Georgia's 2026 Legislative Session: What you need to know ahead of Monday’s gavel-in

ATLANTA - Georgia lawmakers will return to the State Capitol on Monday with a heavy focus on the "affordability" of life in the Peach State, setting the stage for a competitive 2026 legislative session defined by competing tax relief proposals and political posturing.

Georgia's affordability battleground

What they're saying:

Georgia Gang panelists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson said to expect tax relief to be the primary battleground as leadership in both the House and Senate looks to ease the financial burden on Georgia families.

"Affordability is what everybody who is running for statewide office is talking about in this coming session," said Republican strategist Brian Robinson. "But also what we're hearing from the legislative leadership in the House and Senate."

Georgia's dueling tax plans

What we know:

While both chambers agree on providing relief, they are eyeing different paths to get there.

• Property Tax Relief: House Speaker Jon Burns is proposing a "phased approach" to eliminate property taxes for Georgia residents. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson noted that while seniors already benefit from homestead exemptions, the speaker's plan would broaden that relief. "A lot of people have been saying that they want some type of property tax relief," Johnson said.
• Income Tax Elimination: Conversely, Senate Republicans plan to introduce a bill aimed at eliminating the state income tax entirely.

"Speaker Burns is sort of proposing to look at eliminating property taxes for residents in Georgia," Johnson explained. "A lot of people have been saying that they want some type of property tax relief. We know right now we have our seniors that benefit from homestead exemptions. But what the speaker's proposing is sort of a phased approach around eliminating the property taxes for people in Georgia."

The differing priorities mean the two chambers will likely have to find middle ground before the session concludes.

"People are looking at ways to lower property taxes, to look at lowering the income tax burden," Robinson said. "There's got to be some compromise. Not everybody's going to be able to get everything that they want. But at the end of the day, I do think by the end of session, we will have lowered the tax burden on Georgia's families."

Midterms are top of mind

Big picture view:

The policy debate is expected to be heightened by the fact that several members of the General Assembly are currently running for higher office.

Johnson believes these political ambitions will lead to a high-energy environment under the Gold Dome, with lawmakers eager to define their stances for voters.

"I think there's going to be a lot of jockeying for airtime," Johnson said. "You're going to see a lot of people going to the well, speaking on issues that they haven't spoken on in the past, but I do believe that it's going to be a very competitive legislative session."

Georgia legislative session dates

Timeline:

Wild Hog Supper: The unofficial start to the legislative season. It is held annually at the Georgia Freight Depot. This year it takes place on Sunday, Jan. 11.

Session Start: The Georgia Constitution states the session begins on the second Monday of January, which is Jan. 12.

Eggs and Issues: The Georgia Chamber of Commerce holds the annual event scheduled for Jan 14 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Sine Die: The anticipated Sine Die (final day) is April 6.

Georgia bills to watch

Dig deeper:

Some of the other bills to keep an eye on include:

Data center tax incentives — SB 34

SB 34 returns to the Senate floor this month. It aims to address tax exemptions and costs associated with the rapid expansion of data centers in Georgia, balancing economic development with infrastructure and utility concerns.

DEI in education — SB 120

SB 120 remains in the Senate after being Tabled on March 6, 2025. For the bill to advance this session, it must be "taken from the table" for a fresh vote to determine if it will move forward to the House.

Hand-marked ballots — SB 214

SB 214 is currently sitting in the House awaiting action. While the bill successfully passed the Senate in April 2025, it stalled in the House and requires a committee push to reach the floor for a final vote.

High school cellphone ban — New priority

Building on the K-8 ban (HB 340) already in law, Speaker Jon Burns announced on Jan. 7, 2026, that a new measure is expected to pass this session. This priority legislation would extend the ban on cellphones to include grades 9–12. A bill number has not yet been assigned.

Gun safe storage — HB 2

HB 2 is a live bill for 2026 currently residing in the House Ways and Means committee. After remaining in committee throughout 2025, lawmakers will decide this session whether to advance the measure regarding firearm storage requirements.

Property tax relief — HB 260

HB 260 requires a vote in 2026 to stay on track for its intended goal. Because it was "Withdrawn and Recommitted" in April 2025, it must pass this session to trigger a voter referendum on the November 2026 ballot.

Income tax elimination plan — New priority

As of the start of the 2026 legislative session, a specific bill number has not yet been assigned to the plan spearheaded by Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) and Lt. Gov. Burt Jones. Formally recommended by a special committee on Jan. 7, this legislation aims to eliminate the state income tax entirely by 2032. The proposal begins with immediate relief in 2027 by making the first $50,000 of income for individuals (and $100,000 for joint filers) tax-exempt, effectively removing two-thirds of Georgia workers from the tax rolls.

When does this session begin?

What's next:

Lawmakers are scheduled to gavel into session Monday morning to begin the 40-day sprint.

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