2025 Study Committee Update – Final Recommendations

Good morning and welcome to this special edition of From the Capitol Steps. Produced by the Cobb Chamber Advocacy Team FTCS is published weekly during the state legislative session, which convenes today, or as needed for timely updates throughout the year. Be on the lookout for our first legislative issue on Friday, Jan. 16!

2025 Study Committee Reports

At the end of the 2025 Legislative Session, several Senate and House study committees created by resolutions were appointed to review and provide recommendations on different issues that the general assembly will seek to address in the upcoming 2026 Georgia Legislative Session. The study committees covered a wide range of issues, however there were multiple issues of interest to the Cobb Chamber that correlate with our 2026 State Legislative Agenda. A full list of Senate and House study committees can be found at the following links: Senate – House. Annually, the team follows the study committee work, and below is our report on those relevant to our advocacy efforts. Once legislation is introduced as a result of these study committee reports, the Chamber will make decisions whether a recommendation will be supported or not. As we like to say, the devil is in the details, so we will refrain until we see a bill before endorsing or opposing it. For a refresher on the Cobb Chamber 2026 Advocacy priorities, please click here.

Senate Study Committees of Interest

Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Study Committee
Chaired by both Senator Sally Harrell and Senator Shawn Still, the Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Study Committee was created with the purpose of evaluating the impact social media usage and artificial intelligence has on children and to determine how existing online privacy protections may be improved and strengthened to ensure safer access.

The study committee ultimately provided a large list of findings and recommendations that include recommended actions related to AI systems and companion chatbots, app store and app developer obligations, data minimization and privacy by design and default, age-appropriate design code, education, and digital ownership.

Full discussion and a comprehensive list of recommendations and findings can be found in the full Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Study Committee Final Report.

Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability
Chaired by Senator Nan Orrock, the Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability was created with the purpose of exploring options for making higher education more affordable for Georgians, including the creation of a means-tested scholarship program.

The study committee’s final recommendation included creating a comprehensive aid program based on financial eligibility, providing annual renewable funding for students with demonstrated financial hardship. The recommended eligible institutions include all USG and TCSG institutions but would not include independent colleges. Funding for the program would be appropriated from the unrestricted reserves from proceeds for the Georgia Lottery.

A full list of eligibility requirements for the recommended need-based aid program and full discussion from the committee meetings can be found in the full Senate Study Committee on Higher Education Affordability Final Report.

Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism
Chaired by Senator Drew Echols, the Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism was created by SR 323 and sought to discover opportunities to promote and develop tourism in all regions of the state, from small towns to big cities, to ensure Georgia becomes the no. 1 state for tourism.

The study committee concluded their final meeting by providing a list of recommendations, including the ones below. Full discussion and the list of recommendations can be read in the Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism Final Report.

• State policy should support the “ladder of success” in the tourism and hospitality industry
• The General Assembly should consider reforms to “tourism taxes,” including both the state and local portions of the hotel-motel excise tax.
• The State of Georgia should legalize mobile sports betting.
• The General Assembly should consider legislation to create a Statewide Music Office. (SB 182)
• The General Assembly should continue to explore ways to strengthen anti-human trafficking laws and enhance penalties for trafficking, as Georgia continues its planning for major sporting events.

Senate Special Committee on the Elimination of Georgia’s Income Tax
Formed during the Summer of 2025 by Lt. Governor Burt Jones, the Senate Special Committee on the Elimination of Georgia’s Income Tax was created to take a comprehensive look at Georgia’s tax system and the tax systems of its peer states. In specific, the Special Committee was created with the goal of examining how the General Assembly could work to “incrementally and responsibly eliminate Georgia’s personal income tax.”

Since the 2018 legislative session under the leadership of Governor Brian Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, and Speaker Jon Burns, the Georgia Legislature has been incrementally lowering Georgia’s personal income tax since the passage of HB 918 which lowered the personal income tax from 6.00% to 5.75%. Since then, the General Assembly has consistently lowered the personal and corporate income tax with the passage of the Tax Reduction and Reform Act of 2022 which outlined a reduction from 5.75% to a rate of 4.99% by 2029 in increments of 10 basis points each calendar year with needed action from the General Assembly each subsequent year. Today, the General Assembly has followed through with the original goal of the Tax Reduction and Reform Act of 2022 by lowering the income tax rate to 5.19% during the 2025 Legislative Session.

During the four meetings of the Special Senate Committee, testimony was heard from the multiple subject matter experts and Georgia residents about the potential pros and cons of gradually eliminating the income tax and how it could be possible with Georgia’s current tax system and tax incentives. To conclude, the Special Senate Committee provided multiple recommendations, including the overarching themes included below. A full discussion and detailed list of recommendations can be read in the Special Senate Committee on the Elimination of Georgia’s Income Tax Final Report.

• Pass legislation in 2026 to eliminate Georgia’s personal income tax on the first $50,000 a year for single filers and $100,000 per year for married couples filing jointly, effective January 1, 2027. This would provide tax-relief to all Georgians and would eliminate state income tax liability for two-thirds of Georgians entirely on day one of implementation.
• Adopt a sensible, step-by-step approach that reduces Georgia’s business income taxes and eliminates Georgia’s personal income tax altogether by 2032.
• The Special Committee does not support any increase in the state sales tax rate, does not support new or increased taxes on fuel or groceries, and does not support a property tax at the state level or increases in motor vehicle registration fees.
• The Special Committee also supports measures that will restrain state spending and the growth of state government including the following:
• Requiring the authorizations of many boards, councils, and commissions to sunset by the end of the decade, giving the General Assembly a fresh opportunity to evaluate the costs and benefits of such bodies.
• Support regulatory reforms such as the Red Tape Rollback Act.
• Pass a constitutional amendment limiting state spending to current levels.
• Self-impose spending restraints and limit year-to-year growth of the state budget to rates reflecting population growth and consumer inflation.
• The General Assembly should rigorously review tax incentive programs for their fiscal and economic impact on the state and allow programs that do not provide a positive return to the state relative to tax revenue foregone to sunset.
• Tax incentives that provide a positive impact on the core areas of public life, such as those benefiting children and families, maternity, and public safety should be maintained.

House Study Committees of Interest

Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Insurance Rates
At the end of the 2025 Legislative Session, Speaker Jon Burns announced the creation of the Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Insurance rates. Chaired by Rep. Matt Reeves, the purpose was to examine the insurance industry's rate-setting practices, profit margins, claims processing and regulatory compliance with the goal of ensuring “Georgia’s businesses, citizens and consumers are not being subjected to unjustified rate hikes.”
The Blue-Ribbon Study Committee met a total of four times between August 2025 and December 2025 and heard testimony from several stakeholders and subject matter experts.

At the time of this report, there is no publicly available final report. Meeting video archives, documents, and presentations can be found on the official Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Insurance Rates Website.

House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access
Chaired by Representative Lee Hawkins, the House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access was created during the 2025 Georgia Legislative Session in order to better understand the impact and significance of cancer care centers and facilities, determine the medical education programs needed to attract and retain individuals providing care and research, and explore ideas and incentives to increase screening and quality of care.
The House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access provided multiple recommendations in the Final Report including the following below. Full discussion and list of recommendations can be read in the House Study Committee on Cancer Care Access Final Report.

• Encourage additional oncology workforce opportunities to include rural rotations for medical students and additional residency and fellowship opportunities in both rural and urban hospitals.
• Incentivize hospitals and providers to report cancer screening numbers/rates as a part of community benefit transparency reporting.
• Encourage support for Georgia CORE’s Georgia Cancer Trial Finder program to increase access to clinical trials for physicians and patients.

House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health
Chaired by Representative Darlene Taylor, the House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health was created and tasked with studying Georgia’s current public health system and learning how the system is structured and evaluating what services the system currently provides.

The Study Committee met three times between August 2025 and October 2025. At the time of this publication, there is no publicly available final report. Meeting video archives, documents, and presentations can be found on the official House Study Committee on Evaluating Funding for Public Health Website.

House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1
Chaired by Representative Chuck Martin, the House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 was created to conduct a review of the state’s current 9-1-1 funding provisions and study and identify any reforms necessary to provide adequate funding to support the transition from legacy 9-1-1 centers to modern Next Generation 9-1-1 centers.
The study committee provided numerous recommendations regarding potential funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 in the state, including the following. Full discussion and list of recommendations can be read in the House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Full Report.

• Establish a state-level 9-1-1 fee and a dedicated 9-1-1 Services Trust Fund for centralized collection and disbursement via a Constitutional Amendment.
• Adopt a statewide preparedness and services-based distribution formula for the recommended stated fund.
• Revise the current state infrastructure to prepare for the statewide launch of Next Generation 9-1-1.
• Appoint a legislative working group, including state and local stakeholders, to study the preparedness and services-based formula for state 9-1-1 fees.

House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia
Chaired by Representative Marcus Wiedower, who resigned from the House in the later half of 2025, the House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia was created to review how gaming could contribute to Georgia’s economy regarding economic development while also weighing against the potential social ills of legalization. The committee also looked at the potential tax revenue increase and how gaming could impact the state budget.

The Study Committee highlighted past efforts from the General Assembly to change laws regarding gaming in the state, including HB 686 (Rep. Marcus Wiedower), HB 910 (Rep. Matt Hatchett), SB 208 (Sen. Billy Hickman), and SR 131 (Sen. Carden Summers) which were all introduced during the 2025 Legislative Session.

While the Study Committee did not include recommendations in the Final Report, meeting video archives and documentation can be found on the official House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia Website.

House Study Committee on Georgia’s Investment Funds
Chaired by Representative Todd Jones, the House Study Committee on Georgia’s Investment Funds was tasked with studying ways to attract additional investment capital to Georgia and examine conditions for potential enhancement of growth capital investments.
The Study Committee met a total of three times between September 2025 and December 2025. The Study Committee has not released a Final Report at the time of this communication. However, meeting documents and video archives can be found on the official House Study Committee on Georgia’s Investment Funds Website.

House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education
The House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education was created to examine the issue of chronic absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days, which has become a rising problem and hindrance to student achievement, literacy, and long-term workforce readiness in Georgia. The Study Committee was chaired by Representative Chris Erwin and met three times during the interim.

The Study Committee presented several recommendations including the following overarching themes below. Full discussion and a list of recommendations can be read in the House Study Committee on Student Attendance in PreK-12 Education Final Report.

• Expand Access to School Nurses
• Prioritize School Social Workers
• Leverage Telehealth to Address Mental Health Needs
• Increase Judicial Involvement and Accountability
• Performance Measures for Charter and Strategic Waiver School Systems

Thank you for taking the time to read our report on the 2025 House and Senate Study Committees. Starting Friday, January 16, From the Capitol Steps will be published weekly, recapping the activity of the Georgia General Assembly that is relevant to the Cobb Chamber membership. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Amanda Seals, Executive Vice President of Advocacy and Government Relations or Coleman Loftin, Senior Manager, Government Relations.