Overview
- Senate leaders advanced a push to phase out the state income tax, with a committee recommending a plan that starts with a $3 billion cut for tax year 2027 partly backed by a 2025 surplus.
- House Speaker Jon Burns is promoting elimination of homestead property taxes, though no bill or details have been released and property taxes are levied locally rather than by the state.
- Democrats are pressing affordability concerns while questioning how to replace roughly $16 billion in annual income tax revenue under the Senate’s concept.
- Gov. Brian Kemp has not taken a position on tax relief, will deliver his State of the State on Thursday, and will decide on bill signings or vetoes after the session ends on April 2.
- Opening-day activity featured protests and heavy lobbying as lawmakers also flagged priorities that include legal sports betting, replacing touchscreen voting machines, and rural health care access.