2026 Capitol Update - Week 9
2026 Capitol Update - Week 9
March 9, 2026
Lawmakers worked late into the evening on Friday and into the early morning hours of Saturday for Crossover Day, the deadline for a bill to have passed at least one chamber in order to be eligible for further action in this legislative session. The Senate adjourned around 11pm, while the House worked until 1am.
Both chambers left several bills as casualties of Crossover, but it is unlikely that all of the proposals that didn’t crossover are “really dead” for the session. Advocates for proposals that don’t make it sometimes find a way to amend the language from their bill to another bill dealing with a similar subject – hitching a ride on another legislative “vehicle” that may get them across the finish line.
Qualifications-Based Selection
SB 51, sponsored by Senator Ed Setzler (R–Acworth), is still pending in the House Rules Committee awaiting for further action.
PELS Board Funding
The House plans to consider the full Fiscal Year 2027 budget today (this legislation is not subject to the Crossover deadline) and will likely vote on the budget this week before sending it to the Senate for their consideration. We have advocated for an increase in funding for the Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors Licensing Board to fund a dedicated investigator, an attorney, and a workforce development specialist aimed at increasing interest in the engineering and surveying professions and expanding the workforce pipeline.
As part of the effort to increase funding for the PELS Board, HB 1428 by Representative Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming) was introduced to allow the Board to retain fees from smaller transactions, such as credit card transaction fees and licensure verifications, just as other licensure boards do. While this legislation passed unanimously out of the subcommittee and full House Regulated Industries Committee, it was a casualty of Crossover.
Permitting Reform
HB 812 by Representative Mike Cheokas (R-Americus) failed to make the Crossover deadline. The bill proposed to adjust the shot clock for application approvals by local governments for land disturbance permits to clarify that the initial permitting review process is 45 days and any subsequent review is limited to 14 days. The legislation was amended in the House Rules Committee to exempt various jurisdictions from private professional provider services, which drastically reduced support for the measure. Ultimately, it was never called up for a vote in the House.
SB 447 by Senator Clint Dixon (R-Mulberry) is the Senate’s version of permitting reform, which addresses many of the same objectives that HB 812 aimed to accomplish. SB 447 passed the Senate 46-4, and was assigned to the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee.
Property Tax & Other Funding Mechanisms
The House overhauled HB 1116 (Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire), the Home Ownership & Market Equalization Act (HOME Act), which is aimed at reducing property taxes. Republicans have touted the new compromise as a way to achieve property tax reform without the need for a constitutional amendment. While the original proposal would have gradually reduced rates over several years to 0%, the new proposal caps growth in ad valorem property tax revenue at 3% a year or the rate of inflation, whichever is higher. It also allows local governments to adjust sales taxes to help make up for lost revenue. Opponents of the legislation argue the proposal will still need a constitutional amendment, but advocates say the bill only needs a simple majority in both chambers. It passed the House 98 to 68 and is awaiting assignment on the Senate side.
As part of a potential new revenue mechanism, the House brought up HR 450, which is a constitutional amendment proposal that would allow Georgians to vote on whether to legalize online sports betting. The vote, which was held at 11:57pm Friday evening, failed 63-98, far short of the 120 votes required for a constitutional amendment.
HB 1377 by Rep. John Carson, which would have created a moratorium on recalling a failed transit SPLOST referendum to once every 8 years, did not meet the Crossover deadline.
Today the House and Senate will gavel in at 1pm and will focus on assigning the numerous bills that passed Friday to appropriate committees. This week, legislators are meeting for Legislative Days 29 through 31, with a committee workday Wednesday.
LEGISLATION ACEC GEORGIA IS FOLLOWING: 
(Legislation that is still active)
 
Local Government  
HB 531 by Representative Matt Reeves (R-Duluth): proposes to extend the period for plaintiffs to provide notice (ante litem notice) of an intent to sue a city from six months to twelve months. The legislation also has a provision to limit the liability for cities to $3 million per person and $5 million per occurrence. Read more about the cities’ liability appeal here.
Status: Passed House Judiciary Committee; Passed the House 161-13; Passed the Senate Judiciary Committee; Recommitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee
Position: Monitor 
SB 51 by Senator Ed Setzler (R-Acworth): this legislation would require qualifications-based selection for the procurement of A/E services for local government projects where the professional services cost is estimated to be $75,000 or more, or if the project cost is estimated to be $1 million or more. This is not a prohibition on cost being a factor, this simply shifts the consideration of cost to a second stage of negotiation after the firms have been ranked, rather than cost being an initial evaluation.  This language is also included in HB 377.
Status: Passed Senate State and Local Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously; passed the Senate 54-1; passed the House Governmental Affairs Committee; recommitted to the House Governmental Affairs Committee; passed the House Governmental Affairs committee again on 2/18; currently pending in Rules
Position: SUPPORT 
 
SB 151 by Senator Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta): proposes the creation of a “Joint Development Authority of North Fulton Municipalities”. A committee of seven directors would be created with one representative each from Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs, with a seventh member appointed by the committee.  
Status: Passed out of Senate State and Local Governmental Affairs Committee; passed the Senate 32-23. Passed the House Intragovernmental Coordination Committee. The House passed this with a substitute, however the substitute did not receive a final agree on the Senate side in 2025. With Senator Beach’s resignation to serve as US Treasurer, it is unclear what is happening to this measure.
Position: Monitor 
SB 437 by Senator Clint Dixon (R-Mulberry): would clarify that virtual inspections of dwellings are allowed by law, would reduce the timeframe for local governments to determine if an application is complete from 30 days to 15 days, and would streamline the private plan review and inspection process. This bill was amended to apply only to single family residences under 3 stories.
Status: Assigned to Senate State and Local Governmental Affairs Committee; passed SLGO on 2/9; passed the Senate 52-1; assigned to House Governmental Affairs Committee
Position: Monitor
SB 447 by Senator Clint Dixon (R-Mulberry): aims to tighten the timeframe for comments by a local government on a pending application and requires specific citation of the local, state, and federal law that the application violates. The proposal would require local issuing authorities to publish criteria for approval of permits, states that a completed application for any permit must be denied or approved within 45 days and that a comment period may only last 14 days, and states that if the permit is not accepted or denied within 45 days, the application shall be accepted and any fees remitted shall be refunded to the applicant.
Status: Assigned to Senate State and Local Governmental Affairs Committee; received a hearing on 2/9; passed SLGO; passed the Senate 46-4; assigned to House Natural Resources & the Environment Committee
Position: Support
 
Industry & Professions 
SB 28 by Senator Greg Dolezal (R-Forsyth County): this legislation aims to reduce red tape and reconfigure how the regulatory environment operates in Georgia by allowing the legislature to take a more active role in regulatory activities.  
Status: Passed the Senate Economic Development & Tourism Committee; passed the Senate 31-23. Passed Senate Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee; recommitted to Senate Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee.
Position: Monitor 
 
SB 207 by Senator Brian Strickland (R-McDonough): would provide a preclearance process for the licensing of individuals with criminal records who apply for a professional license in the state. 
Status: Passed the Senate Judiciary Committee; passed the Senate 55-0. Passed House Judiciary Committee; Passed the House 170-0; Senate agreed to the House version with a Senate floor amendment, so it needs an agree on the House side before it can pass. Still pending an agree.
Position: SUPPORT  
 
Transportation  
HB 1070 by Representative Leesa Hagan (R-Lyons): would increase the tax credit for Class III railroad maintenance expenditures from $3500 to $5000 and would move the sunset from December 30, 2026 to December 30, 2031.
Status: Passed House Ways & Means Committee; passed the House 167-2; referred to the Senate Finance Committee
Position: Monitor
HB 1277 by Representative Matt Barton (R-Calhoun): would raise the environmental evaluation threshold exemption from $100 million to $200 million for road and airport projects. The bill also creates a mechanism for inflation adjustments for the threshold, which would be capped at the CPI annual inflation rate. Additionally, the bill repeals the threshold that limits design-build projects to only 50% of the total number of construction projects in a fiscal year and creates a new guidelines for GDOT to sell remnant right-of-way property upon completion of a project.
Status: Passed House Transportation Committee; passed the House 149-16; assigned to the Senate Transportation Committee
Position: Support
 
Water & the Environment 
HB 1063 by Representative Brad Thomas (R-Holly Springs): would codify many of the provisions adopted by the PSC to prevent the recuperation of costs for data center construction on retail consumers.
Status: Assigned and passed out of Special Committee on Resource Management; passed the House 159-5; Assigned to the Senate Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee
Position: Monitor
SB 410 by Senator Matt Brass (R-Newnan): would prohibit electric utilities from recuperating the costs of data centers from residential and retail customers. It would also prohibit new certificates of exemption from sales and use tax from being issued upon the signature of the Governor.
Status: Passed Senate Finance Committee; passed Senate 32-21; awaiting committee assignment on the House side
Position: Reviewing
(Legislation that failed to meet the Crossover Deadline)
Local Government  
HB 152 by Representative Matt Reeves (R-Duluth): would extend the existing Mini Brooks Act to local governments. This would require Qualifications-Based Selection for the procurement of A/E services for projects where professional services are estimated to be $75,000 or more or for any project with a total preliminary construction cost of over $1 million. 
Status: Assigned to House Governmental Affairs Committee 
Position: SUPPORT 
 
HB 168 by Representative Mitchell Horner (R-Ringgold): would require any local proposal to reimpose a previously passed SPLOST to pass the General Assembly as a local bill (i.e., if a jurisdiction wants to reimpose a SPLOST, they will have to go through the General Assembly to do it.)
Status: Assigned to Ways & Means Committee; passed the committee last year, but was recommitted; it is currently still pending in Ways & Means
Position: Monitor
 
HB 317 by Representative Ron Stephens (R-Savannah): would create a new option for local governments to help finance essential infrastructure needs called a “Workforce and Residential Infrastructure District” (WRID). If approved by the local government, this would allow landowners within the district to self-impose taxes to fund these public infrastructure projects and improvements. A constitutional amendment would be required for the enactment of the legislation which has been filed as HR 192 by Representative Ron Stephens (R-Savannah). 
Status: Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (was originally assigned to Governmental Affairs). It is unlikely that this bill will move this session.
Position: SUPPORT  
HB 812 by Representative Mike Cheokas (R-Americus): proposes to reinforce the shot clock on local government plan reviews by limiting the number of rounds an application may undergo. The legislation continues to enforce the 45-day turnaround requirement for local governments but would require a new 14-day turnaround where a local government would then be required to issue or deny the permit. Any comments made by the local government would need a citation for the exact local, state, or federal rule or regulation they violate. The main purpose of this bill is to limit a local government’s ability to perpetually run the clock on a permit issuance or denial and end the practice of unlimited rounds of comments where new items are introduced during subsequent rounds.
Status: Heard in House Governmental Affairs subcommittee on State & Local Government over the interim; passed out of House Governmental Affairs Committee; it was amended in House Rules to exempt various localities from private plan review and inspection.
Position: Support
  
Industry & Professions 
HB 107 by Representative Bethany Ballard (R-Warner Robins): would require all professional licensing boards in the state to adopt a process by which spouses of military members or transitioning service members may obtain a digitally verifiable license.  
Status: Passed House Defense & Veterans Affairs Committee; recommitted to House Defense & Veterans Affairs
Position: Monitor 
 
Transportation  
HB 76 by Representative Stacey Evans (D-Atlanta): would require the Department of Transportation to host public hearings for local transportation projects of significant impact. 
Status: Assigned to House Transportation Committee 
Position: Monitor
 
HB 387 by Representative Brad Thomas (R-Holly Springs): would require a service delivery agreement to include a growth boundary agreement component. 
Status: Assigned to House Governmental Affairs Committee 
Position: Monitor 
HB 1286 by Representative Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming): would abolish the position of Director of Planning of GDOT, that is appointed by the Governor and would return those duties to the Planning Division within GDOT.
Status: Assigned to House Transportation Committee; was slated for a hearing in the House Transportation Committee on Thursday 2/19, but it was pulled from the calendar prior to the meeting.
Position: Reviewing
HB 1287 by Representative Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming): would revise the manner in which the GDOT Commissioner is selected.
Status: Assigned to House Transportation Committee; was slated for a hearing in the House Transportation Committee on Thursday 2/19, but it was pulled from the calendar prior to the meeting.
Position: Reviewing
HB 1342 by Representative Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming): would revise procedures for the removal of utilities and authorize GDOT to remove utilities if there is a significant delay caused by the utility company.
Status: Assigned to House Transportation Committee; the bill was heard on 2/19 and there was significant debate. This particular bill will be contentious as the utilities are against the bill, while many transportation advocates are in favor of a legislative solution to the delays caused by utilities.
Position: Reviewing
HB 1377 by Representative John Carson (R-Marietta): would create a time limit on when an election to recall a Transit SPLOST referendum can be held.
Status: Assigned to Ways & Means Committee; passed the House Transportation Committee
Position: Monitor
Water & the Environment 
HB 559 by Representative John Carson (R-Marietta): this legislation would revise the sunset date on the sales tax exemption for the equipment used in data centers from 2031 to 2026.  
Status: Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee 
Position: Monitor  
HB 1012 by Representative Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth): places a moratorium on new data centers construction after July 1, 2026.
Status: Assigned to House Governmental Affairs
Position: Monitor
HB 1381 by Representative Sam Park (D-Lawrenceville): the proposal is aimed at modernizing Georgia’s electric grid planning processes. The bill would require utilities to provide grid modernization assessments, justify new transmission constructions, and allow cost recovery for investments.
Status: Assigned to Energy, Utilities, & Telecommunications Committee
Position: Monitor
SB 34 by Senator Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome): would prohibit an electrical utility provider from recovering the cost of servicing a data center from ratepayers.  
Status: Assigned to Senate Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee; was placed on the Senate debate calendar, but the Senate adjourned early and it is now back in Senate Rules.
Position: Monitor 
SB 408 by Senator Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta): would change the sunset for the sales and use tax exemption on data centers from January 1, 2032 to January 1, 2027.
Status: Assigned to Senate Finance Committee
Position: Monitor
SB 538 by Senator Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome): proposes to require publicly owned water treatment plants to collect and report information from industrial users about the use or presence of PFAS that may be present in water.
Status: Assigned to Senate Natural Resources & the Environment Committee
Position: Reviewing