March 13, 2026 – Issue 09

While clocks sprang forward on Sunday, so did the General Assembly, burning through another four days on the legislative calendar and leaving just nine days until Sine Die, still on track for April 2. Crossover fatigue set in alongside the lost sleep, as committee action begins to heat up again taking up crossover measures. Keep reading for a breakdown of what survived, which bills are mostly dead, and what else has been keeping us busy at the state and federal level this week.

FEDERAL UPDATE

Twenty-eight days and counting – Congress has yet to reach agreement on funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and no resolution appears imminent. While Senate leaders continue trading blame over the impasse, TSA agents are making their frustration felt. With many college students heading home for spring break this week, coordinated "sick outs" triggered significant delays at major airports nationwide.

On a more productive note, the Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to pass the most significant housing legislation in 36 years. The 89–10 vote reflects a bipartisan consensus around a measure designed to boost housing supply by cutting regulatory red tape, offering development incentives, and preserving existing stock. The bill would also place new restrictions on institutional investors in the single-family home market.

The legislation – dubbed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act – merges two previously passed measures: the House's Housing for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 6644) and the Senate's Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act (S. 2651), which cleared the Senate as part of the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The final bill also incorporates several new provisions not found in either chamber's original package. For more information about this legislation, click here.

STATE UPDATE

Big Budget Crosses Over

The one bill that does not have to pass by Crossover Day is the budget for the next fiscal year. The House of Representatives put its mark on the Governor’s recommendations and sent it to the Senate for consideration by a vote of 159 – 4 on Tuesday, March 10.

HB 974, the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, is set by a revenue estimate of $38.5 billion, an increase of $738 million or 1.95 percent over the original FY 2026 budget. The House version of HB 974 prioritizes early childhood literacy efforts, including the implementation of statewide K-3 literacy coaches and continued support of children in the state’s foster care system.

Items of interest include:

• More than $60 million to support a statewide literacy initiative to improve reading outcomes for students in kindergarten through third grade
• $31.2 million in newly appropriated QBE funds for elementary school-based literacy coaches
• $18.4 million to repurpose Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA)-based literacy coaches to align with the purpose set forth the ‘Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026’
• $2.7 million to provide a one-time grant of $15,000 to each school system to purchase vision and auditory screening equipment to provide annual screenings for students in kindergarten through third grade
• $7.9 million in new funds will support the review and recommendations of universal reading screeners; recommend high-quality instructional literacy materials in Pre-K through third grade; provide professional learning and development for current teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators; and establish a new director of literacy
• $1 million to the Department of Education Nutrition program and $1 million to the Department of Human Services to begin the implementation of SUN Bucks, a new summer nutrition program for economically disadvantaged students
• $9.7 million to the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) to support the expansion of the extended day program for the Pre-K priority group
• $413,083 for the Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Board under the Office of the Secretary of State to address their increasing responsibilities, including a growing complaint caseload 
• $500,000 for the High Demand Apprenticeship Program to meet the growing demand for these apprenticeship slots at businesses across the state and $2.5 million to establish the Adult Workforce High School Diploma
• An increase of $166 million over the original FY 2026 budget including:
• Additional $112.8 million for the Capital Construction program for constructions projects
• $33.5 million for Routine Maintenance for increased maintenance costs
• $13.6 million for Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants for local
• An additional $10 million in Airport Aid to bring the base to nearly $40 million. The list of state-funded airport aid requests is currently over $96 million.
•  $2.5 million in Rail for targeted freight congestion relief along key intermodal corridors impacting inland ports
• $250,000 jail-based competency restoration, Cobb County Jail
• $10,000,000 in 20-year bonds to fund design, construction, and equipment for the renovations for Student Success and Construction Management program facilities at the Kennesaw Campus of Kennesaw State University

Senate Appropriations Subcommittees met throughout the week as the Senate continues to finalize its version of the FY 2027 budget.

Elections and Qualifications

The race to become the new congressman for the 14th District was narrowed down to two final candidates on Tuesday, March 10. Republican Clay Fuller and Democrat Shawn Harris were the top two vote getters in a jungle primary to fill the remaining term of Marjorie Taylor Greene who resigned effective the beginning of 2026. While one of them will become Congressman-elect after the runoff on April 7, both men along with 11 other candidates qualified to run in the election for the new Congressional term. Harris remains the only democrat in both races.

Meanwhile in the 11th Congressional District, eight republicans and two democrats qualified to replace retiring Congressman Barry Loudermilk. The district is very likely to stay in republican hands with Rob Adkerson, Loudermilk’s former Chief of Staff, Public Service Commissioner Tricia Pridemore, and Cartersville-native Dr. John Cowan becoming the early front runners in the race.

Unlike many seats across the state, Cobb’s Legislative Delegation did not see any surprise retirements. However, many drew opposition from within their own party, their opposite party, or in some cases, both.

Finally, at the local level, Cobb Commission Districts One and Three are up as well as Cobb County School Board Seats Two, Four and Six. Only CCSD Board Member Becky Sayler escaped with no opposition.

All of Cobb County’s Superior and State Court Judges whose terms were up for consideration also escaped opposition.

Cobb Legislative Delegation

After taking a break from meetings during Crossover Week, the delegation reconvened on Tuesday, March 10. They heard testimony from Andrew Allison, Director of Government Relations at Kennesaw State University, and Tracy Styf, Executive Director of the Town Center Community Improvement District (CID).

To start, Andrew gave an update on developments at KSU including the addition of new degree programs such as the Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence. He additionally highlighted that KSU has grown its student population to around 51,30051,300, making KSU one of the largest universities by attendance in the state. He went on to thank the Delegation for their continued support regarding numerous budget requests, both in the AFY 26 and FY 27 budget, including their support for a FY 27 budget request for KSU’s Student Success and Construction Management Program renovation project.

Tracy Styf, Executive Director of the Town Center CID, opened her remarks by thanking the delegation for their longstanding partnership and expressing enthusiasm for continued collaboration with community partners in Cobb County.

She highlighted that Town Center CID is home to approximately 10% of all jobs in Cobb County – supporting over 36,000 positions – making it a major hub for economic vitality in the county and the broader region. This concentration draws a significant influx of commuters to the area.

To help ease the resulting traffic congestion, Tracy proudly announced the upcoming ribbon-cutting for the South Barrett Reliever project in April. According to the Town Center CID, the project—a major road realignment initiative—is expected to reduce peak-hour traffic on Barrett Parkway by 22%.

2026 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leader Award

This past Wednesday, March 11, Rep. Lisa Campbell announced the 2026 Yellow Rose Nikki T. Randall Servant Leader Award recipient. The Yellow Rose Servant Leader Award is given out each year during Women’s History Month in honor of former State Representative Nikki T. Randall, who became the first African American female elected to the Georgia General Assembly.

This year’s winner is Dr. Beverly Griffin Patton who has dedicated her life to uplifting and preserving the history, culture and wellbeing of her community through leadership, service and advocacy. According to the House press release, Dr. Patton has “played a role amplifying the voices and experiences of Acworth’s Black community, contributing to local historical preservation efforts and helping document Black life in Acworth through projects such as “A Place to Remember” and archival work with Kennesaw State University.” “Dr. Patton has held numerous leadership positions, including serving as Membership Chair and Lifetime Member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), vice president of Acworth’s Historic Preservation Committee, vice president of the Old Rosenwald Community Center and a member of the Acworth Development Authority.”

We would like to congratulate Dr. Patton on this honor and commend her for her work in and around Cobb County, setting an example for others to follow. Click here to read the full press release honoring Dr. Patton.

Pictured Above from Left to Right: City of Acworth Alderwoman,
Kimberly Haase; Dr. Beverly Griffin Patton; Representative Lisa Campbell

Crossover Day Recap

With both the House and Senate working late into the night on crossover day, a significant number of bills had their day on either the House or Senate floor on crossover day this past Friday. Some survived and some were not so fortunate. However, even those bills that did not move into the other chamber before the House and Senate gaveled out are not fully dead. There is still potential for language from “dead” bills to make their way into related “vehicle bills” before the final gavel on Sine Die. Your Cobb Chamber advocacy team will be watching closely to see how legislation moves and is amended throughout the rest of the session.

The following pieces of relevant legislation survived and are still alive for consideration before Day 40. Please visit the hyperlinks below to learn more about each of the following bills that crossed over and the ones that did not.

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.

HB 880 by Rep. Shaw Blackmon – PASSED (102-69)
Legislation which gradually lowers the state income tax from 5.19% to 3.99% and increases personal income tax deductions.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 947 by Rep. Martin Momtahan – PASSED (95-66)
Legislation which prohibits the purchase of certain food and beverage items with federal SNAP benefits and mandates stricter eligibility criteria for SNAP applicants.
Currently in the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee

HB 1077 by Rep. Noel Williams, Jr. – PASSED (155-15)
Legislation which extends a tax exemption for admissions to certain cultural institutions in Georgia, specifically for tickets, fees, or charges to fine arts performances or exhibitions held at nonprofit facilities that are recognized as tax-exempt.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 1112 by Rep. Carter Barrett – PASSED (167-2)
Legislation which allows merchants in Georgia to round the total price of goods and services when customers pay with cash.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 1114 by Rep. Bill Yearta – PASSED (171-0)
Legislation which allows students in ninth through twelfth grade to fulfill the financial literacy course requirement for high school graduation and prohibits public schools from partnering with or accepting donations from gambling enterprises.
Currently in the Senate Education and Youth Committee

HB 1116 by Rep. Shaw Blackmon – PASSED (98-68)
Legislation which enacts the "Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026," which makes significant reforms to Georgia's property tax and sales tax systems, including introducing a new Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST) and requiring referendums for certain local revenue increases.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 1132 by Rep. Lehman Franklin – PASSED (163-3)
Legislation which exempts materials used by purely public charities to construct, renovate, or rehabilitate affordable housing from state sales and use taxes.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 1166 by Rep. Tangie Herring – PASSED (111-50)
Legislation which exempts small residential dwellings of 400 square feet or fewer from zoning decisions while allowing local governments to enforce certain health, safety, and historic preservation regulations.
Currently in the Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee

HB 1261 by Rep. David Huddleston – PASSED (100-66)
Legislation which provides for level 1 freeport exemptions for certain goods in inventory for electric utilities.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 1293 by Rep. Jan Jones – PASSED (166-0)
Legislation which updates eligibility requirements for the Dual Achievement Program, allows certain students to remain enrolled in their resident school for administrative purposes, establishes a funding formula, and eliminates provisions for participation agreements and QBE funding.
Currently in the Senate Rules Committee

HB 1285 by Rep. Mike Cheokas – PASSED (98-58)
Legislation which revises provisions limiting the number of local sales and use taxes that counties can collect.
Currently in the Senate Finance Committee

HB 1302 by Rep. Matthew Gambill – PASSED (172-2)
Legislation which reconstitutes the Office of Student Achievement as the Office of Education and Workforce Strategy and makes various changes to apprenticeship programs, reporting requirements, and data governance within Georgia's education and workforce development systems.
Currently in the Senate Rules Committee

HB 1345 by Rep. Carmen Rice – PASSED (168-0)
Legislation which allows the State Workforce Development Board to approve eligible workforce training programs for the federal Workforce Pell Grant program.
Currently in the Senate Higher Education Committee

HB 1413 by Rep. Chuck Martin – PASSED (165-2)
Legislation which establishes a needs-based scholarship program called the DREAMS scholarship for undergraduate students at eligible Georgia postsecondary institutions and a medical scholarship program for students in eligible medical schools within the University System of Georgia.
Currently in the Senate Higher Education Committee

HB 1470 by Rep. Trey Kelley – PASSED (144-22)
Legislation which allows businesses to sue claimants and their attorneys for unsuccessful abusive litigation alleging website violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, awarding damages and attorney fees.
Currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee

SB 11 by Sen. Michael “Doc” Rhett – PASSED (47-0)
Legislation which allows certain members of the Georgia retirement system to receive creditable service for active military service performed on or after January 1, 1990, provided they meet specific application, proof, and payment requirements.
Currently in the House Retirement Committee

SB 190 by Sen. Kenya Wicks – PASSED (50-0)
Legislation which amends Georgia Code to grant a fee waiver for state park and recreation area use to Gold Star family members and veterans.
Currently in the House Game, Fish, and Parks Committee

SB 367 by Sen. Bill Cowsert – PASSED (32-17)
Legislation which exempts healthcare facilities, services, and equipment dedicated to cancer treatment from certificate of need requirements.
Currently in the House Health Committee

SB 410 by Sen. Matt Brass – PASSED (32-21)
Legislation which repeals the sales and use tax exemptions for high-technology computer equipment and data center equipment, while allowing existing exemption certificates to remain valid, and requiring contracts between utilities and “large load customers” to include clauses protecting existing customers.
Currently in the House Ways and Means Committee

SB 437 by Sen. Clint Dixon – PASSED (52-1)
Legislation which allows individuals to hire private professionals for building plan reviews and inspections, with reduced local government fees, and outlines procedures and responsibilities for both parties.
Currently in the House Governmental Affairs Committee

SB 447 by Sen. Clint Dixon – PASSED (46-4)
Legislation which revises laws concerning the control of soil erosion and sedimentation, and general provisions for counties and municipalities regarding permit applications, to ensure timely processing, clear criteria for approval, and public access to real-time permit status information.
Currently in the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee

SB 540 by Sen. Jason Anavitarte – PASSED (54-0)
Legislation which requires operators of conversational AI services in Georgia to make certain disclosures, implement measures to protect minors from inappropriate content, provide privacy tools for parents, and establish protocols for responding to suicidal ideation or self-harm, with enforcement by the Attorney General.
Currently in the House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee

SB 553 by Sen. Bo Hatchett – PASSED (52-0)
Legislation which establishes the State Construction Industry Licensing Board and its divisions to regulate electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low voltage contractors, and utility contractors.
Currently in the House Regulated Industries Committee

Legislation that “Died”

Several pieces of legislation, including the relevant ones listed below, did not make it across the barrier to the other chamber on crossover day. We would like to note again that these pieces of legislation are only mostly dead and that we will be tracking very closely to see whether language from the following finds its way into other crossed-over legislation before the end of the day on Sine Die.

HB 810 by Rep. Rick Jasperse
Legislation which requires pharmacy benefits managers to base final reimbursements to eligible pharmacies for prescription drugs on a formula of national average drug acquisition cost plus the current Georgia Medicaid professional dispensing fee.

HB 812 by Rep. Mike Cheokas
Legislation which revises processes for local governments regarding building codes, permits, and inspections, including requiring online status updates for permit applications and allowing greater use of private professional providers.

HB 932 by Rep. Steven Sainz
Legislation which amends Georgia tax law to allow certain military zones to qualify for less developed area designations, thereby qualifying for tax credits, specifically for the years 2025 and 2026.

HB 1111 by Rep. Rob Leverett
Legislation which creates a new local sales and use tax dedicated to healthcare purposes, allowing counties to collect up to 1% on sales within their jurisdiction for hospitals, bad debt, and indigent care.

HB 1224 by Rep. Carter Barrett
Legislation which requires sellers to obtain explicit consumer acknowledgment and affirmative consent for automatic contract renewals if the renewal period is one year or more and the cost increases by 50 percent or more.

HB 1286 by Rep. Lauren McDonald, III
Legislation which abolishes the position of Director of Planning within the Georgia Department of Transportation and transfers the duties and responsibilities of that role to the Commissioner of Transportation.

HB 1377 by Rep. John Carson
Legislation which prohibits the use of Transit SPLOST funds for free or reduced fares and sets an eight-year waiting period before a failed Transit SPLOST can be resubmitted to voters in nonattainment areas.

HR 450 by Rep. Marcus Wiedower – DID NOT PASS (68-98)
Legislation which proposes a constitutional amendment to allow the Georgia General Assembly to authorize and regulate sports betting.

SB 571 by Rep. Shawn Still
Legislation which requires commercial entities to implement reasonable age verification methods before allowing access to websites with a substantial amount of online gambling content.

SB 573 by Rep. Ed Setzler
Legislation which establishes nonpartisan elections for certain county officers and district attorneys in counties that appoint a medical examiner, effective January 1, 2027.

SR 668 by Rep. Greg Dolezal – DID NOT PASS (29-21)
Legislation proposing an amendment to the Constitution to allow the General Assembly to authorize local governments to assess property taxes on certain electronic equipment housing at different rates to reduce the tax burden on other property.

Next Week at the Capitol

Mon., Mar. 16 – Legislative Day 32
Tues., Mar. 17 – Legislative Committee Workday
Wed., Mar. 18 – Legislative Day 33
Thurs., Mar. 19 – Legislative Day 34
Fri., Mar. 20 – Legislative Day 35

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.