Relief at the pump: Plan to suspend gas tax heads to Georgia Senate
Vote to suspend gas tax
The Georgia House voted on Wednesday to suspend the gas tax for 60 days. The vote now goes to the Senate. If passed, it will go to the governor for signature.
ATLANTA - Georgia lawmakers have approved a plan to temporarily suspend the state gas tax, aiming to ease rising costs for drivers as global tensions push fuel prices higher.
What we know:
The measure, added as an amendment to House Bill 1199, comes as instability in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through global oil markets, leading to sudden price increases at the pump. Supporters say the move is intended to provide immediate relief for families feeling the impact of those spikes.
Lawmakers said the suspension would use the state’s surplus funds to help offset the cost burden, describing it as a way to protect residents from economic forces beyond their control.
House Bill 1199 will now be sent to the state Senate for approval. If it passes, it will go to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature. If signed, it is expected to quickly lower gas prices across the state.
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According to GasBuddy, average price of gas in the state of Georgia as of 10 a.m. Thursday is $3.769 per gallon, which is up 0.2 cents from yesterday. Last week, the average was $3.456 and a month ago, it was $2.689.
The average price of gas in the metro Atlanta area is $3.81, which is approximately the same as the average on Wednesday; 33.7 cents more than last week; and $1.11 more than last month's average of $2.70.