Georgia lawmakers ended their special legislative session Saturday with the state Senate giving final approval to $470 million in emergency aid and tax incentives to victims of Hurricane Michael while also passing a $40 million tax break for airlines.
The Senate voted unanimously to approve the two hurricane relief bills, which had previously cleared the House. They include $69 million to help state and local agencies cover emergency response costs, $55 million to assist farmers suffering crop losses and $20 million for cleanup efforts on commercial timberland.
Meanwhile, commercial timber growers in 28 Georgia counties declared disaster areas by the governor will able to claim $200 million in tax credits aimed at encouraging them to replant acreage scarred by trees snapped and uprooted by the October storm. The credits will also be available to pecan farmers whose groves were damaged or destroyed.
Read this story now for free
To continue reading, sign up for our newsletter and get unlimited access to WABE.org
You can select your preferences for news and local content. We will never share your email address. Learn how your newsletter sign-up will support WABE and Public Media
