Legislative Report Week 4

Legislative Report Week 5

February 6, 2026

In this Issue: 

• Week 4 Under the Gold Dome
• House and Senate Agriculture Committees Meet this Week
• AFY26 Budget Passes House
• Message from Governor Kemp
• Timber Market Relief Receives High Priority from Lawmakers
• GFB Day at the Capitol
• Action this Week
• Bill Tracker
• Save the Date

Pictured above: Chase McClure, Commissioner Tyler Harper, Adam Belflower

Photo Credits: House Media Services

AFY26 Budget Passes House

On Thursday, Chairman Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin) of the House Appropriations Committee presented HB 973 by Speaker Jon Burns (R-Newington), the amended fiscal year 2026 budget. You can look below to find changes the House made from the original amended fiscal year 2026 budget proposed by the Governor. The bill passed the full House floor with a vote 167-5 and will now move onto the Senate for consideration.

One substantial change made by the House was repurposing the money Governor Kemp set aside for income tax rebates. The House-passed budget includes $850 million for property tax rebates instead of the income tax rebates outlined in HB 1000. It will be interesting to watch in the coming weeks how the Senate handles this policy change.

For a detailed list of changes between the House version of HB 973 and what Governor Kemp originally recommended, please see below. You can find a full version of the bill by clicking here and visiting the House Budget and Research Office.

Georgia Department of Agriculture

• $1,109,151 - Increase funds for prior year cost-of-living adjustments for which the agency did not receive increased federal reimbursement and to reflect formula correction for prior year cost-of-living adjustment.
• $250,000 - Provide funds for inspection software upgrades for the Animal Health Division. 
• $100,000 - Provide funds for inspection software upgrades for the Plant Protection Division. 
• $105,000 - Provide funds for inspection software upgrades for the Structural Pest Division. 
• $250,000 - Increase funds for one-time agricultural improvements. 
• $31,443 - Provide funds for a plan reviewer position effective April 1, 2026. 
• $57,120 - Provide funds for retention of plan reviewers. 

Georgia Environmental Finance Authority 

• $50,000,000 - Increase funds for rural infrastructure for economic development. 

Georgia Forestry Commission

• $100,000 - Increase funds to support leadership programming for agriculture, forestry, and veterinary medicine professionals (AGL). 
• $532,293 - Provide funds for on-call pay effective April 1, 2026. 

Department of Natural Resources

• $1,000,000 - Increase funds for Tybee Island North Beach dune emergency stabilization. 
• $250,000 - Increase funds to establish a new center to promote the conservation, preservation, and protection of the Altamaha River and Coastal Georgia. 
• $1,000,000 - Provide one-time funds to support air emissions program operations to allow preservation of existing revenue to delay a fiscal shortfall. 
• $5,811,250 - Increase funds for financial and operational review and planning for Stone Mountain Memorial Association.
• $100,000 - Increase funds for recreational activities.
• $1,000,000 - Increase funds for Fort Yargo dock replacement. 
• $8,182,083 - Provide funds for land acquisitions to expand wildlife management areas statewide
• $150,000 - Increase funds to mitigate the spread of invasive plant species in southwest Georgia. 

University System of Georgia Board Regents

• $500,000 - Provide one-time funds for operational and equipment needs to support blueberry breeder research. 

Department of Transportation

• $85,000,000 - Provide state general funds for the rehabilitation and replacement of rural bridges. 

Capital Projects

• $10,000,000 - Forestry Commission, State: Replace open cab tractors with environmental cabs, statewide. 

Message from Governor Kemp

On February 5th, Governor Kemp released a letter to all Georgians thanking them for the toughness displayed in the face of harsh weather conditions the past few weeks, from raging wildfires and tornados ripping across South Georgia to historic icy conditions freezing over much of North and East Georgia, the response from everyday Georgians and our safety response teams have been unprecedented. Click the button below to read Governor Kemp's thank you message to all Georgians!

Read Governor Kemp's Message to Georgians

Timber Market Relief Receives High Priority from Lawmakers

One issue leadership in our state have united on is relief for the struggling timber markets across our state and region. In 2025, we saw multiple large forest product manufacturers close their doors, resulting in an oversupply of timber and plummeting prices. The hardest hit market, small diameter wood, felt the immediate blow, but the ripple effects did not spare other larger diameter wood facilities following suit.

Now, the state is evaluating what it can do to help these markets recover and bring facilities into the state that consume large quantities of timber. Governor Kemp's Forestry Task Force outlined serval ideas in his Forestry Task Force Recommendations. The House has introduced multiple pieces of legislation such as HR 1000, by Representative Chuck Efstration (R-Mulbery) which would do away with the severance tax and provide local government with a reimbursement. Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah) also introduced HB 1085 which would make the Jobs Tax Credit and Investment Tax Credit transferable for certain forest product manufacturers. While both are currently introduced, we do not expect it to be the end of ideas that come forth to help the forestry industry. Many of Governor Kemp's ideas can be found in his budget recommendations, which the House preserved.

As these bills go throughout the legislative process, we will keep you up to date on relief efforts for timber landowners and farmers as the General Assembly explores ways to provide market recovery for producers.

Forestry Task Force Report

GFB Day at the Capitol

Georgia Farm Bureau Day at the Capitol is next week! We hope to see you on Tuesday, February 10th, to join alongside over 650 farmers advocating for the betterment of farm families and rural communities.

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.

Action This Week

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.

Passed House and Passed Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee (02/05/26)

HB 946

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

This bill would remove all language related to the wildlife control permit, allowing feral hogs to be hunted or trapped without any licensing requirements. It would also allow feral hogs to be located using unmanned aircraft systems, provided all applicable rules are followed, and hunted from motor vehicles, provided the feral hogs are on private land.

Passed House and Assigned to Senate Natural Resources & Environment Committee (02/04/26)

HB 983

Reps. Hagan, Cannon, Meeks, and Burchett

Clarifies what a prescribed burn is and when you are allowed to conduct one. Keeps cities and counties from disallowing or requiring permits for prescribed burns for silviculture purposes.

Passed House Natural Resources & Environment Committee (02/05/26)

HB 1085

Reps. Petrea, Burns, Cannon, Burchett, Buckner, and others

This bill would allow the Jobs Tax Credit and Investment Tax Credit to be transferable for forest product manufacturers. This is in response to the closing mills during 2025.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/03/26)

HB 1072

Reps. Townsend, Stephens, Smith, Buckner, Franklin, and others

This bill would authorize the director of the Environmental Protection Division to consider out-of-state regulatory history, including violations or criminal convictions, when processing applications for certain permits.

Assigned to House Natural Resources & Environment Committee (02/02/26)

HB 1101

Reps. Clark, Kahaian, Dunahoo, Fleming, and Reeves 

The bill creates a ballot question that would appear on the November ballot that reads: "Shall the Act be approved which provides a state-wide homestead tax exemption from ad valorem taxes for $500,000.00 of the assessed value of the homestead for residents 60 years of age or older?" If passed, Georgians aged 60 and older would be exempt from ad valorem taxes on their primary residence for $500,000 of the home's total value.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/03/26)

HB 1110

Reps. Hilton, Reeves, Lumsden, Newton, Smith, and others

This bill would allow a business owner with fewer than 50 employees to claim a tax credit for the health coverage of Georgia residents, in the amount of $600 in the first 3 years, $400 in the fourth year, and $200 in the 6th year.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/03/26)

HB 1116

Reps. Blackmon, Burns, Efstration, Hatchett, Cannon, and others

This bill would gradually increase the homestead exemption, starting with $10,000 for 2 years, then $30,000 for 1 year, and then $60,000 for 2031 and thereafter. Local entities may apply up to 2 pennies of local sales tax to offset lost revenue, with the local total capped at 5%. The bill also caps the property tax rate at 3% to cap annual revenue growth. 

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/03/26)

HB 1145

Reps. Paris, Oliver, Holcomb, Frye, Leverett, and others

This bill would exempt certain public service employees from ad valorem taxes on their primary residence.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/03/26)

HB 1159

Reps. Gambill, Seabaugh, Wade, Blackmon, Williamson, and others

This bill exempts Farmer Bridge Assistance Payments from state income tax.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (2/03/26)

HB 1182

Reps. Rhodes, Leverett, Ridley, Williams, and Corbett

This bill prohibits the unloading or storage of any inorganic soil amendment within 100 feet of a property line.

Assigned to House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee (02/05/26)

HR 1008

Reps. Smith, Dickey, Corbett, Townsend, and Vance 

This resolution approves the amendments to the statewide water plan adopted 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.

Assigned to Senate Natural Resources & Environment Committee (02/02/26)

HR 1114

Reps. Blackmon, Burns, Efstration, Hatchett, Cannon, and others

This resolution is the companion to HB 1116 and serves as the vehicle for the constitutional amendment required to change the Homestead Exemption. 

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/02/26)

HR 1245 

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

This bill designates March as Georgia Peanut Month at the state capitol.

Adopted by the House (02/06/26)

HR 1257

Reps. Parrish, Burns, Burchett, Cannon, Corbett, and Dickey

This bill honors Herbert Hodges as the 2025 Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year.

Adopted by the House (02/06/26) 

SB 382

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

This bill caps homestead property tax increases at 3% per year or the rate of inflation. It unravels the "opt out" provision initially offered to local governments when the original bill passed in 2023.

Assigned to House Ways & Means Committee (02/04/26)

SB 435

Sens. Goodman, Watson, Anderson, Sims, Summers, and others

This bill would rename the Georgia Development Authority the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority.

Passed Senate Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee (02/04/26)

SB 447

Sens. Dixon, Still, Anavitarte, Goodman, Echols, and others

This bill changes the permitting standard for soil erosion permits by establishing a 45-day decision deadline, requiring that all unanswered permit applications be approved immediately, and streamlining definitions to make permit applications easier.

Assigned to Senate Local Governmental Operations Committee (02/03/26)

SB 453

Sens. Summers, Goodman, Watson, Strickland, Hickman, and others 

This bill provides income tax exemptions for certain residents of rural counties aged 16-35.

Assigned to Senate Finance Committee (02/03/26)

SR 670

Sens. Williams, Anderson, Goodman, Watson, Dixon, and others

This resolution honors Cornelius "Tobey" McDowell as the 2025 Logger of the year.

Adopted by the Senate (02/03/26)

SR 713 

Sens. Watson, Goodman, Walker III, Anderson, Sims, Echols 

This resolution honors the late Schley Louis "Big Louis" Perry, Jr. a fifth generation farmer and owner of Pineywoods Farms in Moultrie, Ga. 

Senate Hopper (02/06/26)

Bill Tracker

To stay updated on all the bills GFB is tracking, check out our 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

Save the Date

Forestry Day at the Capitol: February 9th-10th

Georgia Farm Bureau Federation Day: February 10th

GA Chamber of Commerce Rural Day: February 12th

Dawgs Day at the Dome: February 24th

FFA Day at the Capitol: February 24th

Georgia Citrus Association Conference: February 24th

4-H Day at the Capitol: February 26th

Steak Biscuit Day at the Capitol: March 12th

FFA Blue & Gold Gala: March 27th

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 

Renee Jones, Operations Coordinator

Amelia Junod,  Advocacy and Policy Development Specialist

Chase McClure, Governmental Affairs Specialist

Ben Parker, National Affairs Coordinator