Georgia lawmakers wrapped their 2026 legislative session after 1 a.m. Friday, passing a $38.5 billion state budget for fiscal year 2027 and approving accelerated income tax cuts while leaving some of the session's biggest issues unresolved.
The income tax bill will bring the rate from 5.19% to 4.99% faster than previously planned, with additional incremental cuts targeting 3.99% over time. It also gradually raises the standard deduction. A high-profile property tax relief proposal passed as well, though it was dramatically scaled back from its original form.
The biggest failure: the House and Senate could not agree on what to do about a self-imposed July 1 deadline to remove QR codes from ballot printouts. A 2024 election law mandated the change but provided no plan or funding for the transition. The House passed a compromise extending the deadline to 2028, but Lt. Gov. Burt Jones refused to put it to a final vote in the Senate.
That leaves Georgia potentially out of compliance with its own election law heading into the November midterms. Gov. Brian Kemp could call a special session before July 1 to resolve the impasse.
On other fronts, lawmakers passed a bill creating state oversight of homeowners' associations and expanded access to hormonal contraception. More than a dozen anti-LGBTQ+ bills failed, including HB54, which would have restricted gender-affirming care. A bill that advocates fear will increase incarceration of homeless people did pass.
