The Georgia House of Representatives convened on January 12, 2026, opening the 2026 legislative session, the second regular session of the 158th Georgia General Assembly. Proceedings began with a violin performance of “Georgia on My Mind” by Audrey Kittila, Miss Georgia 2025.
The House recognized the recent renovation of the House Chamber by the Georgia Building Authority (GBA) and partners. The project preserved the Capitol’s historic character while adding modern enhancements, including Dalton carpet and Dahlonega gold leaf details. A timelapse video is available here.
Members approved House Resolution 998, the Adjournment Resolution, setting the 2026 calendar. The session requires 40 legislative days and concludes Sine Die on April 2, 2026.
On Wednesday, representatives attended the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues breakfast, where Gov. Kemp outlined priorities. Proposals included a one-time $35 million natural gas infrastructure fund via the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; transportation funding of $1.8 billion for I-75 Henry County Express Lanes, $200 million for Highway 316—University Parkway, $250 million for local roads, and $100 million for rural bridges; and a $50 million Homeless Response Grant to support Atlanta’s 2026 FIFA World Cup hosting.
Thursday’s joint session featured Gov. Kemp’s final State of the State Address as Georgia’s 83rd governor. He emphasized reducing living costs through education, workforce development, school safety, law enforcement retirement protections, and stronger measures against human trafficking and gangs. The address video is available here.
Since 2021, accomplishments include over $3.2 billion in one-time tax relief, nearly $1 billion in property tax reductions, more than $2.2 billion from motor fuel tax pauses, and almost $3.4 billion in income tax cuts, returning nearly $9.7 billion to taxpayers. The proposed budget features a fourth one-time $1 billion tax rebate (averaging $250 for individuals, $500 for joint filers), exceeding $7.5 billion in four-year rebates, plus a 20-basis-point income tax rate reduction to 4.99%.
Gov. Kemp highlighted economic growth: over 219,700 jobs created and $118 billion in investments over seven years, much outside metro Atlanta. The Amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes a one-time $2,000 supplemental payment for state employees, including teachers and public safety roles.
In education, the Quality Basic Education Act (QBE) achieved full funding seven times, with $368 million added for workforce readiness. School safety expanded from $184.5 million in initial grants to $109 million in the base budget; proposed increases reach over $511 million total. Teacher pay rose $9,500 overall, with starting salaries up nearly 28%.
For higher education, the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) scholarship returned to 100% coverage, tuition capped at 5% since 2019. Proposals include $2 billion more in funding, $40.7 million for healthcare education facilities and training, and $2.1 million to expand medical residencies (now 2,523, up 897).
He announced $326 million for the University of Georgia’s DREAMS scholarship, Georgia’s first needs-based endowment to reduce debt and promote mobility, alongside the Georgia MATCH program, which increased University System of Georgia (USG) enrollment 5.9% and Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) 7.1% in two years.
Law enforcement retirement benefits improved with higher 401(k) matching and a contribution limit increase from 9% to 15%. Human trafficking efforts include ten prior bills, an eleventh planned, led by the GRACE Commission under First Lady Marty Kemp. The GBI Anti-Gang Taskforce since 2019 conducted over 1,800 investigations, nearly 2,500 arrests, and seized over $95 million in drugs and contraband.
The week ended with a Celebration of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s values.
The session resumed January 20 after the MLK holiday, with budget presentations by Gov. Kemp and agency heads before Appropriations Committees.
All committee meetings remain accessible to the public, either in person or through live streams available at https://www.legis.ga.gov/schedule/house. Stay informed via @GaHouseHub on X, @gahouseofrepresentatives on Instagram, and the House Facebook page. I encourage you to share your thoughts as we tackle issues affecting our communities and the entire state. Please reach me at dale.washburn@house.ga.gov or 404-656-0152. I appreciate the privilege of serving as your state representative.
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