The 2026 Georgia legislative session is in its early phase, having convened on Monday, January 12, 2026 as the second year of the 158th General Assembly. The General Assembly meets for 40 legislative days, with Crossover Day set for March 6 (Day 28) and Sine Die on April 2 (Day 40) as laid out in the session calendar published by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).
Source: GPB – 2026 Georgia General Assembly

Since January 20, 2026, the Assembly’s work has been dominated by budget hearings, tax and affordability debates, and early movement on a handful of policy bills.

1. Budget, Taxes, and “Affordability” Focus

While detailed appropriations bill numbers and line items are still moving through committees after Joint Appropriations hearings (Jan 20–22), the broad thrust of fiscal policy is clear:

a. Tax Relief & Affordability Theme

Media and political insiders describe “affordability” as the core theme of the 2026 session, with competing Republican proposals on how to cut taxes:

• House: Property Tax Relief and Potential Elimination

  • House Speaker Jon Burns is championing aggressive property tax relief, positioned as a key affordability measure.
  • As of Day 8 (Jan 28/29), GPB reports that House Republicans filed legislation to eliminate property taxes on primary residences by 2032, combined with immediate relief via:
    • Annual increases (doubling or more) of the state homestead exemption, and
    • Homeowner tax relief grants averaging about $500 per family.
  • The proposal would require a constitutional amendment and thus a two‑thirds vote in both chambers, meaning Democratic cooperation is necessary.
    Source: GPB Day 8 recap

• Senate: Income Tax Elimination Plan

  • Senate leadership, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Sen. Blake Tillery, is pushing a plan to eliminate the state income tax by 2032.
  • The proposal (bill number TBD at session start) would:
    • Make the first $50,000 of income for individuals, and $100,000 for joint filers, tax‑exempt beginning in 2027,
    • Effectively remove roughly two‑thirds of Georgia workers from the state income tax rolls in the early phase.
      Source: FOX 5 Atlanta session preview

Net effect since 1/20:

• Competing big‑ticket tax frameworks are now both formally in play:
  • House: constitutional‑level property tax elimination for primary residences.
  • Senate: phased elimination of the state income tax.
• This sets up a major negotiation later in the session as budget and revenue bills advance.

2. Infrastructure, Education & Public Services

a. Session Calendar & Appropriations Activity

• Jan 20–22, 2026 – Joint Appropriations Hearings:
  GPB’s calendar shows these as dedicated days for budget work, with no regular floor session listed. Committees and joint panels used this window to examine the Amended FY 2026 budget and initial framing for FY 2027 before floor days resumed.
  Source: GPB – 2026 Georgia General Assembly

b. K–12 Education & School Operations

• Outdoor Instruction & School Provisions – SB 148

  • SB 148, originally a bill to allow teachers to hold outdoor classes, picked up significant House amendments including:
    • Hunting safety training,
    • Additional teacher sick days, and
    • Expanded availability of defibrillators in schools.
  • As of Day 8 (late Jan), GPB reports the amended bill passed unanimously in the Senate’s reconsideration context.
    Source: GPB Day 8 recap

• High School Cell Phone Restrictions – “Next Step” After K–8 Ban

  • Building on an existing K–8 cell phone ban (HB 340) that’s already law, Speaker Burns has publicly prioritized extending restrictions to grades 9–12.
  • As of early session (pre‑Crossover), FOX 5 notes that this high‑school expansion is a priority bill yet to be assigned a number but expected to move this year.
    Source: FOX 5 Atlanta

• Autism Indicator on Driver’s Licenses (New Proposal)

  • On Day 8, GPB reports lawmakers and autism advocates backing a bill to allow drivers with autism to opt into a special symbol on their driver’s licenses, intended to help law enforcement recognize hidden disabilities during stops or encounters.
  • The bill number is not specified in the recap, but the policy concept is now formally in the discussion and being advanced by proponents.
    Source: GPB Day 8 recap

3. Notable Individual Bills and Their Status (Activity Since 1/20)

Below is a concise tracker of key bills either explicitly reported as moving since January 20 or identified as “live” 2026 bills with action expected in this window.

Bills with explicit floor action reported after Jan 20

1. SB 148 – Outdoor Classes / School Provisions

   • Subject: Outdoor instruction, hunting safety training, teacher sick leave, school defibrillators.
   • Recent action: GPB reports unanimous passage after House amendments were considered.
   • Implication: Close to final approval, pending reconciliation of House/Senate language if necessary.
   • Source: GPB

2. HB 443 – Fishing License Fees

   • Subject: Sets fees for various fishing licenses across species.
   • Recent action: House approved Senate changes (late January).
   • Implication: Nearing or at the “ready for governor” stage, depending on prior status.
   • Source: GPB

3. SB 170 – Homelessness Council / Rural Hospital Generators

   • Subject: Originally an interagency council on homelessness; the House substituted it to fund backup generators for rural hospitals.
   • Recent action: The substituted version failed to pass in the Senate.
   • Implication: As currently drafted, SB 170 is stalled; it would need further procedural maneuvering or a new bill vehicle.
   • Source: GPB

High‑interest “live” bills positioned for 2026 decisions

(These were identified pre‑session or at the start and are expected to move through committees and possibly see floor activity between late January and Crossover Day.)

From FOX 5 Atlanta:

• SB 34 – Data Center Tax Incentives

  • Subject: Revises tax exemptions and treatment of data centers, reflecting concern about their heavy power and infrastructure demands.
  • Status entering 2026: Returning to the Senate floor this month; it already has a legislative history and will be part of the early “affordability / growth vs. infrastructure strain” debate.

• SB 120 – DEI in Education

  • Subject: Provisions related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in education.
  • Status: Tabled on March 6, 2025. To move in 2026, it must be “taken from the table” for a new vote in the Senate. It remains a potential flashpoint but not yet re‑activated on the floor as of late January.

• SB 214 – Hand‑Marked Ballots / Election Administration

  • Subject: Transition to hand‑marked paper ballots and related election administration provisions.
  • Status: Passed the Senate in April 2025; now sitting in the House, needing committee action to reach the floor during the 2026 session.

• HB 2 – Gun Safe Storage

  • Subject: Firearm safe storage requirements.
  • Status: Live for 2026 in House Ways and Means, where it remained throughout 2025. Advancement would require committee action this session.

• HB 260 – Property Tax Relief / Constitutional Amendment Path

  • Subject: Framework to change property tax provisions, including a path to a voter referendum in November 2026.
  • Status: Marked as needing 2026 passage to stay on track because it was “Withdrawn and Recommitted” in April 2025. If not advanced this session, the referendum timeline slips.

4. Political & Issue Climate Since 1/20

While not strictly “bill text,” the political floor speeches and debates shape which bills move:

• Immigration & ICE‑Related Debate

  • GPB’s Day 8 recap documents heated Senate debate over federal immigration enforcement and the Minneapolis shooting of Alex Pretti, with Democrats criticizing the Trump administration and Republicans emphasizing crimes by undocumented immigrants in Georgia.
  • This rhetoric does not yet correspond to a single marquee “immigration bill” reported as moving since Jan 20, but it signals high likelihood of enforcement or sanctuary‑related measures emerging or being revived.
    Source: GPB Day 8 recap

• Data Centers Backlash

  • GPB’s General Assembly coverage page points to a surge of bills targeting data centers driven by local opposition to their power and water use—these intersect with measures like SB 34 and potential new filings.
  • Status detail on each bill will come from the General Assembly’s bill search and committee schedules.
    Source: GPB – 2026 Georgia General Assembly

5. Key Dates Going Forward (Legislative Mechanics)

From the GPB 2026 calendar:

• Days already passed:
  • Day 1–5: Jan 12–16
  • Joint Appropriations: Jan 20–22 (off‑calendar for floor work)
  • Day 6–9: Jan 26–29
• Upcoming Landmark Dates:
  • Crossover Day – March 6 (Day 28): Last day for a bill to pass its chamber of origin to remain viable this session.
  • Sine Die – April 2 (Day 40): Final legislative day; any bills not passed by both chambers die and must be reintroduced in a later session.
    Source: GPB – 2026 Georgia General Assembly