State Representative Eddie Lumsden of Armuchee says lawmakers are entering the final stretch of the 2026 legislative session, with just five days remaining after completing Legislative Day 35 last week.

In his weekly report, Lumsden highlighted several key measures passed by the Georgia General Assembly, including House Bill 1199, which temporarily suspends the state gas tax for 60 days. The move is aimed at providing immediate relief as fuel prices rise. The suspension took effect after Governor Brian Kemp signed the bill into law Friday, meaning lower prices at the pump should begin showing up soon.

Lawmakers also approved House Bill 1000, which provides one-time income tax refunds to eligible Georgians. Refund amounts will be up to $250 for single filers, $375 for heads of household, and $500 for married couples filing jointly.

Healthcare access in rural areas was another major focus. Lumsden says Senate Bill 427 would allow certain internationally trained doctors to practice in Georgia under supervision, helping address physician shortages in underserved communities.

Other measures passed this week include expanded access to life-saving AED devices, stronger protections against discrimination in schools, new efforts to combat human trafficking, and additional support for law enforcement retirement benefits.

Lawmakers also advanced legislation aimed at protecting children, strengthening emergency communications, and improving rural hospital infrastructure.

With the session nearing its end, Lumsden says some of the busiest days are still ahead as lawmakers work to finalize legislation impacting communities across Northwest Georgia and the entire state.

Complete Legislative Report:

The Georgia House of Representatives reconvened on Monday, March 16, for Legislative Day 32 and the start of the 10th week of the 2026 legislative session. Following Monday’s legislative day, House committees met for a very productive committee workday on Tuesday to continue reviewing and considering legislation that crossed over from the Senate after Crossover Day. Throughout the week, my House colleagues and I remained busy and engaged as we worked to advancelegislation out of committees and on the House floor. By the end of the week, the Georgia General Assembly completed Legislative Day 35, leaving only five days left in the 2026 legislative session. Although the end of session is drawing near, some of our busiest session days are still ahead of us. We will continue working diligently in the days ahead to pass meaningful legislation for the citizens across our great state.

One of the most notable measures that the House championed this week was House Bill 1199, which, most importantly, will temporarily suspend Georgia’s excise tax on motor fuel for 60 days. This suspension comes at a critical time as Georgians have faced sharp increases in gas prices amidongoing conflicts in the Middle East, placing added financial strain on families and business across the state. Prices at the pump will begin to reflect this change in the coming days as retailers receive new shipments of motor fuel. Georgia’s excise tax on gasoline is currently 33.3 cents per gallon and 37.3 cents per gallon of diesel. Beyond the gas tax suspension,

HB 1199 also updates Georgia’s tax code to align with recent changes to the federal Internal Revenue Code and establishes a $100 million annual cap on the state’s low-income housing tax credit for years 2026 through 2028, helping to bring greater structure and predictability to the program moving forward. After the House overwhelmingly passed HB 1199 with our gas tax suspension provision included, we immediately sent the amended legislation to our colleagues in the Senate, where they later agreed to the House’s version of HB 1199, giving it final passage. My colleagues and I were proud to join Governor BrianKemp on Friday as he signed this important legislation into law, immediately enacting the gas tax suspension and delivering swift, meaningful relief to Georgians feeling the impact of rising fuel costs.

To further provide much-needed tax relief to Georgians, the Senate gave final passage to House Bill 1000 this week, which Gov. Kemp also signed in to law on Friday. The bill provides a one-time income tax refund to eligible Georgians who filed individual income tax returns for both the 2024 and 2025 tax years by the applicable deadlines. Once a taxpayer files their 2025 return, the Georgia Department of Revenue will issue a refund equal to the lesser of the taxpayer’s 2024 Georgia income tax liability or a set amount based on filing status: $250 for single filers or married individuals filing separately, $375 for heads of household and $500 for married couples filing jointly. This legislation is one of Gov. Kemp’s legislative priorities this session and was funded in House Bill 973, the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 (AFY 2026) budget. This is the fourth year in a row that the General Assembly has passed legislation to provide one-time tax refunds to return money to eligible Georgians and ensure families directly benefit from the state’s continued economic growth.

Amid ongoing shortages of healthcare providers in rural and underserved areas of Georgia, and as part of the House’s continued focus through its work over the summer in the House Study Committee on Improving Access to Internal Medicine in Underserved Areas, we passed Senate Bill 427 this week. The bill would create a structured pathway for certain internationally trained physicians to practice in Georgia under a limited provisional license. Under SB 427, an internationally trained physician—someone who earned a medical degree or its equivalent from a school outside the United States—would be eligible to receive a provisional license issued by the Georgia Composite Medical Board. To be eligible for a provisional license, these individuals would be required to secure full-time employment under a supervising physician at an approved facility, such as a rural medical practice, licensed hospital, federally qualified health center or accredited medical school. Applicants would also be required to meet several qualifications, including holding a current or recently active medical license in good standing, completing at least 130 weeks of medical education at a recognized institution, obtaining certification or eligibility through an approved credentialing body, demonstrating English proficiency and having no disqualifying criminal convictions or prior disciplinary actions. The bill would also grant the board authority to oversee, deny or revoke provisional licenses, while also establishing a pathway to full licensure after four years of active, supervised practice. As a condition of receiving a full license, physicians would be required to complete an additional two years of practice in underserved areas, helping ensure continued access to care where the needs are greatest. By expanding the pool of qualified physicians in rural communities, SB 427 would play an important role in improving access to healthcare for Georgians who need it most.

The House is committed to safeguarding Georgia’s most vulnerable children and preventing avoidable tragedies, and as such, we overwhelmingly gave final passage to Senate Bill 383.Under this legislation, local child fatality review committees would be charged with examining child deaths to identify opportunities for intervention and recommend measures to prevent similar tragedies. These review committees, which currently operate in every Georgia county, are responsible for determining the manner and cause of death and if the death was preventable, as well as reporting their findings to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Georgia Fatality Review Panel. However, SB 383 would update the purpose of these committees by shifting their focus toward prevention—ensuring that they not only review deaths but also actively recommend strategies to reduce future fatalities— rather than just determining the cause of death and if the death was preventable. Furthermore, this legislation would expand review committee membership to include a representative from the local school system, providing additional insight from individuals who may have known and spent time with the child. The bill would also broaden the scope of deaths eligible for review and would include cases in which an infant dies suddenly while in apparent good health, such as sudden infant death syndrome, sudden unexplained infant death and sleep-related infant deaths. Additionally, the legislation would adjust the reporting timeline to improve the accuracy of information and allow for additional time to collect necessary records. County medical examiners or coroners would be required to submit a preliminary report to the appropriate review committee within seven days of receiving notice of a child’s death, replacing the previous 48-hour requirement. Lastly, thesereview committees would hold meetings every 30 days to review reports and investigate the circumstances of all child deaths, and each review committee would be required to submit an annual report to the Georgia Fatality Review Panel by July 15 of each year. With the final passage of SB 383, we intend to strengthen the review process by improving coordination, expanding expertise and placing a greater focus on prevention to help reduce future tragedies.

The House unanimously passed Senate Bill 523 to strengthen protections against acts of discrimination in Georgia’s public education system. Under SB 523, complaints of discrimination or harassment based on race, ethnicity, national origin or religion involving students, teachers or employees would be addressed through a standardized reporting and appeals process. For Georgia’s K-12 school systems, the bill would require the Georgia Department of Education to designate a statewide Title VI coordinator who would be responsible for monitoring discrimination and harassment complaints in public schools. Specifically, the coordinator would develop uniform reporting procedures, both electronically and in writing, so students, parents, teachers and staff could easily report incidents of discrimination. For institutions within Georgia’s University System and Technical College System, the Board of Regents would be required to establish similar policies and procedures, including a publicly accessible written and electronic reporting system. Once a complaint is submitted, the coordinator or governing body would be responsible for documenting and investigating the incident, monitoring any corrective action plans and ensuring that complaints and appeals would be handled in a timely, confidential and thorough manner. The legislation would also require an annual report to be submitted to state officials, summarizing complaints, investigations and findings. If a school or institution is found to be in noncompliance, a written notice requiring corrective action would be issued, and if such institution fails to implement corrective actions within 30 days of receiving the notice, the Title VI coordinator would be required to refer the case to the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the United States Department of Justice. Additionally, SB 523 would authorize the state to withhold a portion of funding from public schools or higher education institutions found to be noncompliant with these requirements. By strengthening reporting and enforcement of these incidents, SB 523 would provide greater accountability, helping ensure that instances of discrimination and harassment are not only identified but meaningfully addressed within Georgia’s public education system.

This week, the House also passed a life-saving measure to ensure every Georgian has rapid access to medical care with theunanimous final passage of Senate Bill 399, the Mason Sells AED Coordination Act. This legislation aims to expand access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and provide emergency call centers with both AED location information and high-quality telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) guidance for Georgians experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Under SB 399, all emergency communications officers would be required to be trained in T-CPR and instructed on how to guide 9-1-1 callers in using AEDs. The bill would also create a comprehensive map of all AED locations, which would be made available to 9-1-1 operators. When a sudden cardiac arrest is reported, 9-1-1 operators would use the map to quickly direct callers to the nearest AED, reducing the critical time that could be lost searching for or locating a device. Once a device has been located by the caller, trained 9-1-1 operators would then guide the callers on how to correctly use the device. SB 399 would further direct the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority and the Georgia Public Safety Training Center to create and implement training programs on how to deliver high-quality T-CPR in cases of sudden cardiac arrest, which would be incorporated into existing training courses for emergency call operators. SB 399 is named in honor of Mason Sells, a 20-year-old Mercer University student who tragically lost his life from sudden cardiac arrest while playing soccer in 2024. By providing Georgia’s 9-1-1 callers with immediate access to AED locations and clear, step-by-step instructions, the Mason Sells AED Coordination Act would help save precious minutes during a sudden cardiac emergency and encourage bystanders to take life-saving action, such as performing CPR or using an AED before emergency responders arrive.

As we continue our efforts to expand Georgia’s healthcare workforce, the House gave final passage to House Bill 571, which would place the licensing and regulation of radiologist assistants under the Georgia Composite Medical Board. Under this legislation, the board would establish a specialized framework for the licensure and continuing education of radiologist assistants and would have the authority to set requirements specific to radiologist assistants, including determining the number of continuing education hours required on a biennial basis, the subject areas in which those hours must be earned and which courses would be approved. This separate framework would be guided by an advisory committee appointed by the board and composed of at least one licensed radiologist, three licensed radiologist assistants and a consumer representative. Advisory committee members would provide guidance on licensure, rulemaking and professional standards for radiologist assistants, including, but not limited to,consulting with the board on the issuance, denial, suspension and revocation of licenses. Importantly, beginning July 1, 2026, no person would be permitted to engage in the scope of the practice as a radiologist assistant in Georgia without a valid license issued by the board. By establishing a separate framework for radiologist assistants under the oversight of the board, this legislation would support improved standards of care and more efficient radiological services—particularly for patients undergoing time-sensitive imaging, such as those being evaluated or treated for cancer.

The House also gave final passage to House Bill 185,which would allow for a comprehensive modernization of Georgia’s dietetics and nutrition framework, while also expanding pathways for qualified nutrition therapists to become licensed in the state. Specifically, the legislation would narrow licensure requirements for those practicing medical nutrition therapy, which is designed to treat chronic conditions. The legislation would also position Georgia to join the Dietitian Licensure Compact, which would improve portability of licensed nutrition therapists across state lines and enhance continuity of care for patients who move between states. This would be particularly beneficial for Georgians who frequently move in and out of the state, including military families. In addition, the bill would also replace the Dietetics Practice Act with the Dietetics and Nutrition Act and would rename the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians to the Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitian Nutritionists and Licensed Nutritionists. The newly structured board—composed of nine members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate—would oversee the licensure of dietitians and nutritionists and establish requirements for practices across the state. These updates seek to advance dietetic education, expand credentialing programs and address the evolving needs of individuals licensed to practice in the fields of dietetics and nutrition.

Building on the House’s efforts to combat human trafficking across our state, my colleagues and I passed Senate Bill 570, also known as the Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act, with bipartisan support on Thursday. SB 570 would require hotels and third-party managed short-term rental properties’ employees to complete annual training on identifying and reporting suspected human trafficking, with the initial training required within 60 days of hire and renewed each year. The legislation would apply to on-site employees at inns and hotels, as well as short-term rental properties, but it would not apply to individual owners managing their own property or rentals used less than 15 days per year. The training would cover key topics, such as defining human trafficking, recognizing warning signs, understanding the differences between labor and sex trafficking and outlining response procedures, including how to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline or local law enforcement. Additionally, owners and managers would be required to create policies for reporting suspected trafficking and keep records of employee training. Owners, operators or managers who fail to comply with these requirements would be subject to a fine of $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second offense and $2,000 for a third or subsequent violation. Hotels and rental properties are often associated with human trafficking activity, making it essential that we equip staff with the knowledge and tools needed to recognize warning signs and help prevent vulnerable individuals from becoming victims.

Senate Bill 452 also received final passage in the House this week and builds on a priority highlighted by Gov. Kemp in his annual State of the State Address to strengthen retirement security for Georgia’s public safety workforce. The legislation would increase employer contributions to qualifying 401(k) accounts for Georgia’s law enforcement officers, helping ensure that those who dedicate their careers to protecting others would be supported well beyond their years of active service. Importantly, SB 452 would establish a structured contribution framework in which, beginning on July 1, 2026, officers with at least five years of creditable service—defined as state law enforcement officers who are peace officers employed by the Department of Community Supervision or sworn officers certified by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council—would receive an additional employer contribution equal to two percent of compensation for each year of service beyond five years. Officers participating in the program would be required to contribute a minimum of five percent of their salary, with total employer contributions increasing incrementally up to 15 percent. On Thursday, my colleagues and I were joined in the House gallery by members of state law enforcement as we considered this measure, serving as a powerful reminder of the dedication, courage and daily sacrifice of the men and women who protect Georgia’s communities. SB 452 reflects a broader commitment to ensuring that those who serve and protect Georgians are supported not only during their careers but also in retirement with the benefits they have rightfully earned.

Also, this week, the House took decisive action to protect Georgians from experiencing interrupted communication with public safety agencies during emergencies by passing Senate Bill 470, also known as the Emergency & Public Safety Signal Protection Act. This legislation would prohibit the possession, operation and distribution of signal jammers that intend to interfere with the transmission of a communication signal over any wireless communication system, such as a phone, radio, radar system or station. Because these devices can block or degrade signals used by law enforcement, firefighters and emergency medical personnel, they pose a serious threat to public safety. SB 470 would classify signal jammers as contraband, establish strong felony penalties and allow for the seizure of illegal equipment, while still providing limited exemptions for federally authorized uses. By making the use of signal jammers unlawful, this measure would help ensure thatGeorgians can reliably access emergency services and enable first responders to carry out their critical, time-sensitive work without dangerous disruptions.

Finally, on Friday, the House gave final passage to Senate Bill 170, a necessary measure to strengthen the resilience of Georgia’s healthcare infrastructure. SB 170 would create a grant program to acquire and install backup generators for affected rural hospitals, which are acute care hospitals located in rural counties with fewer than 100 beds and located in any region where the governor declared a state of emergency after July 1, 2024. Under this legislation, the Department of Community Health, in collaboration with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, would set grant criteria and make award decisions. These grant amounts would be determined on a case-by-case basis to best meet each hospital’s specific needs, with priority given to affected rural hospitals lacking backup generators and the means to install them. This effort builds on similar legislation passed by the House last year—House Bill 262—and responds directly to the challenges exposed by Hurricane Helene in 2024, which highlighted the vulnerability of rural hospitals during severe weather events. By investing in reliable backup energy systems, SB 170 would help guarantee that essential medical services remain available during severe weather events, particularly for rural communities that may not have the same access to backup energy like some of our larger cities.

We also passed the following Senate bills during the 10thweek of the 2026 legislative session: