming, which provides tax rebates of up to $500 to Georgia taxpayers. *Previous versions of At the Capitol incorrectly referred to Rep. McDonald by his father’s nickname, Bubba. We apologize for the error.
- Legislation intended to incentivize the local authorization of new charter schools passed out of the House Education Committee. SB 82, known as the Local Charter School Authorization and Support Act of 2025, is sponsored by Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford.
- House Education also advanced SB 123, sponsored by Sen. Kennedy, which amends state law to ensure that no student is expelled solely due to absenteeism and to address chronic absenteeism in Georgia schools.
- The Senate Education Committee advanced HB 307, by Rep. Bethany Ballard, R-Warner Robins, which mandates the creation of support plans for students with dyslexia and requires schools to notify parents about their children’s reading challenges.
- The House Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee advanced a committee substitute of the Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025, but it has been recommitted back to House Ways & Means before it can advance to the floor. SB 28 is sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming. A new video from the Foundation highlights the need for regulatory reform in Georgia.
The legislature will reconvene for Legislative Day 35 on Tuesday, March 25.