'Lawmakers' Day 29: Gas tax suspension urged; House honors fallen troops in Iran conflict; Willis visit

Caption

Lawmakers and state officials held an event at the Capitol on March 9, 2026, in honor of International Women’s Day.

Credit: Georgia House of Representatives

It was a quiet day at the Capitol on Monday, owing perhaps to a bit of Crossover Day hangover as both chambers recovered from their late night on Friday. 

The Senate started at 1 p.m. with no legislation on its rules calendar and began with the usual daily business, such as points of personal privilege. 

"Gas prices soar in Georgia following Israeli strikes on Iranian oil," Sen. Nikki Merritt (D-Grayson) said. "This was just today in the headlines. Gas prices rising across Georgia as Middle East tensions push oil prices past $100. Today. This was just for today. And as I brought to your attention a week ago, Atlanta gas prices rise amid Iran conflict, and they'll likely rise even more."

Merritt took to the well to request that Gov. Brian Kemp suspends the state's fuel tax due to the armed conflict with Iran. 

"I'm asking today of Gov. Kemp — and we have done this before — to suspend the state gas tax again so that we can give families immediate relief as prices continue to surge and they will continue to surge as long as this war keeps going on," she said.

There was a tribute to the veterans of an earlier war by someone who experienced it firsthand. 

"We should never forget the men and women who fought for our country, and especially the Vietnam War," Sen. Ed Harbison (D-Columbus) said. "The Vietnam War was the first time that Marines and sailors and airmen and sailors came back home to these shores and were ignored or even put down by our own members here in the city of our country. When I got back from Vietnam the last time, I was told to take your uniform off and don't wear it because you would be met with hostility out in San Francisco after I landed at Treasure Island the last time."

The tribute included the Chamber Sergeant-at-Arms Robert Brown, who also fought in Vietnam. 

The Senate then voted on a House substitution to a bill that was passed last year, Senate Bill 179. The bill requires that the transcripts and disciplinary records of a student switching schools be transferred to the new school within five days. 

Before Sine Die last year, the House added a clause that would require computer science classes be taught as a core class by 2031. Since the bill didn't make its way back before the deadline, the bill's author amended it again. 

"This language has to do with civics organizations," Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Gwinnett) said. "The Boy Scouts. The Girl Scouts. The Boys and Girls Club of America. And then also there's the Future Farmers of America, the American Legion, and the Red Cross and other similar organizations. This would allow them access to schools to teach civics, to promote their organization."

The new version was passed 48 to 3 and was again sent back to the House. 

It was a sleepy day in the House as well. It started at 1 p.m., and members held a moment of silence for the seven U.S. troops killed in the Middle East since the start of U.S. strikes. 

"Let's also remember today in our prayers ongoing the families of the loved ones of the service members that were killed overseas, seven of them at this point, so let's keep them in our prayers and their families as well as we remember their service to our country," Speaker of the House Rep. Jon Burns (R-Newington) said.

Members took up one measure, House Resolution 948, which would create a study committee on pharmacy benefit managers and consumer access to prescription medicine. 

"After playing years of whack-a-mole with the pharmacy benefit managers, I thought it's just about time that we study the issue and got into it a little bit," Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) said. "We're going to see if we can find out exactly what employers are being billed versus what they're paying on these self-insurance plans. We're gonna look a little into reverse engineering so that we can get to the bottom of where things are going and how that affects your own taxpayers' health insurance plans and their rates."

It passed unanimously. 

Also on Monday, lawmakers acknowledged contributions women have made to Georgia for International Women's Day, which fell on Sunday this year. 

"It's important to us to make sure that a lot of you as unsung heroes get your due, right?" Rep. Miriam Paris (D-Macon) said. "So many of you work so hard with your head down and people act as if that's what you're supposed to do."

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis also spoke at the event and took the opportunity to blast the Republican State Senate investigation into her office and her indictment against President Donald Trump. 

"See, they gotta keep my name in the mouth for people to even know who they are," Willis said. "See, these wanna-be leaders, they have no ideas for Georgians, no plans to make Georgians' lives better. They want to show you that they are powerful and strong by coming after me. Let me tell you what they ended up showing in December: that they're stupid. That they're weak."

If the legislators needed a bit of pick-me-up, they could walk outside and hit up the visiting Varsity food truck for a chili dog and frosted orange before heading over to the James H. "Sloppy" Floyd building across the street from the Capitol to check out the Capitol Art exhibit. The artwork comes from students from across the state and is presented by the Georgia Art Education Association. 

"It's so important for our students to have their artwork here at the Capitol because they have a chance for to show their work to legislators so that they can see how important arts education is in our schools," said Dana Munson, Coordinator at the Capitol Art Exhibit. "It's a visual for the legislators and they get to meet these students."

Gov. Brian Kemp may tour the exhibit later this week.

The pace is expected to pick up again Tuesday on Day 30 as the countdown to the final days of this year's session starts.

GPB's Lawmakers returns for Day 30 on Tuesday, Mar. 10 at 7 p.m. on GPB TV.