Georgia lawmakers wrapped their 2026 legislative session after 1 a.m. Friday with a mix of victories and failures that will shape the state through November's midterms.
The income tax bill reduces Georgia's rate from 5.19% to 4.99% immediately, with a plan to eventually reach 3.99% over eight years if revenues allow. The standard deduction jumps from $12,000 to $15,000 for single filers and from $24,000 to $30,000 for married couples. The retirement income deduction for Georgians 65 and older increases from $65,000 to $70,000.
But a high-profile proposal to overhaul Georgia's voting system failed to pass. Senate Bill 214, which would have postponed a July 1 deadline to eliminate QR codes from ballots until 2028, passed the House but never reached a Senate vote. The failure could force a rapid switch to hand-marked paper ballots before November's midterms or trigger a special session.
"We'll have to work through the process now," said Sen. Max Burns after adjournment. Governor Kemp has not indicated whether he'll call a special session to address the election issue.
The $38.5 billion state budget also passed in the final hours, funding literacy coaches in every K-3 school as part of the Early Literacy Act.
