[February 01, 2026] | We are in week three of the legislative session, and activity is picking up. Our Budget work on the amended budget is full steam ahead with meetings with agencies going on every day. These meetings take priority, as the budget work is on a tight timeline... so, if you have two meetings at same time and one is the budget committee you serve on, that's the one you go to! It is the most important part of our work at the General Assembly.
Following Winter Storm Fern, we received an update on its impacts across North Georgia. More than 250,000 Georgia Power customers were affected, and of Habersham EMC's 40,000 customers, more than 30,000 experienced power outages at some point over the weekend. Our Folks at Amicalola EMC sent some of our linemen to Habersham EMC to help out after the power was restored here. This severe winter weather had a substantial impact on communities, infrastructure, and public safety across parts of the state. As such, the House took a moment on Tuesday to recognize the efforts of electric utility crews, Ga. Dept. of Transportation, and first responders who worked around the clock under challenging conditions to restore power, respond to emergencies, and ensure the safety of families and communities across Georgia that were affected by the storm.
This week, House Speaker Jon Burns held a press conference where he announced one of his legislative priorities for the 2026 legislative session-the Georgia Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization (HOME) Act of 2026, or House Bill 1116. The bill would enable the full elimination of homestead property taxes, or taxes on primary residences on up to 5 acres, by 2032 and would provide tools for local governments to make up for lost revenue. To help offset potential revenue losses, the legislation would authorize an optional, flexible five-penny local sales tax, as well as optional local assessments and fees. It would also cap revenue growth at three percent for non-improved, non-exempt properties, establish a homeowner tax relief grant and double the statewide homestead exemption every other year until 2032, providing phased-in tax relief for Georgia homeowners.
HB 1116 was filed this week, and I'll be sure to update you on its progress. I did a short video about this on my Facebook page that was well received (see below)! So, what happens now is the bill will be heard in the Ways and Means Committee (taxes) where we all have an opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions for improvement. This is a complex bill that will, if we can get it done, revolutionize property ownership in our state. I will keep you updated as this moves along in the process.