March 9, 2026

Volume 17, Issue 9

View in Browser

Friday, March 6, marked Crossover Day (Legislative Day 28) at the 2026 Georgia General Assembly. This date represented a significant deadline in the legislative process, as all bills must have passed out of the chamber in which they were originally introduced to be considered for final passage. Today’s Legislative Update is a special Crossover edition that will focus on ACCG’s priorities that crossed over, including the House’s top priority of property tax reform (HB 1116), bills still in need of attention, and any significant bills that remain in play. Lastly, a list of bills that ACCG tracked that did not cross over is also included.

HB 1116, The House’s Property Tax Reform Priority, Makes the Cut   

On Crossover night, the House Rules Committee passed a substitute to HB 1116, the Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization (HOME) Act of 2026. This bill then passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 98-68. The bill has now crossed over to the Senate and will be assigned to a Senate Committee when the General Assembly comes to order on Monday, March 9.

Additionally, HB 1116:

•  Converts all LOST sales tax to LHOST for homestead property tax relief. It also converts the DeKalb and Rockdale HOST to LHOST on Jan. 1, 2028.
• Authorizes the FLOST to be converted to a LHOST.
• Schools are removed from the bill, except for the revenue cap.
•  Creates a property tax revenue cap for counties, cities, and schools equal to 3% or CPI.
• The revenue cap can only be exceeded through the passage of a local referendum or a local act of the General Assembly.
• Creates new requirements for the millage rollback calculation and requires a notice to be sent to all taxpayers when it is exceeded.
• Sets up a nonbinding statewide referendum to ask the voters if they want to eliminate homestead property taxes.

Click here to view ACCG’s summary of the most recent version of HB 1116.

ACCG Policy Priorities That Crossed Over

HB 275-Revises the Notice of Assessment (Rep. Bruce Williamson) - ACCG Supports

HB 964-Creates Tax Exemptions for Volunteer Fire Departments (Rep. Chas Cannon) - ACCG Supports

HB 961 - Surprise Billing for Out-of-Network Ambulance Service (Rep. Alan Powell) - ACCG Supports

HR 1243-Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund (Rep. Chuck Martin) - ACCG Supports

SB 462 - Surprise Billing for Out-of-Network Ambulance Service (Sen. Shawn Still) - ACCG Supports



SB 566 - Revises the Notice of Assessment (Sen. Chuck Hufstetler) - ACCG Supports

Items That Crossed Over and Require Additional Action

Please share concerns that you or ACCG may have with your Representative(s) or Senator(s) for the following bills:

HB 295 - Require Local Governments to Compensate Property Owners – (Rep. Houston Gaines) - ACCG Negotiating – Please contact Senate members.  

HB 1285 - Authorizes Counties to Collect an Enhanced Homestead Option Sales Tax and LOST (Rep. Mike Cheokas) - ACCG Support – Please contact Senate members. 

SB 306- Requires CUVA Expiration Notices to be Sent by Certified Mail (Sen. Randy Robertson) - ACCG Negotiating – Please contact House Members. 

SB 437 - Third Party Inspections, Private Professionals & Permitting Timeline Revisions - (Sen. Clint Dixon) - ACCG Negotiating – Please contact House Members. 



SB 447 - Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Permitting, Procedures on Denials and Automatic Approvals - (Sen. Clint Dixon) - ACCG Negotiating - Please contact House members.  

Other Important Measures That Crossed Over

HB 792 – Increase Magistrate Court Claims (Rep. Martin Momtahan) - ACCG Neutral

HB 874 - Georgia Taxpayer Privacy Protection Act (Rep. David Huddleston) - ACCG Neutral

HB 967 – Grants to Equip Peace Officer Vehicles with Bullet Resistant Components (Rep. Jason Ridley) - ACCG Supports

HB 1061 - Placing 17 Year Olds in Juvenile Court: Establish: Study Committee (Rep. Beth Camp) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1076 - Felony for Obstructing Law Enforcement with a Vehicle (Rep. Ginny Ehrhart) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1128 - Creates Additional Notice Requirements for the State Board of Workers’ Compensation (Rep. Devon Seabaugh) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1132 - Creates a Sales Tax Exemption on Materials Used by Public Charities to Construct, Renovate, or Rehab Affordable Housing (Rep. Lehman Franklin) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1166 - 400 Sq Ft Dwellings Not Subject to Zoning (Rep. Tangie Herring) – ACCG Negotiating

HB 1283 - Authorize Creation of Family Justice Centers (Rep. Esther Panitch) - ACCG Supports

HB 1344 - Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act (Rep. Matt Reeves) - ACCG Negotiating

HB 1434 - Requires Airport Height and Obstruction Regulations (Rep. David Jenkins) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1465 - Removes Requirement to Display Revalidation Decal on a License Plate (Rep. Derrick McCollum) - ACCG Watch

HR 1000 - Exempts Ad Valorem Tax Paid on Timber Cut or Sold from FLPA Property (Rep. Chuck Efstration) - ACCG Neutral

SB 116 - DNA Sampling Required of Those Subject to Immigration Detainer Notices (Sen. Tim Bearden) ACCG Neutral

SB 285 - Create Public Safety Surcharge for Peace Officers’ Annuity and Benefit Fund (Sen. Randy Robertson) - ACCG Supports

SB 382- Mandatory Statewide Base Year Homestead Exemption (Sen. Chuck Hufstetler) - ACCG Neutral

SB 410 - Repeals Data Center Sales and Use Tax Exemptions (Sen. Matt Brass) - ACCG Neutral

SB 443 - Increase Penalty for Obstructing Roads (Sen. Carden Summers) - ACCG Neutral

SB 527 - Those Qualifying for Sheriff Must be Certified Peace Officers (Sen. Randy Robertson) - ACCG Neutral

SB 470 - Prohibit Signal Jammers (Sen. John Albers) - ACCG Supports 

SB 476 - Income Tax Reduction Act of 2026 (Sen. Blake Tillery) - ACCG Neutral

SB 478 - Provides a Sunset for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund (Sen. Sam Watson) - ACCG Watch

SB 501 - Fire Safety Review Board: Power to Overturn Local Fire Permitting Decisions (Sen. Randy Robertson) - ACCG Neutral

HB 547 - Allows Multiple CUVA Covenants to be Combined into a Single Covenant (Rep. Chas Cannon) - ACCG Neutral

SB 569 – Tow Trucks Authorized as Emergency Vehicles (Sen. Brian Strickland) - ACCG Neutral

SB 587 - Establishes Animal Cruelty Database (Sen. Shawn Still) - ACCG Supports



SB 605 - Increase Grounds for Removing a District Attorney from Office (Sen. Bill Cowsert) - ACCG Neutral

Significant Bills That Did Not Cross Over

HB 317 – Authorize Workforce and Residential Infrastructure Districts (Rep. Ron Stephens) - ACCG Neutral

HB 467 - Provisions & Penalties for Monument Removal/Damage (Rep. Alan Powell) – ACCG Negotiating

HB 560 - Allows Absent Counties for LOST, Adds DeKalb County Sales Tax Language, Exempts ESPLOST Expenditures from Local Sales Tax (Rep. Chuck Martin) - ACCG Negotiating

HB 812 - Local Government Permitting Limitations & Mandated DCA Approval (Rep. Mike Cheokas) - ACCG Negotiating

HB 868 - Counties Must Provide Health Insurance to Retired Constitutional Officers and County Commissioners (Rep. Eddie Lumsden) - ACCG Opposes

HB 942 - Adds Personal Public Property to the Ad Valorem Exemption for Certain Local Government Property (Rep. Rhonda Burnough) - ACCG Watch

HB 997 – Increase Per Diem for State Inmates in County Jails (Rep. Rob Leverett) - ACCG Supports 

HB 1028 - District Attorney Compensation Reform Act (Rep. Matt Reeves) - ACCG Neutral 

HB 1042 – Judges’ Personally Identifiable Information (Rep. Matt Reeves) - ACCG Neutral 

HB 1047 - Amends Qualifications to Impose a MOST (Rep. Dale Washburn) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1095 - Fireworks: Redefine Temporary Consumer Fireworks Facilities (Rep. Alan Powell) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1102 - Prohibits the Tax Sale of Properties Owned by Individuals Aged Sixty or Above (Rep. David Clark) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1137 - Extends a Sunset on a 1% Sales Tax Benefiting MARTA (Rep. Deborah Silcox) - ACCG Neutral

HB 1156-Authorizes Local Governments to Create Local Homeowner’s Incentive Adjustment Programs (Rep. Gary Richardson) - ACCG Supports

HB 1176 - Creates a Sales and Use Tax Exemption on Certain Tangible Personal Property Sold to Public Electric Utilities (Rep. Chas Cannon) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1179 - Changes Key Procedures Governing Designation and Oversight of Private Sector Nonprofits that Promote Tourism (Rep. Ron Stephens) - ACCG Watch

HB 1240 - Requires That the Total Ad Valorem Tax Digest Limitation Also Apply to the Renewal of Existing Tax Allocation Districts (Rep. Chuck Martin) - ACCG Watch

HB 1260 – New County Commissioner Training: Lose Pay if Not Completed (Rep. Leesa Hagan) - ACCG Supports

HB 1267 - Classifies the Offense of Making License Plates as a Felony (Rep. John Corbett) - ACCG Watch

HB 1280 - Provides for the Election of a Chief Appraiser of a County (Rep. Kasey Carpenter) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1298 - Exempts the Retail Sale of Electricity and Natural Gas from Sales and Use Tax (Rep. Chas Cannon) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1315 – Limits Moratoriums on Zoning Decisions and Permitting (Rep. Kasey Carpenter) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1336 - Requires That at Least 50% of Local Ad Valorem Tax on Aircraft Must Go to M&O of Local Airports (Rep. Clint Crowe) – ACCG Opposes 

HB 1360 - Effectively Prohibits Class Action Lawsuits for Refunds of Taxes and License Fees (Rep. Mike Cheokas) - ACCG Supports

HB 1377 - Requires Counties to Wait Eight Years to Resubmit a Transit SPLOST Referendum to the Voters (Rep. John Carson) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1384 - Requires Cities to Remit Franchise Fees to Counties (Rep. Scoggins) - ACCG Supports

HB 1412 – State Patrol Keeps 79% of Traffic Fines (Rep. Lauren McDonald) - ACCG Opposes

HB 1442 - Some Properties Exempted from Local Permitting and Zoning Moratoriums (Rep. Dale Washburn) - ACCG Opposes 

HB 1447 – Require Local Governments to Complete a 10-year Efficiency Review Report (Rep. Beth Camp) - ACCG Negotiating

HR 250 - Constitutional Amendment to Freeze Fair Market Value at the Most Recent Purchase Price (Rep. Dale Washburn) - ACCG Opposes

HR 1114 - Calls for a Constitutional Amendment to Implement the HOME Act (Rep. Shaw Blackmon) - ACCG Negotiating

HR 1392 - Allows Low-Income Building Projects to be Classified as a Separate Class of Property (Rep. Shaw Blackmon) - ACCG Watch

SB 301- Monument Removal Provisions (Sen. Rick Williams) – ACCG Neutral

SB 436 - Prohibits Local Governments from Entering into NDAs Restricting Info About Electricity or Water Usage (Sen. Jaha Howard) - ACCG Neutral

SB 512 - The Consumer Inflation Reduction and Tax Fairness Act (Sen. Drew Echols) - ACCG Watch

SB 525 – Juvenile Court Reporting (Sen. Randy Robertson) - ACCG Negotiating

SB 568 – Hand Marked Paper Ballot Mandate After July 1, 2026 (Sen. Greg Dolezal) – ACCG Negotiating

SB 573 - Nonpartisan Elections in Medical Examiner Counties (Sen. Ed Setzler) – ACCG Neutral

SB 576-Provides for 100% Assessment of Certain Single-Family Residential Rental Property (Sen. Blake Tillery) - ACCG Neutral

SB 577 - Removes Local Governments Ability to Bring Civil Action on PFAS (Sen. Sam Watson) - ACCG Opposes

SB 584 - Prohibits Certain Class Action Suits Against Counties and Municipalities (Sen. Max Burns) - ACCG Supports

SB 599 - Provides for the Regulation of Local Governments in Financial Distress (Sen. Jason Anavitarte) - ACCG Negotiating

SB 606 - District Attorney Compensation Reform Act (Sen. Bill Cowser) - ACCG Neutral



SR 668 - Proposes a Constitutional Amendment to Establish Data Centers as a Separate Class of Property (Sen. Greg Dolezal) - ACCG Neutral