'Lawmakers' Day 18: Senate OKs income tax legislation; House on foreclosures, HIV meds

Caption

Georgia House lawmakers received a visit from a James Oglethorpe reenactor on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Credit: Georgia House of Representatives

Thursday at the Capitol brought reenactors and taxes. Lots of taxes. 

It was a patriotic start to the day in the House. Lawmakers received a presentation of the colors and a visit from James Oglethorpe to mark his arrival with settlers to found the 13th British colony. 

Once the business of the day kicked off, representatives unanimously passed a resolution urging people to celebrate both the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of the United States this year. 

"As we look toward July the 4th, 2026, we approach a moment unlike any other in our lifetime: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence," Rep. Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) said.

The house also gave the approval to Senate Bill 195, which would allow pharmacists to dispense HIV prevention medication.  

"Communities with provider shortages, and in urban communities where appointment demands exceed capacity," Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Decatur) said. "Pharmacies are often the most accessible health care point in both places. Open, longer hours, close to where people live, and already trusted."

That bill passed 155 to 7. 

Members also passed House Bill 948, which deals with foreclosures on homes. 

"So an individual will know if there are excess funds after the foreclosure, how to get that money back and the process in which to do it," Rep. Beth Camp (R-Concord) said.

The bill passed unanimously. 

After adjournment, House Democrats promoted legislation they filed to help address housing affordability. 

In the Senate, two major bills dealt with the state income tax. 

Senate Bill 476 would make the first $50,000 of income tax exempt for individual filers and the first $100,000 for joint filers. Senate Appropriations Chairman Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia) has been championing the bill since the beginning of the session. Tillery laid out the basics of the plan, saying that it will put around $5,000 in the average taxpayer's pocket. 

"That's the cost of child care for three months," he said. "It's the costs of rent for three to six months. It's cost of groceries for six months. Its costs of their power bill and their gas in their car combined for an entire year. And if you look at Google, you'll also find out that $5,000 is two times the average homestead property tax that's paid in this state. I know that's disparate, it varies across the area, but it's two times that amount. Senate Bill 476 is real relief for middle class families, and it's real relief for everyday Georgians."

He also broke down which corporate tax credits would end. 

"The Senate's proposal pays for that $3 billion each fiscal year by reducing some of these credits," he said. "If we wanted to do away with the income tax completely, there's a very easy way to do it. The state income tax brings in $16.2 billion. These credits total over 30. You want to do a way with the state income tax, all you have to do is tear these in half. But the Senate's proposals didn't even go that aggressively at tax credits. It simply said all we need to do is reduce these by 10%. And by reducing these by 10%, we can eliminate the income tax on individuals making less than $50,000 and eliminate the income tax on families making less than $100,000. That's how we balance and it works."

Democrats objected, claiming it would cause a huge budget deficit affecting state services. 

"This bill wipes out nearly every tax credit that keeps Georgia's economy running," Sen. Nikki Merritt (D-Grayson) said. "Affordable housing credits, gutted. Rural hospital credits, gutted. Child care credits, gone. Veterans and law enforcement credits, gone. Port activity credits, gone. Research and innovation credits, gone. And support for rural hospitals at a time where we're in a health care crisis. Support for rural hospital and doctors gone."

They also questioned the math. 

"It's a scam because the families, the hardworking families of Georgia, the average Georgian, they don't make $50,000 or $100,000 as a family to get this full standard deduction," Sen. Kim Jackson (D-Stone Mountain) said. "The only people who we're putting $5,000 back in their pockets are the people who make over six figures. I'm pretty sure my constituents are not excited about that."

Democrats also asked where the needed money would come from. 

"Experts estimate that replacing income tax revenue will require dramatically raising our sales taxes, potentially pushing combined state and local rates to around 15% or more," Sen. RaShaun Kemp (D-Atlanta) said. "That means higher costs every time a family checks out at the register."

After hours of debate, the bill passed along party lines. 

The second bill, SB 477, laid out the timeline for a plan continuing the tax rate reductions, reducing the rate to 3.99% by 2028. 

"It drops the state's income tax rate from where we stand right now at 5.19% down to 4.99%," Tillery said. "And then it uses revenue triggers that if state revenue exceeds the last year's revenue by more than 1%, the income tax will then tick down half a percentage point, 50 basis points each year until it arrives at 3.99% in 2028."

It, too, passed along party lines. 

Lawmakers won't be back at the Capitol on Friday or Monday, but they'll be back on Tuesday for legislative Day 19.

GPB's Lawmakers returns for Day 19 on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m. on GPB TV.