Lawmakers returned to the Capitol this week after inclement weather throughout the state postponed budget hearings that were supposed to be held last week. To make up for lost days, a large chunk of time was dedicated to agency heads and the state’s spending plans for next year.
This week, lawmakers also heard from Chief Justice Michael Boggs, who delivered his State of the Judiciary, and a number of new bills continued to drop with about a month until Crossover Day.
Here is a recap of what else happened this week:
- Gov. Brian Kemp released his budget proposal for the year. You can view the budget here and read the Governor’s prepared remarks here. Kemp proposed $614 million in hurricane relief, $2.2 billion in direct investments in our water and transportation infrastructure, and more than $1 billion in new funding to support students at every stage of our educational system.
- This follows his proposal for another tax cut acceleration of 20 basis points, which will lower the income tax rate to 5.19%. That proposal is in House Bill 111, sponsored by Rep. Soo Hong, R-Lawrenceville.
- Kemp outlined his support for tort reform in a press conference on Thursday. At the press conference, where he was joined by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, and Commissioner John King, Kemp outlined a tort reform package that “levels the playing field in our courtrooms, bans hostile foreign powers from taking advantage of consumers and legal proceedings, aims to stabilize insurance costs for businesses and consumers, increases transparency and fairness, and ensures Georgia continues to be the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
- Two bills were introduced with the tort reform rollout: Senate Bill 68 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 eliminate loopholes and amend certain procedures to ensure a fairer legal environment. SB 69 seeks to regulate third party litigation financing with the hope of limiting outside influence on trials, which includes foreign governments, and predatory lending practices. Both bills are sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy, R-Macon.
- Kemp again declared this week Georgia School Choice Week, as part of the National School Choice Week, which is designed to “inform, inspire, and empower parents to discover the K-12 education options available for their children, including traditional public, charter, magnet, online, private, and homeschooling.”
- HB 92, sponsored by Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, would give local governments until May 1 to opt out of a homestead exemption voters adopted statewide last fall via House Bill 581. The previous deadline was March 1.
- The Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025 has been released in the Senate. Senate Bill 28, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, would require state agencies to provide a review of new and existing regulations every four years.
- SB 22, sponsored by Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, would require the State Department of Education to publish federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on their website.
- Tillery also authored SB 21, which would remove legal immunity from elected officials in sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with immigration officials.
- New legislation would require all governmental entities in the state to develop and maintain artificial intelligence system usage plans. SB 37, the AI Accountability Act, is sponsored by Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell.
- The End Local Taxation by Citation Act would cap the amount of funds derived from court fines or forfeiture action that local governments may use as part of their yearly budgets. HB 140 is sponsored by Rep. Joseph Gullet, R-Dallas.
Lawmakers wrapped up Legislative Day 9 of the 40 day session on Thursday. They will be back at the Capitol on Monday.
