Advocate

Legislative Report Week 1

Legislative Report Title

Legislative Report Titles

 

Legislative Report Week 1

January 16, 2026

In This Issue:

Photo Credits: House Media Services

Back Under the Gold Dome

On Monday, January 12th, the Georgia General Assembly reconvened to kick off the 2026 Legislative Session. With it being the second year of the biennium, legislators will pick up where they left off, with bills introduced last year still eligible for consideration. The adjournment resolution, HR 998, was passed on the first day laying out the calendar for the rest of the year. Crossover Day, a major milestone in the legislative calendar that notes when all bills must pass from their chamber of origin to remain eligible, will be March 6th, and Sine Die, the final day of the legislative session, will be April 2nd.

This week, the General Assembly met for 5 legislative days, Day 1-5, concluding the week on Friday, January 16th. The General Assembly will spend next week in budget hearings and reconvene on Monday, January 26th, for day 6 of the session.

It was good to spend the past week reconnecting with members and getting started on the new session. Georgia Farm Bureau remains engaged with elected officials to promote policies that strengthen family farms across our state. We look forward to being at the Capitol this year to advocate on behalf of our members.

 
 

Photo Credits: House Media Services

State of the State 

On Thursday, January 15th, Governor Brian Kemp gave his final State of the State address to a Joint Session of the General Assembly. He highlighted his career over the past seven years strengthening law enforcement, education, job growth, and historic tax cuts. Kemp assured that as he left office, he would leave behind a surplus of over $10 billion, enough to run the state for over 3 months, critical for the next time the state faced economic hardship. In his last year, Gov. Kemp vowed he will continue to finish his term strong with historic investments in infrastructure and roads, create a needs based higher education scholarship, continue combating human trafficking, a one-time $2,000 pay supplement for all state employees, and much more.

 

Photo Credits: UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences 

Honoring Abit Massey

On Friday, January 16th, the House adopted HR 1013 by Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington) honoring the life and memory of Mr. Abit Massey. Mr. Abit was a friend to Georgia Farm Bureau and a tireless advocate for the agriculture industry. As the President of the Georgia Poultry Federation, he helped build the poultry industry in our state into the dominant economic engine it is. His deep relationships with elected officials in all levels of government helped advance meaningful agricultural policy, but more than that, Mr. Abit was a trustworthy friend, husband, and father. The ceremony honoring Mr. Abit was a testament to the life of service he lived.

 

Resolution to Finalize Regional Water Planning Council Updates

On Friday, January 16th, the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee passed HR 1008 by Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan). This resolution ratifies the amendments to the state-wide water management plan that were adopted by the State Water Council on December 10, 2025. Mainly, the amendments will reduce the number of regional water planning council members to 15 and dedicate a seat to all of the major water use sectors, including agriculture. To view all the changes and see the minutes from the December 10th meeting, click here. Georgia Farm Bureau has long promoted the regional water planning council and worked closely with the State Water Council, the Environmental Protection Division, and the Governor's office throughout the process of making these amendments. We believe the amendments will increase the effectiveness of the councils by simplifying the appointment process and ensuring we have active, engaged council members.

 

Priority Issue - Financial Sustainability of the Family Farm

The Georgia Farm Bureau Board of Directors adopt a priority issue at the beginning of every year that steers the direction of our advocacy efforts as an organization based off input from members through the policy development process and what they hear in the communities they represent. Going forward, Directors have clearly stated the focus of GFB should be on the financial sustainability of the family farm. Georgia farmers find themselves at a crossroads of record high input cost and record low commodity prices for many of the products grown here in Georgia. Coupled with multiple years of severe natural disasters, the viability of many family farms is not promising. We urge policymakers to make it their top priority to address the needs family farms across the state. For our state's #1 industry to remain strong, we must focus our attention on the profitability of family farms.

 

Governor Kemp Releases AFY26 and FY27 Budgets

On Thursday, January 16th, Governor Kemp released his amended fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 budget recommendations for the General Assembly to consider. Below, you will find highlights from the Governor's budget recommendations as it relates to agriculture. We applaud his commitment to investing in extension services, transportation infrastructure, and innovation for agriculture.

As the House and Senate begin making their changes and agencies submit their additional request, we will look for all opportunities to increase the investment in agriculture and related areas that benefit family farms.

 

Amended Fiscal Year 2026 

Department of Agriculture

  • $660,000 for the continuation of the Georgia Grown Wood Product Program collaboration between the Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Forestry Commission
  • $293,651 for new lab information and management software at Poultry Diagnostic Labs.
  • $1,052,444 increase funds for personnel to reflect increased retention of Consumer Protection positions.

Georgia Forestry Commission

  • $10,900,000 for the Georgia Forestry Innovation Initiative in partnership with Georgia Tech to support the timber industry's expansion into emerging markets through research, product testing, and private partnerships.

Department of Revenue

  • $1,170,000,000 to provide a one-time additional refund for tax year 2025 of $250 for single filers, $375 for head of household filers, and $500 for married filing jointly.

OneGeorgia Authority

  • $15,000,000 for rural site development.

Department of Transportation

  • $100,000,000 for the rehabilitation and replacement of rural bridges.
  • $1,796,000,000 for the extension and bi-directional expansion of I-75 express lanes in Clayton and Henry counties.
  • $200,000,000 for interchange conversions on SR 316.

Capital Projects Fund

  • $2,487,926 to the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority to replace HVAC units in Perry.
  • $2,636,180 to design and construct a mass timber county unit in Morgan County

 

Fiscal Year 2027

Department of Agriculture

  • $83,481 increase for the operation and maintenance of new lab information and management software at Poultry Diagnostic Labs.
  • $1,052,444 increase funds for personnel to reflect increased retention of Consumer Protection positions.

UGA Agriculture Experiment Station

  • $450,000 for two College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences faculty members and one staff position to support sustainable bioeconomy through the University of Georgia's Synthetic Biology initiative.
  • $250,000 for one associate director position at the Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture to lead extension outreach efforts.

Cooperative Extension

  • $425,115 for five agriculture and natural resources county extension agents.

General Bond Obligations

  • $25,000,000 new regulatory lab at Atlanta Farmers Market
  • $985,000 Fund renovations at Tifton Laboratory

 

Leadership Changes

Due to various members of the General Assembly running for higher office in 2026, there have been some changes to leadership in both chambers. Most notably, Senator Larry Walker (R-Perry) will now assume the role of President Pro Tempore, the highest ranking senator, Senator Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas) will be the Senate Majority Leader, and Senator Shawn Still (R-Suwanee) will be the Senate Majority Caucus Chair. Click here to see a full list of Senate leadership and click here to see a full list of House leadership.

Also, of significance, Senator Drew Echols (R-Gainesville), a peach farmer from North Georgia, was appointed Chairman of the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee. For a list of all Senate committees and members, click here. For a full list of all House committees and members, click here.

 

GFB Day at the Capitol

Join us on February 10th as farmers from across the state come to Atlanta for Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol. We will spend the day under the gold dome advocating for our industry and the farm families that feed, clothe, and shelter us everyday. This is an event you do not want to miss out on. Registration closes today, January 16th, so click the button below to register.

The day will begin at 9:30am in the Blue Room at the Georgia Freight Depot, just down the hill from the Capitol. Due to limited onsite parking, complimentary parking will be available at the Georgia State University Blue Lot, 76 Fulton St SW, with shuttles to the event.

Click here to register

 

 

2026 AFBF Convention Goes to California

This week, Georgia Farm Bureau members traveled to Anaheim, CA for the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention. Aside from passing policy to guide the organization's legislative priorities, GFB was proud to be represented by Haley Scruggs (Bibb Co.), Kylie Sizemore (Franklin Co.), and Walt Pridgen (Coffee Co.) in their respective Young Farmers & Ranchers competitive events.

We are also proud to have two Georgia leaders representing us on the national stage, pictured above. Julie Hardy (Thomas County) was elected to serve a two-year term as the American Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee's Southern Region Representative. Cleve begins his second year on the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, which he was elected to serve as Vice Chair.

Action this Week

 

HB 946

Reps. Clifton, Rhodes, Ridley, Kelley, Cannon and others.

This bill allows for trapping of feral hogs without a license as long as they are immediately killed and hunting of feral hogs from a motor vehicle on private property.

Assigned to House Game, Fish, & Parks Committee on 1/13/2026

 

HB 947

Reps. Momtahan, Cannon, Tarvin, Powell, Jones and others.

This bill would restrict certain food items from SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, require the state to apply for a SNAP waiver, require reporting to the General Assembly, require the Georgia Department of Agriculture to educate and implement SNAP trainings for farmers markets, and place work requirements and certain citizenship status upon SNAP users.

Assigned to House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on 1/13/2026

 

HB 949

Reps. Camp, O'Steen, Cannon, Dickey, Ford and others.

This bill would require landowner consent for a drone operator to land a drone on agricultural land.

Assigned to House Science & Technology Committee on 1/13/2026

 

HB 983

Reps. Hagan, Cannon, Meeks and Burchett.

This bill would exempt prescribed burning for silviculture practices from certain permit and notice requirements.

Assigned to House Natural Resources & Environment Committee on 1/16/2025

 

HR 1000

Reps. Efstration, Williams, Dickey, Williams, Buckner and others.

This resolution would amend the constitution and place a question on the 2026 statewide ballot to suspend the collection of harvest tax for timber cut on land enrolled in FLPA and replanted after harvest. It includes a partial reimbursement provision for counties lost revenues from the tax suspension.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee on 1/13/2026

 

HR 1008

Reps. Smith and Dickey

This resolution approves the amendments to the state-wide water plan that were approved by the State Water Council at the end of 2025. It will reduce the number of members on each regional water council and require designees from certain industries, including agriculture.

Passed House Natural Resources & Environment Committee on 1/16/2026

 

HR 1013

Reps. Burns, Dickey, Hawkins, Dubnik, Meeks and others.

This resolution honors Mr. Abit Massey, long time President of the Georgia Poultry Federation.

Adopted on 1/16/2026

 

SB 382

Sens. Hufstetler, Albers, Walker, Anavitarte, Hatchett and others.

This bill mandates a cap on homestead property tax increases to 3% per year or the rate of inflation. It unravels the "opt out" provision initially offered to local governments when the originally bill passed in 2023.

Assigned to Senate Finance Committee on 1/13/2026

 

SB 408

Sens. Orrock, Dolezal, Tillery, Goodman, Watson and others

This bill would eliminate the data center equipment sales tax exemption on January 1, 2027.

Assigned to Senate Finance Committee on 1/16/2026

 

SB 410

Sens. Brass, Anavitarte, Hufstetler, Albers, Robertson and others.

This bill would eliminate the data center equipment sales tax exemption immediately upon becoming law but allow existing certificates of exemption to be used.

Assigned to Senate Finance Committee on 1/16/2026
 

Bills Eligible from Last Year

 

HB 163

Reps. Ridley, Ridley, Hagan, Carpenter, Cox and others.

This bill would require food service establishments to disclose whether any food product offered contains cell-cultured meat, plant-based meat alternatives, or both.

Assigned to Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee on 2/28/2026

 

HB 169

Reps. Cannon, Dickey, Corbett, O'Steen, Huddleston and others.

This bill would remove the modified breach penalty for solar development and treat it as any other breach of covenant.

Assigned to Senate Finance Committee on 2/28/2026

 

HB 443

Reps. Petrea, Rhodes, DeLoach, Stephens, Franklin and others.

This bill adds language to remove the raw milk program from the Georgia title code (repealing O.C.G.A. Title 26, Ch. 2, Art. 18). The bill also creates a resident and non-resident migratory fish endorsement fee.

Senate Passed/Adopted by Substitute on 4/4/2025

 

HB 547

Reps. Cannon, Dickey, Corbett, Meeks, Huddleston and others.

This bill would allow landowners to join existing contiguous covenants and roll them into a single new covenant, provided the parcels are eligible for renewal.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee on 2/24/2025

 

SB 264

Sens. Goodman, Payne, Jackson, Brass, Jones and others.

This bill creates the Georgia Resilience Office under the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. The GRO will plan for and coordinate state-wide resilience and disaster recovery efforts.

Senate Recommitted to Public Safety Committee on 1/12/2026

 

SB 306

Sens. Robertson

This bill changes the mandatory notification to the tax assessor from first-class to certified mail. If the owner doesn't receive notification of the impending expiry, the covenant is automatically extended by 1 year.

Assigned to Senate Finance Committee on 2/28/2025

Bill Tracker

To stay updated on all the bills GFB is tracking, check out our newly updated bill tracker under the Action Center on the Georgia Farm Bureau website. There you will be able to find all the bills that we are following, a summary of the bill, the bill sponsors, and the most recent action. Click the button below to be redirected to our bill tracker.

Bill Tracker 

 

Thank you for taking an active role in staying up-to-date and informed on the developments at our State Capitol. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to any of our Public Policy Department Staff and we will be happy to assist you.

Alex Bradford, Director

Adam Belflower, State Affairs Manager

Raynor Churchwell, Agricultural Programs Manager

ElizaJane Glover, Agricultural Programs Specialist R

enee Jones, Operations Coordinator

Amelia Junod, Advocacy and Policy Development Specialist

Chase McClure, Governmental Affairs Specialist

Ben Parker, National Affairs Coordinator