March 6, 2026 – Issue 08

It's one of the most dramatic days of the Georgia legislative calendar — Crossover Day. Bills live or die today, and the Gold Dome is already humming with hustle. Bills that don't cross over aren't necessarily gone forever — but in their current form, they are.

That's why we're publishing early — today's edition covers what's already crossed over to the opposite chamber while the General Assembly makes its final decisions on what can continue on in its traditional form.

Make sure to tune into the Cobb Chamber's social media pages today for real-time updates and interviews with our legislative delegation as Coleman and Amanda cover the Gold Dome action live. Next week, we'll track the plot twists as the session barrels toward its final weeks. Follow us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram.

UNDER THE GOLD DOME

Qualifying for the 2026 Election Cycle

The starting gun has fired for the 2026 election cycle. Qualifying week — which runs from Monday, March 2 through noon today, Friday, March 6 — has brought a steady stream of hopefuls to the state Capitol, with candidates lining the halls for hours at a time to sign on the dotted line and write their first check toward political office.

The list of offices up for grabs is a long one: U.S. Senator, members of Congress, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State School Superintendent, Commissioners of Agriculture, Insurance, and Labor, and the full slate of Georgia General Assembly seats. Republicans and Democrats alike have been making their intentions official, and the energy at the Capitol has been full of excitement and fanfare.

Closer to home, Cobb County has its own slate of races taking shape. Nonpartisan qualifying is underway for state Court Judge, while partisan races are heating up for Solicitor General, County Commission Districts 1 & 3, Cobb County Board of Education Posts 2, 4 & 6, and Surveyor.

Since qualifying doesn't close until noon today, we'll have the full rundown in our March 13 issue. Can't wait? Click here for a real-time look at the Secretary of State's website.

100 Days Until FIFA World Cup

While this week marked 100 days until the start of FIFA World Cup 2026 and 104 days until Atlanta’s first match, Gov. Brian Kemp, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and others rang the bell at the New York Stock Exchange Monday. We spotted Justin Damiano, director of Government Relations for The Home Depot, and Katie Kirkpatrick, President & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber as part of the official delegation.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

While Crossover Day and lots of pending legislation looms over those of us that spend our time under the Gold Dome, a little needed relief came on Legislative Day 26 with Peanut Butter and Jelly Day at the Capitol!

Each year on this day the halls of the Capitol carry the comforting aroma of grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled right in front of the South Steps of the Capitol. Legislators and lobbyists alike had the opportunity to pick up one (or two) PB&Js to start their days.

Shown Above: Andrew Allison with Kennesaw State University

Little Budget Signed by the Governor

Tuesday, March 3, surrounded by House and Senate Leadership, Governor Brian Kemp signed the Amended FY 2026 budget into law. As previously reported in FTCS Issue 07, the “little budget” includes $2 billion in income and property tax relief, as well as other key investments in education, workforce, public safety, and infrastructure. Some callouts include:

• Education and Workforce Development: $325 million to endow the DREAMS Scholarship program - the first-of-its-kind needs-based scholarship in Georgia history, $6 million for the Career Navigator tool to connect workers with quality job opportunities, and funding for new and enhanced programs at USG and TCSG institutions.
• Public Safety:An additional $150 million for the Department of Corrections to address critical bed space needs, over $9.7 million for additional Corrections Officers, $15 million for a new K-9 training facility at the Georgia Department of Public Safety Headquarters, and $50 million to assist communities in meaningfully addressing homelessness across Georgia and amongst the veteran community.
• Mental Healthcare: $409 million for the design and construction of a new Georgia Regional Hospital to significantly expand state mental health bed capacity.
• Transportation Infrastructure: Over $1.6 billion for the extension and bi-directional expansion of the I-75 express lanes in Henry County, $185 million for interchange conversions on SR 316 (University Parkway), $100 million for rehabilitation and replacement of rural bridges, and $250 million for local maintenance and improvement grants (LMIG).

Update on the Speaker’s Property Tax Relief Legislation

On Tuesday, Legislative Day 26, the House took up the Speaker's Property Tax legislation, HR 1114, which proposes a constitutional amendment to provide property tax relief for homeowners in Georgia by gradually reducing the assessed value of homestead properties from 40% to 10% of appraised value over 10 years, starting in 2027, and creating an additional homestead exemption for 100% disabled veterans. The legislation would also authorize local governments and school systems to implement a local homestead option sales tax (up to 2% for schools and 1% for local governments) to offset potential revenue losses from the reduced property tax assessments.

All constitutional amendments put before the General Assembly require a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and the Senate to approve the measure before the amendment is put before the people of Georgia in the form of a referendum. The House took up HR 1114 this week and after much debate and testimony from members from both the Republican and Democrat Caucuses, the measure failed with a vote of 99-73. Immediately after the failing vote, Rep. Shaw Blackman made a motion to reconsider HR 1114, meaning that there is still an opportunity to vote on the legislation before the end of the day Friday.

HB 1116, the enabling legislation accompanying HR 1114, has yet to be called up for vote in the House.

Crossover Day Legislative Update

While both chambers take up long lists of legislation whose authors are praying for a Hail Mary, many bills we are tracking successfully made the jump to the other side without sweating it on Day 28. Below are a few relevant pieces to keep an eye on today and in the waning days of the 2026 legislative session.

As always, please feel free to view the legislation we are tracking each week at the Gold Dome by visiting our Relevant Legislation Tracker page on our website.

Crossed-Over Legislation

HB 987 by Rep. Todd Jones
Legislation which provides portable benefit plans and portable benefit accounts for independent contractors
PASSED out of the House (109-53)

HB 1000 by Rep. Matthew Gambill
Legislation which provides a one-time tax credit to Georgians who filed tax returns for both 2024 and 2025. The refund would include $250 for single or married filing separately, $375 for head of household, and $500 for married filing jointly.
PASSED out of the House (172-0)

HB 1001 by Rep. Will Wade
Legislation which lowers the individual income tax rate from 5.19% to 4.99%
PASSED out of the House (106-66)

HB 1005 by Rep. David Wilkerson
Legislation which establishes a city manager form of government for the City of Austell, Georgia, by amending its charter to create the position of a city manager who will serve as the chief executive and administrative officer responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city.
PASSED out of the House (158-0); PASSED out of the Senate (53-0)

HB 1063 by Rep. Brad Thomas
Legislation which requires electric utilities to protect residential and retail electricity customers from costs associated with building and operating data centers, which are defined as facilities with a peak annual electricity demand of 100 megawatts or greater used primarily for processing, storing, retrieving, or transmitting data.
PASSED out of the House by Substitute (159-5)

HB 1193 by Rep. Chris Erwin
The Speaker’s legislation titled the “Georgia Literacy Act of 2026”, which creates a robust support system for literacy instruction that includes school-based and regional literacy coaches. The bill requires schools to adopt unified literacy plans, mandates professional learning aligned with the science of reading, establishes new literacy coaching endorsements, and creates multiple oversight mechanisms like the Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee to support these initiatives.
PASSED out of the House (170-2)

HB 1262 by Rep. Eddie Lumsden
Legislation which increases the amount of monetary penalties the Commissioner of Insurance is authorized to impose for violations of the Georgia Insurance Code relative to mental health parity, general enforcement authority, surprise billing, and prepaid legal services plans.
PASSED out of the House (170-1)

HB 1263 by Rep. Eddie Lumsden
Legislation relating to fees and taxes regarding insurance, to  provide a claim for a refund of certain fees and taxes relative to insurance premiums to be made within three years of payment to the Commissioner.
PASSED out of the House (169-0)

HB 1274 by Rep. Matt Reeves
Legislation which requires insurers writing private passenger automobile insurance in Georgia to annually submit detailed financial data to the Department of Insurance, which will then calculate and potentially mandate refunds if an insurer's underwriting profits exceed anticipated profits by more than 5%. If excess profits are identified, insurers must provide pro-rata refunds to policyholders either through direct cash payments or credits on policy renewals.
PASSED out of the House (169-1)

HB 1296 by Rep. Martin Momtahan
Legislation which establishes a three-year pilot program, called the Breakthrough Treatments for Georgia Heroes Suicide Prevention Pilot Program, starting January 1, 2027, to support clinical research and provide access to certain "eligible breakthrough treatments" for veterans and retired first responders suffering from conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder, and traumatic brain injury.
PASSED out of the House (169-0)

HB 1302 by Rep. Matthew Gambill
Legislation which transforms the Office of Student Achievement into the Office of Education and Workforce Strategy, expanding its role in coordinating education and workforce development efforts across Georgia. The bill also establishes the Technical College System of Georgia as the state apprenticeship agency, creates new pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and modifies various reporting and certification requirements related to education and workforce training.
PASSED out of the House (172-2)

HB 1344 by Rep. Matt Reeves
Legislation which strengthens the enforcement authority of the Commissioner of Insurance and clarifies regulations on insurance, insurance fraud, uninsured motorists, excluded drivers, premium tax, insurance rates, claims processing, and uninsured or unregistered motor vehicles.
PASSED out of the House (166-3)

SB 382 by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler
Legislation which makes the state-wide base year homestead exemption mandatory for all political subdivisions.
PASSED out of the Senate by Substitute (30-20)

SB 432 by Sen. Larry Walker III
Legislation which extends the automatic repeal date for provisions related to non-lapsing revenue for institutions within the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031. The bill additionally extends the repeal date for provisions allowing state agencies, including the University System and Technical College System institutions, to write off small debts owed to the state, up to $100 for most agencies and $3,000 for the University and Technical College Systems.
PASSED out of the Senate by Substitute (47-0)

SB 437 by Sen. Clint Dixon
Legislation which allows homeowners and builders to hire private professionals, such as licensed engineers, architects, or qualified inspectors, to conduct plan reviews and inspections for residential construction projects, including single-family homes, townhomes, and condominiums up to three stories.
PASSED out of the Senate (52-1)

SB 444 by Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick
Legislation which provides that certain decisions with regard to the provision of insurance coverage for healthcare services shall not be based solely on artificial intelligence systems, artificial intelligence, or other software tools.
PASSED out of the Senate (49-0)

SB 446 by Sen. Clint Dixon
Legislation which establishes Georgia's permanent participation in a federal tax credit program designed to support student scholarships, allowing individuals and businesses to receive federal tax credits for contributions made to qualifying scholarship granting organizations.
PASSED out of the Senate (31-21)

SB 447 by Sen. Clint Dixon
Legislation which mandates that local issuing authorities provide specific, written reasons for permit denials within defined time frames and automatically approve permits if not acted upon within 45 days. The legislation also requires local governments with over 250 annual building permits to create a publicly accessible, real-time website by January 1, 2027, that allows citizens to track the status of permit applications.
PASSED out of the Senate (46-4)

SB 463 by Sen. Greg Dolezal
Legislation which prohibits business enterprises or business enterprises controlled by natural born persons from owning an interest in more than 500 single-family residential properties.
PASSED out of the Senate (49-3)

SB 476 by Sen. Blake Tillery
Legislation which reduces income tax rates in Georgia by lowering the personal income tax rate from 5.19% to 4.99% starting in 2026 and increases standard deduction amounts for married couples and single taxpayers. Additionally, the bill eliminates or modifies various tax credits for corporations, insurance companies, and specific industries by 2032.
PASSED out of the Senate (32-18)

SB 477 by Sen. Blake Tillery
Legislation which reduces Georgia's personal income tax rates, establishing a phased reduction from the current rate to 3.99% by 2028. Additionally, the bill increases the standard deduction for taxpayers, raising it to $32,000 for married couples filing jointly and $16,000 for single, head of household, or married filing separately taxpayers, while also applying a 4.99% tax rate for corporations and partnerships.
PASSED out of the Senate (31-14)

Legislation Looking for Action

There are several pieces of legislation that will be looking to cross the threshold today in both the House and the Senate. However, as we like to say in the Capitol, legislation that does not make it to the other chamber by crossover day is only “mostly dead” as language from a dead bill can still be added to other “alive” pieces of legislation in between tomorrow and Sine Die. The following pieces of relevant legislation will be looking to move across today. Click on the following links to view the rules calendars for both the House and the Senate: House Rules Calendar – Senate Rules Calendar

HB 810 by Rep. Rick Jasperse
Legislation which requires Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), to reimburse pharmacies for prescription drugs based on specific formulas.
Currently in the House Health Committee

HB 812 by Rep. Mike Cheokas
Legislation which requires local governments to provide real-time online updates on the status of permit applications, making this information publicly accessible without charge. It also introduces provisions for private professional providers, such as licensed engineers and architects, to conduct plan reviews and inspections with their approved inspection reports being automatically accepted by local authorities unless deficiencies are noted within a specific timeframe.
Eligible on the House Debate Calendar – 3/6/2026

HB 947 by Rep. Martin Momtahan
Legislation known as the “Georgia SNAP Integrity Act of 2026”, which aims to strengthen the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by implementing stricter eligibility verification processes, reducing certification periods for certain households, and establishing comprehensive data-matching agreements to identify changes in recipient circumstances.
Currently in the House Rules Committee

HB 1111 by Rep. Rob Leverett
Legislation which establishes a new local option sales and use tax, capped at 1 percent, specifically dedicated to funding healthcare purposes within each county, which will function as a "special district."
Currently in the House Ways and Means Committee

HB 1224 by Rep. Carter Barrett
Legislation which requires sellers of service contracts that automatically renew for a period of one year or more, and that also increase the cost to the consumer by 50 percent or more, to obtain both written or electronic acknowledgment from the consumer that they received the renewal notification and an affirmative written or electronic response from the consumer indicating they do not wish to terminate the contract.
Currently in the House Rules Committee

HB 1345 by Rep. Carmen Rice
Legislation which provides for the approval of certain eligible workforce training programs relative to implementing the federal Workforce Pell Grant program.
Eligible on the House Debate Calendar – 3/6/2026

HB 1377 by Rep. John Carson
Legislation which clarifies that funds collected from Transit SPLOST cannot be used to provide free or reduced fares for public transit services. Secondly, for areas that fail to approve a Transit SPLOST in an election, the bill establishes a new time limit, requiring that such a question cannot be resubmitted for a vote for eight years after the initial failed election.
Eligible on the House Debate Calendar – 3/6/2026

SB 410 by Sen. Matt Brass
Legislation which requires electric utilities to include specific protective contract terms when serving large load customers ensuring that the costs of serving these customers are not passed on to residential and retail electricity customers. Additionally, the bill repeals existing sales and use tax exemptions for high-technology companies and data centers, though certificates of exemption issued prior to the effective date will continue to be honored under their original terms.
On the Senate Rules Calendar – 3/6/2026

SB 459 by Sen. Billy Hickman
Legislation titled the “Georgia Literacy Act of 2026”, which creates a robust support system for literacy instruction that includes school-based and regional literacy coaches. The bill requires schools to adopt unified literacy plans, mandates professional learning aligned with the science of reading, establishes new literacy coaching endorsements, and creates multiple oversight mechanisms like the Georgia Literacy Coordinating Committee to support these initiatives.
Currently in the Senate Education and Youth Committee

SB 573 by Sen. Ed Setzler
Legislation which establishes nonpartisan elections for certain county officers and district attorneys in specific counties, meaning candidates will not run under a political party affiliation.
On the Senate Rules Calendar – 3/6/2026

Next Week at the Capitol

Mon., Mar. 9 – Legislative Day 29
Tues., Mar. 10 – Legislative Day 30
Wed., Mar. 11 – Legislative Committee Workday
Thurs., Mar. 12 – Legislative Day 31
Fri., Mar. 13 – Recess Day – GAC Meeting at the Chamber

Point of Personal Privilege

We are grateful to the numerous military, elected and government officials who came to celebrate with us at our rescheduled 84th Annual Cobb Chamber Annual Dinner on Feb. 28. We are especially happy to have continued what is now an annual tradition – the Cobb Legislative Delegation Prom Photo! Many more were in attendance that couldn’t make the picture in time but we glad we got to celebrate regardless.

If you have any questions about the Cobb Chamber Government Affairs Committee, the Cobb Chamber legislative priorities or advocacy in general, please reach out to Amanda Seals, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations, or Coleman Loftin, Senior Manager, Government Affairs and Advocacy.