Leesa Hagan: - Final 2026 Legislative Session Update

Leesa Hagan:

The General Assembly reconvened at the Capitol on March 31, 2026, for the final week of the 2026 legislative session. While on the House floor, we worked late into the evenings and early morning debating and voting on key measures to secure their final passage before the gavel fell around 1:30 a.m. Friday morning. By week’s end, the House sent a number of additional bills to Governor Kemp’s desk for his signature or veto, and I will share a few of them here.

The Big Budget

The General Assembly completed its one constitutional duty of the session with final passage of HB 974, the FY 2027 budget. This budget is based on a revenue estimate of $38.5 billion, which is a 1.95 percent increase over FY 2026. While every budget reflects priorities, this one places emphasis on education, healthcare, foster care, disability services, retirement stability, and local infrastructure.

Here are several of the most important highlights: • $14.9 billion for Quality Basic Education, fully funding the K-12 formula.

• Budgeting for state wide literacy efforts focused on improving reading outcomes for kindergarten through third grade includes: • $70.4 million for school-based literacy coaches in elementary schools.

• $18.4 million for RESA literacy coaches to support implementation of the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026.

• $9.7 million to expand access to pre-K programs, helping more children start school ready to learn.

As a former teacher, I am especially pleased to see such a strong focus on early literacy. Reading proficiency in the early grades shapes nearly every subsequent academic outcome.

The budget also responds to major pressures within Georgia’s child welfare system. It includes: • $50 million in ad ditional funding for DHS foster care services • $3.8 million for fos ter youth, providers, and families, including prevention services, reunification support, clothing, and court appointed special advocates In healthcare and disability services, the budget makes several important commitments: • Funding for addi tional NOW and COMP waiver slots for Georgians with intellectual or developmental disabilities with $284,380 for waiver staffing and $997,925 for supportive services, including community support, independent living services, and assistive equipment • Approximately $48 million to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers across the state • $11.2 million in new graduate medical education funding • $2.8 million for 124 primary care residency slots • $3 million for Mercer School of Medicine to pilot a pediatric residency with a rural training track • $3.7 million to ex pand the maternal home visiting program to 33 additional counties The budget also strengthens long-term stability in other key areas: • $100 million increase in employer contributions to the Employees’ Retirement System, helping support cost-of-living adjustments for retirees • $13.6 million for Lo cal Maintenance and Improvement Grants, which support local road and infrastructure needs In sum, this budget reflects a practical approach. It supports students, families, patients, retirees, and communities while keeping Georgia on sound fiscal footing.

Key Education Bills

Major action this week was passage of HB 1193, the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026. This is one of the most significant education measures of the past few years and creates a statewide framework to improve reading outcomes in early grades.

As a former teacher, I know that strong readers gain confidence early and carry that advantage for years. When children fall behind in reading, every subject becomes harder.

Literacy instruction is strengthened in several ways: • Provides grants for every public school serving K-3rd grade students to hire a school-based literacy coach • Requires those coaches to spend at least 70 percent of the school day working directly with students and teachers • Provides no-cost professional learning for K-3 teachers and literacy coaches The bill improves school readiness and parent communication. Local systems must offer full-day kindergarten, and students will be expected to attend kindergarten before first grade unless they qualify for an exception based on readiness. Schools must also notify parents when students are at risk of not reaching reading proficiency.

In addition, the Professional Standards Commission will create a literacy coaching endorsement and review educator preparation programs to ensure alignment with the science of reading.

If signed by the governor, this bill will help more Georgia children build the reading skills they need for lifelong success.

The House also gave final passage to several other education measures including: • SB 369 updates char ter school policies. It sets clearer accountability standards for dropout recovery and credit recovery programs, expands access for virtual students, and improves long-term planning and transparency.

• SB 150 extends Georgia’s retired teacher reemployment program through 2030. This allows experienced educators to return to high-need subject areas while helping schools fill critical staffing gaps.

• SB 556 combines several important priorities. It requires colleges and technical schools in Georgia to maintain supplies of opioid antagonists and allows trained personnel to use them during overdose emergencies. It also creates a scholarship program for medical students who commit to practicing in Georgia for at least four years after graduation, helping address workforce shortages. In addition, the bill raises the maximum Georgia college savings account limit to $550,000 and expands related tax benefits.

Together, these measures reflect commitment to students, families, teachers, and the future of education in Georgia.

Income Tax Relief

HB 463 delivers significant tax relief to Georgians by gradually reducing the state’s individual income tax rate from 4.99 percent to 3.99 percent. The bill also increases the personal exemption for dependents to $6,000, raises the standard deduction to $36,000 for married couples and to $18,000 for single filters, and increases the income exclusion for retirees aged 65 and older to $70,000 per eligible taxpayer. Our goal is for Georgians to keep more of what they earn, while maintaining the state’s long-term fiscal stability.

Insurance Affordability

A major House priority this year was insurance affordability. Based on recommendations from the House Study Committee on Insurance Rates, HB 1344 strengthens consumer protections, increases accountability, and helps control costs for policyholders.

HB 1344 raises fines for insurers that violate claims laws or policy terms, improves enforcement of uninsured motorist laws, and increases penalties for fraud. It also improves storm claim processing and expands the Fortified Homes program, which helps homeowners better protect property from storm damage.

In addition, the bill requires more transparency in how premium tax revenue is used, limits certain refund requests to three years, and places guardrails on the use of aerial imaging by insurers. It also guarantees at least two years to file property and casualty claims and updates rules for short-term rental coverage.

Property Tax Relief

A major priority of the House this session was providing real property tax relief to homeowners by eliminating the recurring tax on primary residences. The House worked very hard to find a solution that could pass both chambers. In the end, some progress was made, and we gave final passage to a bill to create the Local Homestead Option Sales Tax, or LHOST, a one-percent local sales tax that communities may choose to adopt to offset homestead property taxes on primary residences. A qualifying homestead would include the home and up to five surrounding acres. By shifting part of the tax burden from property taxes to a locally controlled sales tax, the measure can provide relief for homeowners, especially seniors and others on fixed incomes.

The bill also improves transparency and administration by clarifying how local governments may use revenue, ensuring school tax calculations properly reflect exemptions, and preventing retroactive tax bills when exemptions were granted in error. I remail committed to providing real tax relief to citizens while continuing to support quality education for our students and efficient local government. Protecting Vulnerable Georgians SB 587 helps safeguard children, older adults, disabled adults, and long-term care residents during abuse investigations. If someone is moved from a known address to an unknown location during an active case, a superior court may authorize action to help locate the parent or guardian when law enforcement determines it is necessary for safety and the investigation. The bill also creates a publicly searchable animal cruelty database to help shelters and protection groups screen potential owners and prevent animals from being placed in abusive homes.

HB 1187, Trey’s Law, protects survivors of childhood sexual abuse by voiding nondisclosure agreements that would silence them about the abuse. At the same time, the bill still allows confidentiality for settlement amounts and other unrelated terms, preserving victim privacy while ensuring survivors cannot be forced into silence.

Roadway Safety

After years of work in the House, we passed HB 651 to reform and regulate school zone speed cameras. The bill places oversight with GDOT, which would approve permits for local use.

To improve fairness and public trust, cameras must flash yellow lights when actively issuing citations. Beginning July 1, 2027, tickets may only be issued when a driver exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour, and only within one hour before or after school start and dismissal times.

HB 651 also creates stronger accountability. Local governments that violate the law could face fines, permit suspension, or permit revocation for repeated offenses. If camera revenue exceeds 35 percent of the law enforcement agency’s budget, there would be a rebuttable presumption that the devices are being used inappropriately.

The bill also reduces processing fees from $25 to $10, requires clear citation notices, bans extra local fees, and prevents revenue from funding law enforcement salaries. In addition, camera contracts must be approved by local referendum every six years.

Also related to road safety, HB 1161 requires drivers, when safe, to move to the far right for approaching emergency vehicles. It also creates clearer penalties for fleeing a Department of Public Safety officer by setting a minimum 30-day jail sentence for every mile a driver eludes a DPS officer or vehicle. Access to Contraception

HB 1138 expands access to contraception by allowing pharmacists to provide certain birth control options directly through pharmacies. Specifically, the bill permits pharmacists to dispense selfadministered hormonal contraceptives, such as the birth control pill or patch, and administer injectable hormonal contraceptives, like progesterone shots. Before doing so, pharmacists would be required to complete an authorized certificate program. Additionally, HB 1138 would allow some contraceptives to be supplied in extended quantities. By enabling local pharmacies to provide these options, the bill would improve access to contraception, particularly in rural and underserved areas with limited OBGYN services.

Maternal Leave

The General Assembly passed HB 1118 which will give state employees 120 hours of paid maternal birth leave to be used within the first three weeks following birth. This leave only applies to birth mothers. HB 1118 reflects the House’s ongoing efforts to support working families by ensuring new mothers have meaningful time to recuperate following birth and care for their newborn.

Conclusion

Now that the 2026 session has come to an end, Gov. Kemp will have 40 days to sign or veto legislation that received final passage by the House and Senate this year. Some measures will become state law upon his signature, though some may include a later effective date as specified in the legislation. Any legislation not signed or vetoed within 40 days of Sine Die will automatically become state law.

I encourage you to stay engaged and contact me if you have questions or concerns about legislation that passed this session and could become law this year. Please reach out to me anytime at Leesa.Hagan@house.ga.gov. Thank you so much for your continued trust to represent you in the Georgia House. It has been an absolute honor these past five years, and I look forward to serving you for another two years.