2026 Gold Dome Bill Tracker

The Georgia General Assembly’s 40-day session is underway. Lawmakers are weighing thousands of Georgia bills on everything from education and health to criminal justice and housing ahead of “Sine Die” – the final day of the legislative session on April 2. 

Politics reporter Rahul Bali, supervising digital news editor Patrick Saunders and the WABE newsroom are tracking many of these bills and are here to keep tabs on why they matter and where they stand. Check back for updates as the session goes on – we’ll do our best to keep this page updated as bills move and change. 

After a bill clears its committee in the House or the Senate, the respective rules committee can move to schedule it for a vote in the full chamber. That process then repeats on the other side of the Capitol before the legislation can head to the governor’s desk. If any changes are made to the bill, it has to go back to the other chamber for another vote.

Typically, legislation must pass either the House or Senate by Crossover Day on March 6 to have a chance at becoming law. But sometimes, the text of one bill can still be glued into another that’s already cleared one chamber, known as a vehicle or a “zombie bill.”

Click here to see a list of bills that didn’t pass either chamber by Crossover Day this year. If the text of any of these bills comes back to life in the form of a zombie bill, we will add it back to this page.

Have a Georgia bill you want to know more about that’s not on this list? Let us know at [email protected].

This page was updated on Wednesday, May 13 at 10:09 a.m.

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Business & Economy

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NIL Compensation for High School Athletes (HB 383)

What the bill does: Protects high school athletes who earn money through brand deals, social media partnerships and public appearances.

What supporters say: Democratic state representative and former NFL player Dewey McClain is co-sponsoring the legislation. He says high school athletes are vulnerable to potentially predatory long-term deals.

“What we’re trying to do with this bill is say that you got until I finish high school, and then I can get me another contract when I go to college,” McClain said.

What opponents say: High school student-athletes receiving compensation remain at risk of being exploited.

Status: Passed House but did not make it out of the Senate and is dead.

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-Marlon Hyde, WABE Business Reporter

Consumer Protections (HB 945)

What the bill does: Financial institutions could place up to a 15-day hold on potentially fraudulent transactions. This proposal would cover adults with disabilities and the elderly. It would also regulate and provide consumer protections, such as daily limits and refund windows, for cryptocurrency kiosks.

What supporters say: Republican state Rep. Bruce Williamson says scammers are using artificial intelligence to impersonate family and friends to request money. Several lawmakers shared their experiences of being targeted.

“This particular bill right now is just the first step on protecting our elderly in financial transactions. But you’ve alluded to the larger picture that all of us have been subjected to all these very sophisticated attempts to defraud us of our money,” Williamson said.

What opponents say: According to the attorney for the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, institutions would not be held liable if they failed to flag the potential fraud, which is a concern.

Status: Passed House and Senate and signed into law by Kemp.

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–Marlon Hyde, WABE Business Reporter

Education

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High School Personal Device Ban (HB 1009)

What the bill does: Extends the existing bell-to-bell personal device ban in K-8 schools to high schools. This means high school students would not be able to access devices like cell phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, headphones, gaming devices and more during the school day.

What supporters say: Teachers, parents and students have provided positive feedback on the original K-8 cell phone ban, saying it improves focus in school and academic performance.

“The response we got back was overwhelming from teachers, administrators, and really more importantly, parents, who loved the idea and wanted to see us expand it to high school,” said state Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, the author of the bill. 

What opponents say: The bans have mixed results in alleviating youth mental health issues associated with social media use and are difficult for teachers to enforce. Some parents have also pushed back, saying they want to be able to contact their kids during emergencies.

Status: Passed House and Senate and signed into law.

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–Meimei Xu, WABE Digital News Editor

Weapons Detection Systems In Public Schools (HB 1023)

What the bill does: By the school year that starts in the summer/fall of 2027, public schools would be mandated to have weapon detection systems at “all main points of entry.”  The legislation leaves it up to school systems to decide what type of weapon detection system they use.

What supporters say: It is another step toward further securing schools.

What opponents say: While most lawmakers support the legislation, the main concern is cost of the systems to school districts. State Rep. Chuck Efstration notes school systems get annual state safety grants and that there are weapon detection systems that need no manpower.

Status: Passed House, was amended in the Senate and passed out of committee. It did not make it out of the Senate and is dead.

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–Rahul Bali, WABE Politics Reporter

Environment

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Shoring Up the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund (HB 919 and SB 478)

What this bill does: The Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund gets money from taxes on outdoor recreation equipment. Through the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act, that money’s gone to funding park and conservation work around the state. When this trust fund was made, the Georgia legislators included provisions about when money could be appropriated to not go into this trust fund and instead go to other purposes. House Bill 919 gets rid of those provisions so the money stays in the Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund. 

Senate Bill 478 would extend the sunset date by 10 years and increase the amount of tax revenue that goes to the fund. The initial version of the bill increased it from its current 40% of those sales taxes up to 80%. It was amended on March 19 to bring that figure down to 60%.

What supporters say: This is a way to continue ensuring funding for Georgia’s natural resources. They point to the work the fund has helped pay for, including the establishment and expansion of state parks and wildlife management areas and recreation projects like the Atlanta Beltline. 

What opponents say: There hasn’t been much vocal opposition to this bill, but in the past the Georgia legislature has pulled money from funds like this one when money gets tight in the general fund. For example, after the 2008 recession, money collected for the Solid Waste Trust Fund instead went to the state’s general fund. 

Status: HB 919 was proposed in the House and did not pass out of the chamber by Crossover Day. SB 478 passed the Senate and the House, but Kemp vetoed it and it will not become law this year.

Learn More Here and Here

–Marisa Mecke and Emily Jones, WABE Environment Reporter and Climate Reporter

Soil & Erosion Bills (HB 812 and SB 447)

What this bill does: Both these bills speed up construction permitting by accelerating the review timelines for denied soil erosion permits. It would mandate permit issuers only have a 14-day review period, and if not met, the permit would receive automatic approval. Over 200 local governments in Georgia enforce erosion control laws which impact water quality and construction management practices. 

What supporters say: This bill will help affordable housing get built faster and cut out lengthy permitting timelines that delay construction that cost money and time, increasing home prices. It is supported by groups like the  Home Builders Association of Georgia. 

What opponents say: This bill knowingly gives local governments too little time to properly review developments’ plans, and automatic approval is problematic. Environmental groups, like Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, argue soil and erosion are major impacts to waterways and downstream property values. Some local government groups argue a lot of the delays aren’t due to permitting agencies, but instead incomplete submissions, unlicensed engineers drawing plans, and other faults on the developers’ side. 

Status: HB 812 never made it ou of the House. SB 447 passed the Senate and House and signed into law by Kemp.

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-Marisa Mecke, WABE Environment Reporter 

Solid Waste Trust Fund Changes (HB 956)

What the bill does: Expands the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s Solid Waste Management Program’s authority to spend money. It would include spending related to EPD administrative work like “permitting, monitoring, regulation or guidance development, inspections and enforcement.” 

What supporters say: WABE has reached out to the bill’s sponsor for comment.

What opponents say: Environmental groups like the Georgia chapter of the Sierra Club say they oppose the bill because it turns money set aside for cleanups into a department “slush fund.” Money from this fund has long been a topic for environmentalists at the Georgia Capitol; the Georgia Water Coalition spent 10 years advocating for fees collected on behalf of the Solid Waste Trust Fund to be dedicated to cleanups. 

Status: Passed the House and Senate and signed into law by Kemp.

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-Marisa Mecke, WABE Environment Reporter

Health

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Puberty Blockers Ban for Trans Youth (HB 54)

What the bill does: Bars state employees from using state health benefits to access gender affirming care, bans hospitals from using state funds to provide gender affirming care to patients of any age and prohibits puberty blocking medication access for minors.

What supporters say: The bill’s restrictions are necessary to protect minors.

What opponents say: Barriers to health care and gender affirming care put LGBTQ people’s health and civil rights at risk.

Status: The bill, which initially focused on other issues, including authorizing advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants to provide home health care services, now includes amendments that would increase restrictions on gender-affirming care. Passed the Senate but died in the House.

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–Jess Mador, WABE Health Reporter

Compliance with Georgia’s Mental Health Parity Act (SB 131)

What the bill does: Establishes a parity compliance review panel to evaluate health care providers’ compliance with Georgia’s more than three-year old Mental Health Parity Act. The panel would be able to recommend penalties for noncompliance.

What supporters say: The bill has Republican support in both the House and the Senate.

What opponents say: No opposition has emerged against the bill.

Status: The legislation was first introduced in 2025, when it passed in the Senate then passed in the House. The Senate agreed to the changes in the final days of the 2026 session. Kemp did not sign or veto the bill, so it will become law.

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–Jess Mador, WABE Health Reporter

Medical Cannabis Program Changes (SB 220)

What the bill does: Adds lupus as a covered condition to be treated with medical cannabis. It also removes the need for certain diseases (including Alzheimer’s, sickle cell, Parkinson’s, MS and ALS) to be in their end states for access to the treatment.

The state Senate removed a proposal to add severe arthritis and severe insomnia as covered conditions, though House sponsor State Rep. Mark Newton believes severe arthritis could be covered under intractable pain.

SB 220 would also allow access to medical cannabis products that can be vaped, but would not allow it to be used in public. The program’s name would also be renamed the Medical Cannabis Patient Registry.

What supporters say: Adding vaping will help with conditions that need more immediate relief, and that those with lupus could use relief from medical cannabis. 

What opponents say: The program is already being abused and that it will eventually lead to recreational use in Georgia.

Status: Passed House and Senate and signed into law by Gov. Kemp.

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-Rahul Bali, WABE Politics Reporter

Law, Justice & Safety

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Harmful Materials to Minors (SB 74)

What the bill does: Subjects librarians to criminal liability for failing to remove content from libraries that could be considered “harmful to minors.” If it becomes law, one would only be exempt if they were not aware of the harmful material, had previously suggested the material be challenged as obscene or had suggested to have the materials moved to an area of the library not accessible to minors.

What supporters say: The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Max Burns, says the bill is not an overreach, and that its objective is to “protect Georgia’s children.” The bill has the backing of conservative groups like the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, which has called the effort a “no-brainer” bill to keep pornography away from children.

What opponents say: Georgia librarians have come out in force at hearings and expressed outrage at the idea that they would distribute pornography to children. Some advocates say the bill could lead to more challenges on books about LGBTQ people or issues. The ACLU of Georgia says that while testimony and advocacy have helped improve the bill, the organization still opposes it for “promoting censorship and exposing school personnel to serious and potentially irreversible consequences.”

Status: Passed the Senate in 2025 but did not make it out of the House this year and is dead.

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–Chamian Cruz, WABE Criminal Justice Reporter

Offenses Against Public Order (HB 1076)

What the bill does: Would create new felonies for obstructing law enforcement or highways with a vehicle, allowing for a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $100,000. It comes after a federal immigration officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good while she was driving her car through a neighborhood in Minneapolis in January.

What supporters say: The bill was introduced by five Republican House members, all of whom chair committees or have leading roles in the Republican caucus. State Rep. Ginny Ehrhart says her goal is to make the penalties for confrontations between police and drivers so high that it prevents them from happening in the first place.

What opponents say: The Southern Center for Human Rights says the bill is unnecessary because people can already be charged with a felony in Georgia when a vehicle is used as a weapon that harms or kills someone. The ACLU of Georgia also argues it could target protesters and limit demonstrations.

Status: Passed out of the House and a Senate committee. It did not make it out of the Senate and is dead.

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–Chamian Cruz, WABE Criminal Justice Reporter

DNA Sampling, Collection and Analysis (SB 29)

What the bill does: Would require law enforcement to collect the DNA of every adult arrested for a serious violent felony and upload their DNA profile to a nationwide database. That is, before they go to trial. Currently, only people convicted of a felony have their DNA collected and sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Division of Forensic Sciences for analysis and entry into the database.

What supporters say: Republican state Sen. Rick Williams, who sponsored the bill last year, has said the bill could not only help convict the guilty, but it could also set someone free. The measure is already in place in multiple Southern states.

What opponents say: The Southern Center for Human Rights says the bill “undermines the presumption of innocence by collapsing distinctions between pre- and post-conviction.” The organization is advocating for a few amendments that would make “this bad bill less bad.”

Status: Passed out of the Senate in 2025 but died in the House in 2026.

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–Chamian Cruz, WABE Criminal Justice Reporter

Anti-Homelessness Laws Enforcement (HB 295)

What the bill does: Allows property owners to sue local governments for loss of property value or expenses incurred if they don’t enforce laws related to public camping, panhandling, loitering, public urination and similar activities.

What supporters say: The bill is sponsored by Republican state Rep. Houston Gaines, who is running for Congress. He’s called it “commonsense legislation.”

What opponents say: Atlanta’s Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative and other critics say the bill would increase pressure on cities to ticket, arrest or otherwise displace people who have nowhere to go, while discouraging community outreach and diversion strategies.

Status: Passed the House and Senate. Kemp did not sign or veto the bill, so it will become law.

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–Chamian Cruz, WABE Criminal Justice Reporter

State Budget & Taxes

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Amended Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget (HB 973)

What the bill does: This makes changes to the budget that is currently funding state government through June 30. It started with Gov. Brian Kemp adding $4.5 billion to bring the proposed budget to $42.2 billion. His additions included more than $2 billion for roads including upgrading I-75 express lanes in Clayton and Henry Counties and 316 between Athens and Atlanta. Other additions include $325 million for a one-time endowment of the need-based college aid DREAMS Scholarship program, a one-time $2,000 supplement for state employees and another round of one-time income tax relief.

The House removed Kemp’s one-time income tax relief and replaced it with one-time property tax relief. They also added money for a four-school pilot to test drones used to respond to active shooters.

The Senate restored the one-time income tax rebates, while also keeping one-time property tax relief. Funding was also added to build a new state mental health hospital, the first in decades. They attempted to cut Kemp’s proposals on DREAMS Scholarships, one-time state employee supplements and homelessness. 

So Kemp increased the state budget by nearly $1.4 billion to $43.6 billion to help fund his priorities, along with the key proposals for the state House and state Senate. That includes money for one-time income tax rebates and one-time property tax relief of up to $500; $50 million to address homelessness; one-time $2,000 bonuses for state employees; and $325 million for the DREAMS Scholarships.

Status: HB 973 has passed the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Gov. Kemp on March 3.

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–Rahul Bali, WABE Politics Reporter

Income Tax Deductions (SB 476 and HB 134)

What the bill does: SB 476 and HB 134 would deduct $50,000 from single filers’ taxable net income and $100,000 from joint filers’ taxable income. To pay for this plan, all income tax credits would also sunset by 2032 and would have to be reevaluated to continue, and the bills prohibit a list of corporate tax credits, such as future sales and use exemptions for data centers.

SB 476 is the original bill. The Senate Finance Committee passed a substitute to HB 134 that replaced it with the language of SB 476 in case the Senate bill met any procedural challenges due to a rule that budget and revenue bills must originate in the House. HB 134 was later gutted in the final days of the session and turned into a forestry bill.

What supporters say: This legislation is backed by Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and was introduced by state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, who says the bill aims to help the middle class and targets big corporations.

“The line is clear. Where do you stand? I stand with those families making less than $100,000, and a yes vote fully supports them,” he said.

What opponents say: The bill has received significant pushback from Democrats who say the bill would drain revenue for public services. Many are also skeptical of Tillery’s plan to pay for the bill by repealing tax credits, arguing that sales tax would need to increase to fully pay for the income tax cuts.

“Instead of delivering a real solution and real relief, this scam bill creates a massive hole in our state budget. It’s going to be a hole so deep that it will swallow the services that everyday families rely on,” said Democratic state Sen. Nikki Merritt.

Status: The two bills passed out of the Senate. SB 476 didn’t move from there, and HB 134 was gutted, so both are dead.

Learn More Here and Here

–Meimei Xu, WABE Digital News Editor

Lower Flat Personal Income Tax Rate (HB 463)

What the bill does: HB 463 reduces the flat personal income tax rate to 3.99% for tax year 2028 and increases standard deductions, along with making a certain amount of tips and overtime tax-free.

The personal income tax rate in Georgia is currently set to decrease by 0.10% every year under certain revenue conditions, but the state failed to meet those conditions for tax year 2026. House Bill 463 would decrease the current rate of 5.19% to 4.99% for 2026, with annual reductions of 0.125% beginning in 2027 until the rate reaches 3.99%.

HB 463 would also raise standard deductions from $24,000 to $30,000 for joint filers this year, increasing it by $750 every year starting in 2027 until it reaches $36,000. It would raise it from $12,000 to $15,000, then increase it by $375 annually starting in 2027 until it reaches $18,000.

Deductions for each dependent would also increase from $4,000 to $5,000 this year, further increasing $125 starting in 2027 until it reaches $6,000.

From 2026 to 2028, $1,750 in overtime compensation and $1,750 in cash tips would be tax-free.

What supporters say: Republican State Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia, said repealing the tax credits would not pay for the tax cuts fully, but the revenue conditions in place would ensure the state has enough revenue to return money back to taxpayers.

What opponents say: Democrats who opposed the measure said it would not be possible to make up for the cost of the bill, and that the main beneficiaries are the top earners in the state at the expense of public services.

Status: HB 463 passed both chambers and signed into law by Kemp.

Learn More Here.

–Meimei Xu, WABE Digital News Editor

Reduction of Homestead Property Tax (HR 1114 and HB 1116)

What the bill does: The initial legislation would eliminate homestead property taxes by 2032, meaning homeowners would not pay property taxes on their primary residence by then. That measure would have required a constitutional amendment, so HR 1114 would have created a ballot measure that would have gone on the November ballot.

That proposal failed, and a scaled-back version of HB 1116 was revived on Crossover Day that capped annual property tax increases at the greater of 3% or the rate of inflation under the federal Consumer Price Index. The Senate amended it to create new special taxing districts overlayed on county lines. Those districts could implement a 1% sales tax, with the revenue going toward reducing homeowner property taxes.

What supporters say: The bill’s sponsor, Bonaire Republican state Sen. Shaw Blackmon, said the bill is good for taxpayers.

“It puts the right kind of restrictions in place. Thirty-six other states have a property tax revenue cap. And that, again, does not reduce any money coming into local governments. It just prevents massive increases into the future,” Blackmon said.

What opponents say: Democrats said the bill was being rushed, that it requires a constitutional amendment and risks destabilizing local governments that rely on property taxes to pay for services like law enforcement and fund schools.

“This is a bad bill because we don’t know what’s in here, and we don’t understand the impact of this piece of legislation,” said Lawrenceville Democratic state Rep. Sam Park.

Status: The House voted on HR 1114 on March 3, but it did not receive at least a two-thirds majority vote in favor, so it is likely dead for the session. HB 1116 passed the House but didn’t make it out of the Senate and is dead.

Learn More Here and Here

–Meimei Xu, WABE Digital News Editor

Mandatory Statewide Homestead Exemption (SB 382)

What the bill does: Prevents local governments and school systems from opting out of a statewide homestead tax exemption that caps annual property tax increases. Voters approved the original exemption on the 2024 ballot, but a significant portion of local governments and school districts opted out of the exemption.

What supporters say: Rome Republican state Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, the author of SB 382, has said the ability for local bodies to opt out “guts” the benefits of HB 581.

“We’ve heard from homeowners who say they can’t afford the massive increases in their home taxes. They can’t afford it anymore,” Hufstetler said. “Affordability is a word you’ve heard a lot of this year. You’ve heard a lot of it from me for multiple years. And yet with a billion sitting in the bank, we have local governments, mostly school districts, saying they will not be able to pay their bills unless they continue these double-digit increases.”

What opponents say: Democrats say voters passed the exemption with the opt-out measure, and passing the bill would circumvent the voters’ will. In addition, opponents say making the statewide homestead exemption mandatory would take away financial flexibility from local school systems and counties.

“A one size fits all is potentially not a great policy for a state with 159 counties that are so disparate in their population, in their median income, whether they’re even urban or rural,” said Democratic state Sen. Elena Parent. “We have school systems in widely different states of fiscal solvency.”

Status: Passed the Senate but did not make it out of the House and is dead.

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–Meimei Xu, WABE Digital News Editor

Repeal New Tax Subsidies for Data Centers (SB 410)

What the bill does: Repeals any new sales and use tax exemptions that companies could use to save money on data center equipment. However, companies with existing certificates for sales and use tax exemptions can still use them until they sunset either by the end of 2028 or by the end of 2031, depending on the type of exemption.

The bill also states that contracts between electric utilities and large load customers like data centers need to have terms and conditions to “protect residential and retail customers” from costs associated with serving data centers.

What supporters say: The bill ensures that residents and businesses won’t see major spikes in their utility bills due to the construction of a new data center.

“We passed a bill that does exactly what we want it to do and that’s ensure that ratepayers are not gonna pick up the tab for these big data centers and the weight that they’re gonna put on the infrastructure,” said the bill’s author, Republican state Sen. Matt Brass. “We’re taking back the subsidies that we’ve been providing through their sales tax exemption on equipment.”

What opponents say: Democrats filed a minority report criticizing the bill for only repealing new sales tax subsidies. Opponents of the bill also say the “terms and conditions” portion is not strong enough to ensure that residents and retailers won’t foot the bill for data center costs.

Status: Passed the Senate.

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–Meimei Xu, WABE Digital News Editor