Georgia lawmakers have passed a controversial bill that could allow property owners to take legal action against local governments over homeless encampments and immigration enforcement policies.
Drivers in Chattooga County and across Northwest Georgia are seeing a little relief at the pump this week, but fuel prices remain under pressure as global oil markets react to ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Georgia lawmakers have approved House Bill 1000, a measure that would provide a one-time state income tax rebate for eligible taxpayers, and the bill is now headed to Governor Brian Kemp for his signature.
Under the proposal, taxpayers who filed timely Georgia income tax returns for both the 2024 and 2025 tax years would qualify for the rebate. The bill sets the rebate at $250 for single filers or married people filing separately, $375 for heads of household, and $500 for married couples filing jointly.
The rebate would be funded using part of the state’s budget surplus, which lawmakers say currently stands at around $14 billion.
If signed into law, the measure would mark another round of tax relief for Georgia residents, continuing a series of rebates issued by the state in recent years as lawmakers return surplus revenue to taxpayers.
A Georgia state senator has stepped down from office to focus on her campaign for lieutenant governor.
Democratic Sen. Nabilah Parkes, who represented part of Gwinnett County, announced her resignation in a public statement Friday. Parkes first launched a campaign for Georgia insurance and fire safety commissioner in January before shifting to the lieutenant governor’s race on March 5.
Parkes now joins state Sen. Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs and Richard Wright in the Democratic field for lieutenant governor. In her resignation letter to Gov. Brian Kemp, Parkes sharply criticized the Georgia Legislature, calling it “a place where good ideas go to die and where extremists continue to attack our freedoms.” Georgia’s primary election is scheduled for May 19.
As fuel prices continue to rise amid fighting in Iran, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp says he is not ready to suspend the state gas tax just yet.
Kemp told reporters Tuesday that previous gas tax suspensions were “targeted and strategic,” and he does not want to overreact to what could end up being a short-term spike in prices.
The latest jump in fuel costs follows military strikes in Iran on February 28 involving U.S. and Israeli forces, which pushed oil prices sharply higher.
Kemp noted that oil briefly climbed to around $115 a barrel before falling back to about $90 a barrel. He also said the United States is producing record levels of oil and gas, which he believes provides strong long-term energy security even while prices remain vulnerable to global events.
The governor said he plans to keep watching the markets for several more days before making any decision on whether to suspend the gas tax.
Kemp has taken that step three times before. In 2022, he suspended the gas tax as prices climbed during the war in Ukraine. In 2023, he again suspended the tax as inflation hit a 40-year high. In 2024, Kemp suspended the gas tax in response to Hurricane Helene.
For now, Georgia drivers will have to wait and see whether the recent rise in gas prices becomes severe enough to prompt another temporary tax break.
The Georgia Senate on Friday approved its version of the $42.3 billion amended state budget, keeping major tax rebates for Georgians while increasing funding for mental health services and rural infrastructure.
A group of mostly Republican Georgia state senators is moving quickly to advance legislation that would reduce the state’s personal income tax, marking the first step in a long-term plan to eliminate the tax entirely by 2032.
Georgia’s net tax collections slipped slightly in January, with the state reporting $3.03 billion in net tax revenue for the month — down $18.1 million, or 0.6%, compared to January of last year. State officials framed the dip as a modest month-to-month decline, not a major shift in overall revenue performance.
Governor Brian Kemp has announced new transfer agreements between the Technical College System of Georgia and Mercer University, creating smoother pathways for students to move from technical colleges into four-year degree programs while strengthening Georgia’s workforce.
State Rep. Eddie Lumsden, a Republican from Armuchee, who represents Chattooga County and part of Floyd County, says the second week of the Georgia legislative session focused on “budget week,” as lawmakers reviewed Gov. Brian Kemp’s proposals for the amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget and the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. Lumsden highlighted a proposed one-time $1 billion tax rebate, a $2,000 supplement for state employees and school personnel, investments in rural economic development and timber industry recovery, increased funding for higher education and HOPE scholarships, and the creation of the state’s first need-based aid program through the DREAMS scholarship. He also noted funding for behavioral health housing support, public safety, transportation projects, and workforce development, along with updates on Georgia’s revenue outlook and preparations for winter weather, including a statewide State of Emergency. Lumsden said budget subcommittees will continue their work in the coming weeks and encouraged constituents to stay informed and engaged. See his complete report below: