Race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene intensifies over presidential visit
The president visited Rome, Georgia, where a special election is being held to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January.
The Georgia State Legislature is more than a month removed from its 40-day stay under the Gold Dome, and a busy election year may have taken the focus away from day-to-day operations inside the Capitol.
But lawmakers are plodding through lengthy proceedings, focusing on issues ranging from the state budget to cell phones in schools.
Let’s take a look at some of the issues lawmakers have tackled this year.
Budget includes tax rebates, teacher bonuses
HB973, which outlines the fiscal budget, is scheduled to arrive on Governor Brian Kemp’s desk this week after being voted on by both the House and Senate.
“The FY26 amended budget will provide $2 billion in income and property tax relief, endow the state with first-of-its-kind need-based scholarships, make historic investments in transportation, and more,” Kemp said in a post on Wednesday.
In his State of the State address, the governor announced plans to use state surpluses for tax refunds, including $250 for single filers and $500 for joint filers.
The budget also added $850 million, or about $500 per homeowner, to the Homeowner Relief Grant Program.
Teacher bonuses were reduced to $1,275 but still passed, as was $145 million in scholarship funding for DREAMS, a needs-based program.
Another bill, HB 1001, passed by the House and considered in the Senate, would lower Georgia’s flat income tax rate to 4.99%.
Georgia school funding and bans
Two education bills, HB 1193 and HB 1009, passed in the House.
HB 1193 would establish literacy coaches in schools and supplement the program with additional coaching. This bill focuses on K-12 school programs. Coaches will use a research-based approach to literacy previously adopted by the state.
HB 1009 targets high schools and prohibits the use of personal electronic devices, including cell phones, in schools or school-sponsored events for students in grades 9 through 12. The bill expands on previously passed legislation banning the use of cell phones in kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms.
Gun safety and puberty blockers
The first bill passed by Congress was SB 204, which challenged municipalities and towns that enacted their own ordinances regarding gun storage. These ordinances, like Savannah’s ordinance, could result in fines and jail time for legal gun owners who fail to safely store firearms in unlocked vehicles.
HB 54 is a home health care bill, but the amendment added restrictions on gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, for minors. Both the House and Senate agreed to the amendment.
The bill states that state funds for “medical benefit coverage” cannot include gender-affirming care, and the ordinance prohibits “any individual, entity, or local government from purchasing separate insurance coverage for gender-affirming care.”
There are still several weeks left in Congress, which is scheduled to adjourn in early April.
Eileen Wright is an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
