Georgia lawmakers could not push forward two significant measures on the last legislative day for bills to advance from either the House or Senate—proposing a ban on diversity efforts in public schools and colleges, and allowing voters to decide on legalizing sports gambling through a constitutional amendment. Thursday marked the deadline for legislation to pass to the other legislative chamber for further consideration in this session.
Other critical proposals progressed earlier, such as efforts to limit lawsuits and a school safety bill designed to prevent school shootings. House lawmakers approved measures for income tax cuts and rebates on Thursday. While bills that missed the deadline can potentially be revived later in the year, the process becomes more challenging. As this is the first year of a two-year session, the possibility remains for these measures to be reconsidered next year.
Proposals That Advanced:
– **Income Taxes**: House Bill 111 proposes accelerating an already-planned state income tax cut to a flat 5.19% rate effective retroactively from January 1. Additionally, House Bill 112 suggests income tax rebates for Georgians ranging from $250 to $500.
– **Hurricane Aid**: The House and Senate agreed to allocate over $850 million for aid following the substantial damages caused by Hurricane Helene in Georgia in September.
– **Lawsuit Limits**: Senate Bill 68 aims to make bringing lawsuits and obtaining large verdicts more challenging, while Senate Bill 69 restricts entities that can finance lawsuits.
– **Transgender Rights**: Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 267 propose banning transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. Senate Bill 39 seeks to prohibit state health plans from covering gender-affirming care, and Senate Bill 185 aims to prevent the state from funding gender-affirming care for prisoners. Senate Bill 30 would restrict physicians from prescribing puberty-blocking drugs to transgender youth.
– **Religious Liberty**: Senate Bill 36 would limit state and local governments from impinging on religious freedom, though critics argue it could lead to discrimination.
– **Immigration**: Senate Bill 21 intends to remove legal protections and permit lawsuits against governments and officials not complying with Georgia laws on federal immigration cooperation.
– **Gun Tax Breaks**: Senate Bill 47 proposes an 11-day sales tax holiday on guns and related safety items, while House Bill 79 offers tax credits up to $300 for purchasing gun safety devices or courses.
– **School Cellphones**: House Bill 340 would prohibit kindergarten through eighth-grade public school students from using cellphones during school hours.
– **Speed Zone Cameras**: House Bill 225 proposes banning automated speed enforcement cameras in school zones, with House Bill 651 suggesting further regulation.
– **Library Crimes**: Under Senate Bill 74, librarians in public libraries and educational institutions could face prosecution for providing sexually explicit content to minors.
Proposals That Did Not Advance:
– **Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion**: Senate Bill 120 aimed to ban programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in Georgia’s public schools and colleges.
– **Sports Betting**: House Resolution 450 proposed a 2026 vote on a constitutional amendment for sports gambling.
– **State School Superintendent**: House Resolution 174 suggested Georgians vote in 2026 on making the state school superintendent an appointed position post-2030.
– **Voting**: House Bill 215 aimed to mandate Georgia’s secretary of state withdrawal from a bipartisan group that shares data for accurate voter rolls.
– **Consumer Protection**: Senate Bill 94 intended to renew a lawyer’s office to represent utility consumers before the Public Service Commission.
– **Clarence Thomas Statue**: Senate Bill 242 proposed establishing a privately funded statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the state Supreme Court building.
– **Medicaid**: Both House Bill 97 and Senate Bill 50 called for expanding Georgia’s Medicaid to cover more low-income adults.
– **Guns and Kids**: House Bill 1 suggested requiring individuals to securely store guns away from children.
– **Data Centers**: Senate Bill 34 proposed banning Georgia Power Co. from charging other customers for costs associated with serving data centers.
– **DNA Samples**: Senate Bill 116 required local law enforcement to collect DNA samples from any detained individual under immigration orders.
– **Okefenokee Mining**: House Bill 561 aimed to restrict mining near the Okefenokee Swamp, with House Bill 562 proposing a five-year ban on new mining permits and permit changes in the region.
