As spring green-up continues across Georgia, state wildlife officials are reminding residents that black bears are becoming more active and visible in search of food.
Georgia lawmakers are moving forward with several bills this session aimed at improving child welfare services, supporting foster children with autism and related disorders, and strengthening legal protections for victims of abuse.
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.
The Georgia Department of Agriculture says the state has officially been declared free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, though officials stress that poultry growers and flock owners still need to stay on guard. Georgia regained its HPAI-free status as of March 13, allowing the state to resume exports and international trade of poultry products.
Georgia’s net tax collections totaled $2.12 billion in February, a slight decrease of 0.1% compared to February of last year.
Even with that small monthly decline, the state remains ahead overall for the fiscal year. Through the first eight months of the budget year, Georgia has collected about $21.88 billion, an increase of 1.6% over the same period a year ago.
The biggest drop in February came from individual income tax collections, which fell 4.1%. Higher tax refunds were a major factor in that decline, even as withholding payments showed a slight increase.
At the same time, sales tax collections moved higher, providing one of the brighter spots in the report. Motor fuel tax revenues also increased from the same month last year.
Meanwhile, corporate income tax collections posted a sharp decline for the month. The state also reported smaller decreases in motor vehicle tag, title and fee collections.
Despite the mixed results in February, Georgia’s overall revenue picture remains positive for the year so far, with collections continuing to run ahead of last fiscal year’s pace.
A bipartisan measure moving through the Georgia General Assembly would eliminate the state’s 4% sales tax on diapers, baby formula, and menstrual products, classifying them as essential goods rather than taxable items. Supporters say the change would ease financial pressure on families, noting that while groceries and prescription drugs are already exempt in Georgia, diaper and feminine hygiene products are not.
Advocates point to long-term costs, with estimates showing the average woman spends about $18,000 on period products over her lifetime — plus roughly $1,000 in taxes. Government assistance programs like SNAP and WIC do not cover diapers, and the Georgia Diaper Bank Coalition estimates ending the diaper tax could save families about $80 per child. Diaper banks statewide distribute more than 1.4 million diapers each year to families in need.
The effort is being led this session by Republican State Sen. Randy Robertson, who says the issue is about prioritizing families despite the potential loss of millions in state revenue. The bill must pass committee before heading to the Senate floor ahead of Crossover Day, and supporters say it has bipartisan backing. If approved, Georgia would join a growing number of states that have eliminated sales taxes on menstrual and baby care products.
New unemployment benefit filings in Georgia declined last week, a sign layoffs may be easing slightly statewide even as national claims moved higher. The U.S. Department of Labor reports Georgia initial claims fell to 3,979 for the week ending February 21, down from 4,293 the week before (a drop of 314).
Nationally, seasonally adjusted initial claims rose to 212,000, up 4,000 from the prior week, according to the same weekly report.
In the week’s state-by-state movement, Rhode Island posted the largest percentage jump (from 1,154 to 2,677, about +132%) while Michigan saw the biggest percentage drop (from 7,315 to 3,667, about -49.9%).
New filings for unemployment benefits in Georgia dropped last week compared with the week prior, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
Initial jobless claims in Georgia — often used as a snapshot of layoffs — fell to 4,070 for the week ending February 14, down from 5,350 the previous week.
Nationally, initial unemployment claims also moved lower. The U.S. total dropped to 206,000 last week on a seasonally adjusted basis, down 23,000 from 229,000 the week before.
Among the states, Iowa saw the largest percentage increase in weekly claims, with claims rising 15.4%. Virginia recorded the largest percentage drop, with new claims falling 42.5%.
The Georgia Department of Labor has received the “Model Agency Award” for Excellence in Human Resources from the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, after earning the highest assessment score among all Tier 1 agencies at 97.6 percent.
The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Georgia Pre-K Teachers of the Year program.