A bill aimed at expanding access to HIV prevention medication has cleared the Georgia House, moving the state one step closer to allowing pharmacists to play a larger role in preventing new HIV infections.
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.
The Georgia House of Representatives completed a busy fourth week of the 2026 legislative session as lawmakers passed House Bill 973, the House’s version of the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget. The budget, which passed with bipartisan support, is built on a revised $42.3 billion revenue estimate and includes $4.5 billion in surplus and new funding to support priorities through June 30, 2026.
Key investments in the amended budget include property tax relief through the Homeowner Tax Relief Grant program, education funding for K–12 schools and higher education, and pay supplements for teachers, school staff, and early learning educators. The House also approved funding for HOPE and the new need-based DREAMS Scholarship, along with investments in school safety, mental health services, and workforce readiness initiatives.
The budget further prioritizes public safety, healthcare, and infrastructure, with funding for prison security upgrades, behavioral health facilities, rural healthcare access, and major transportation projects, including road resurfacing and rural bridge repairs. Lawmakers also heard the annual State of the Judiciary Address from Chief Justice Nels S.D. Peterson during the week.
In addition to the budget, the House passed several bills addressing issues such as newborn safety, feral hog control, rural eye care access, veterans’ burial eligibility, and early literacy initiatives. With the amended budget now moving to the Senate, the House will soon begin work on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget as the session continues.
See the complete legislative report below:
Blake Elsberry, a candidate for Georgia State Senate District 53 and former Chattooga County Sole Commissioner, has released a public response addressing questions surrounding his past involvement with Zentell Communications.
Voters across Northwest Georgia are invited to attend the Georgia 14th Congressional District Candidate Forum scheduled for Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Rome City Auditorium.
Former President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he is endorsing Clay Fuller in the crowded special election to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District.
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.