A major income tax cut plan approved by the Georgia Senate is being praised by supporters as “relief” for taxpayers — but critics on the left say the measure could end up harming the very people it claims to help: low-income residents and the lower working class.
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 lawmakers are advancing a bill that would allow pharmacists to prescribe and administer hormonal contraception, potentially making birth control more accessible across the state without a doctor’s visit.
The Georgia House has approved legislation aimed at expanding how landowners and wildlife control operators can trap and hunt feral hogs—an invasive species blamed for widespread damage to crops, pastures, wildlife habitat, and property across the state. Supporters say the measure is designed to remove red tape and help reduce hog populations that reproduce quickly and are difficult to control.
State Senator Chuck Hufstetler, a Republican from Rome, says lawmakers are taking a closer look at the rapid growth of data centers across Georgia, calling it one of the most pressing economic and infrastructure issues facing the state.
In his latest legislative report, State Rep. Eddie Lumsden says the Georgia House returned to full work after Winter Storm Fern prompted a State of Emergency and briefly slowed the start of the 2026 session. Lumsden, a Republican from Armuchee, represents Chattooga County and a portion of Floyd County in the Georgia House of Representatives.
Lumsden says House Appropriations subcommittees resumed meetings to review the AFY 2026 and FY 2027 budget proposals, while the House Rules Committee met for the first time this session and the chamber passed its first legislation of 2026. He also noted lawmakers recognized utility crews, first responders, and agencies for storm response and power restoration efforts across North Georgia.
Among key actions, the House passed HB 443 to create offshore fishing endorsement fees to support Georgia-based fisheries surveys, and unanimously adopted HR 1008 to update the state’s water planning council structure. Lumsden also cited final passage of SB 148, which would update public school policies including hunting safety lessons, outdoor learning, expanded personal leave, and changes to AED program requirements. He added that House Speaker Jon Burns introduced the Georgia HOME Act, a proposal aimed at phasing out homestead property taxes by 2032.
You can read Rep. Lumsden’s complete report below:
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Photo Credit: Education Week
Georgia lawmakers are considering extending a statewide ban on student personal devices to high schools, meaning today’s sophomores could face phone-free school days by their senior year. A ban covering kindergarten through middle school is already set to take effect next fall after passage last year, and the bill’s sponsor now wants to expand that policy to older students beginning in fall 2027.
Capitol Beat News Service contributed to this story
A proposed amendment to the Georgia Constitution could eliminate sales taxes on timber, a move supporters say would help stabilize a forestry industry that has been hammered by mill closures and storm damage. House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration of Mulberry is sponsoring House Resolution 1000, saying the bipartisan effort is meant to protect what he called a cornerstone of Georgia’s rural economy.
A Georgia state senator is renewing a push to make data centers pay more of their own way, sponsoring legislation that would roll back a major sales tax incentive while arguing the savings could be used to reduce taxes for everyone else.
The 2026 Georgia Legislative Assembly will convene Monday, January 12, 2026, bringing state lawmakers back to the Capitol to begin the annual session. Over the coming weeks, legislators are expected to take up a wide range of issues that affect Northwest Georgia, including the state budget, public safety, education, health care access, and insurance-related policy.
Representing the area will be State Representative Eddie Lumsden, who serves House District 12, covering Chattooga County and parts of Floyd County. During the 2026 session, Lumsden is serving as Chairman of the House Insurance Committee, and he also holds assignments on the Appropriations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Governmental Affairs, Human Relations & Aging, Public Safety and Homeland Security, Rules, and State Properties committees.
Constituents who want to share concerns or follow legislative developments can reach Rep. Lumsden by email at eddie.lumsden@house.ga.gov, by phone at (404) 656-7850, or by mail/visit at 220-A State Capitol, Atlanta, GA 30334.
