'Lawmakers' Day 24: Senate debates DNA samples in detention centers; House OKs income tax cuts

Caption

The Senate passed SB 433 on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, which would create a special license plate to alert authorities to automobiles driven or occupied by a person with autism.

Credit: Screenshot

It was a big day of debates at the Capitol on Wednesday, covering everything from income tax to immigration detention.

The House took up a bill that accelerates the already planned income tax cut. House Bill 1001 would drop the flat income tax rate to 4.99%. It's currently at 5.19%.

"This is a continuation of Gov. Kemp's priority and promise to continue to reduce taxes that this House has supported and put forth several sessions in which we have continued to lower it," Rep. Will Wade (R-Dawsonville) said. "This bill simply lowers the income tax rate in Georgia to 4.99% from 5.19%, three years earlier than the original bill called for back in 2019."

Advocates for the bill say it's putting more money in taxpayers' pockets, but opponents say the cut could impact some services.

"This money goes to things like our roads and our schools and our hospitals and our airports," Rep. Ruwa Romman (D-Duluth) said. "Y'all want people to be happy with putting five dollars in their pocket while they get thousands of dollars taking out of another pocket because now they have to spend money fixing up their cars that are getting banged up from potholes. Now they have to travel further for health care. Now their utility rates are going up and so much more."

Democrats also said that the reduction benefits the wealthy more than the average Georgian.

"Is it not true that this piece of legislation would cost $778 million per year?" Rep. Sam Park (D-Lawrenceville) said. "Approximately 73% are about $568 million out of $700 million going to Georgians who are in the top 20% with respect to income."

"This does not penalize Georgians," Wade said in response. "This treats this as a proportional tax. If you pay a half a million dollars in taxes, then you're going to receive a larger dollar amount because you're already contributing more into the state's coffers. Again, it's proportional. Well, I'm not gonna argue that. My dad was a math teacher. The math is the math."

Ultimately, HB 1001 passed mostly along party lines, 106 to 66.

After a lunch break, the House agreed to the conference committee version of the mid-year budget.

The biggest change?

Gov. Kemp added $1.4 billion to the revenue estimate to make way for new projects. The budget keeps both income and property tax rebates.

"Between the two relief initiatives, this body is returning $2 billion back to the citizens of our state," said House Appropriations Chairman Rep. Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin).

And includes money for the construction of a new mental health hospital for Georgia prisoners.

"This hospital will address delays for state psychiatric hospital services, delays that are playing out in our jails across the state," Hatchett said. "People in jail with serious mental illness should not need to wait months or longer to start receiving the care they need."

Another winner, the dreams need based scholarship for public Georgia colleges. The budget passed 169 to two and was sent to the Senate.

The House also approved a bill to establish a homelessness prevention program and to continue grant programs started under COVID to help people stay in their homes.

The Senate took up SB 433. This bill creates a special license plate that would alert authorities to automobiles whose driver or passenger has autism.

It also provides special training to help law enforcement learn about the unique communication challenges that could arise with individuals with autism during a traffic stop.

It passed unanimously.

SB 116 was a bit more problematic in securing unity.

This bill will require DNA samples to be taken from anyone charged with a misdemeanor or felony while being held in a detention center after receiving an ICE detainer notice. If ICE doesn't pick up the individual within the required 48 hours. State law enforcement would take their DNA before they are released.

"This bill serves as a safeguard, ensuring a sample is obtained even if cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement changes in the future," Sen. Timothy Beardon (R-Carrolton) said. "It guarantees that we maintain accurate identification records for individuals who have come into contact for their criminal justice system. Beyond immigration enforcement, this measure supports broader public safety goals. A DNA profile in the state database can help solve unsolved crimes, identify perpetrators in future cases, or provide closure to our victims."

Democrats objected, saying the bill violates the lawful status of many immigrants.

"The author, who I respect as a person, made a misstatement from the well when he said that this is about illegal immigrants or illegal immigration," Sen. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs) said. "Those folks may be included, but that doesn't mean that this bill only applies to people who are here unlawfully. This bill says if you are in ICE detention whatsoever. Then you are subject to this DNA swab and an invasion of your constitutional rights and privacy."

Democrats offered an amendment to change the language from "charged" to "convicted" to allow a swab to be taken, but it was defeated.

The bill passed 33 to 20 along party lines.

The Senate also took up the mid-year budget.

Many of the Senate recommendations in their version of the budget made it into the final bill. But ultimately, the bill was a compromise, as it usually is.

"We recognize the proposals of the governor related to dreams, and we're able to fully fund the Dreams Act at $325 million," said Senate Appropriations Chairman Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia). "We were able to meet the House on many of their priorities. We were to fund homelessness at $45 million and then put $5 million additional dollars over at Veterans. We were able to put over $80 million into filling what is a perceived hole at the Department of Human Services related to out-of-home care."

HB 973 was passed 49 to zero and was immediately sent to the governor.

On Thursday, we can expect discussion in the Senate on the data center controversy.

GPB's Lawmakers returns for Day 25 on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. on GPB TV.