Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections for January 5, 2026

On December 31, 1695, a British law taxing windows went into effect, causing many property owners to brick-up some windows to avoid paying the tax. This may be the first recorded instance of the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in response to a tax increase. See also: Revolution, American.

On January 5, 1734, the Trustees of Georgia ordered the return of 42 Jewish settlers who had come in 1733, primarily from Portugal, without the knowledge or approval of the Trustees. The Brits who sponsored the Jewish settlers refused and Georgia is home to one of the oldest Jewish settlements in the United States.

On January 1, 1751, the law prohibiting slavery in Georgia was repealed after an act passed by the Georgia Trustees the previous year.

On January 2, 1766, some Sons of Liberty marched on the Royal Governor’s Mansion in Savannah to “discuss” the Stamp Act, which required the use of stamped paper for all printing as a means of taxing the colonies. They were met by a pistol-toting Governor Wright.

On January 3, 1766, after passage of the “stamp act,” the Royal Stamp Master arrived at Tybee Island and was taken to the Governor’s Mansion. On that day, Georgia became the first and only colony in which the stamp tax was actually collected.

On January 5, 1781, traitor Benedict Arnold and 1600 British troops captured Richmond, Virginia.

Samuel Elbert was elected Governor of Georgia for a one-year term on January 6, 1785. Elbert was an early participant in Patriot meetings at Tondee’s Tavern, a Lt. Colonel in the first group of troops raised in Georgia, and a prisoner of war, exchanged for a British General, and eventually promoted to Brigadier General reporting to Gen. George Washington. As Governor, Elbert oversaw the charter of the University of Georgia and afterward, he served briefly as Sheriff of Chatham County.

Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution on January 2, 1788.

Timothy Pickering of Massachusetts became the first United States Senator to be censured by the body on January 2, 1811.

Georgia Governor George Towns signed a constitutional amendment that removed the requirement that governors own at least 500 acres real estate and other property valued at least $4000 on December 30, 1847. At the time, an amendment to the state constitution had to be passed twice by the General Assembly in subsequent sessions, but did not require voter approval.

The Gadsden Purchase, establishing the southern border of the United States with Mexico, was signed on December 30, 1853.

Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born in Staunton, Virginia on December 28, 1856 and moved to Augusta, Georgia with his family a few years later. Wilson would later practice law in Atlanta, marry Ellen Axson of Rome, Georgia, and serve as President of the United States from 1913 to 1921. Recently, Princeton University removed Wilson’s name from campus.

Delaware, technically at the time a slave state, rejected a proposal to secede from the United States on January 3, 1861.

The USS Monitor, the first federal ironclad steamship, sank on December 30, 1862 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

The Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln went into effect in eleven Southern states on January 1, 1863, though parts of Virginia and Louisiana were exempt.

The Kimball Opera House in Atlanta, a former location of the State Capitol, caught fire on December 27, 1894 and was destroyed.

The Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park closed on December 31, 1895.

On December 29, 1896, Georgia Governor William Y. Atkinson signed legislation creating the state Schoolbook Commission.

Utah was admitted as the 45th state on January 4, 1896.

The American Political Science Association was formed on December 30, 1903, and has been misunderstood ever since.

The sarcophagus containing the mummy of King Tutankhamen was discovered on January 3, 1925.

On December 26, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt watched a private viewing of Gone With the Wind at the White House.

On January 6, 1961, United States District Court Judge William Bootle ordered the University of Georgia to enroll Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter, ending the segregation of UGA.

On January 4, 1965, shortly after the assassination of President Kennedy, Lyndon Baines Johnson delivered the State of the Union and outlined his plan for a “Great Society.”

“He requested ‘doubling the war against poverty this year’ and called for new emphasis on area redevelopment, further efforts at retraining unskilled workers, an improvement in the unemployment compensation system and an extension of the minimum wage floor to two million workers now unprotected by it. … He called for new, improved or bigger programs in attacking physical and mental disease, urban blight, water and air pollution, and crime and delinquency.”

The Great Society legislation included “War on Poverty” programs, many created under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, which established jobs and youth volunteer programs as well as Head Start, which provided pre-school education for poor children. Johnson’s social welfare legislation also consisted of the formation of Medicare and Medicaid, which offered health care services for citizens over 65 and low-income citizens, respectively. In addition, the Great Society included the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Voting Rights Act of 1968.

The first live recording of Led Zeppelin was made at Gonzaga University on December 30, 1968.

On January 3, 1973, Andrew Young was sworn in as the first African-American Congressman from Georgia since 1871.

On January 4, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon refused to turn over tapes recorded in the Oval Office to the Senate Watergate Committee.

On January 5, 1978, the British band the Sex Pistols started their American tour at the Great Southeast Music Hall in Atlanta, GA.

Lockheed received the contract to produce 50 C-5B cargo aircraft for the federal government on December 30, 1982.

On January 6, 1988, the United States Postal Service released a stamp commemorating the bicentennial of Georgia’s ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788.

On January 3, 1990, Panamanian General Manuel Antonio Noriega surrendered to American forces in Panama.

Georgia Congressman Newt Gingrich was elected Speaker of the House on January 4, 1995, the third Georgian to wield the gavel. This marked the first time in more than forty years that Republicans controlled the House of Representatives.

On December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal was turned over to Panama pursuant to the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977.

On January 4, 1999, in DeKalb County, State Court Judge Al Wong became the first Asian-American judge in Georgia and the Southeast.

Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections

The Georgia General Assembly will convene in the 2026 Session on January 12, 2026.

Two Democratic State Representatives resigned their seats, according to the AJC.

State Rep. Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain, stepped down after 13 years in the Georgia Legislature Jan. 1, according to a resignation letter obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

On Monday, State Rep. Lynn Heffner, D-Augusta, also resigned from the Georgia Legislature. She said her home sustained damage during Hurricane Helene, and she could no longer meet the constitutional requirement to live in her district.

Heffner was elected to the state House in 2022. She also is the director of Motor Vehicle Registration in Richmond County.

It’s unusual for a state lawmaker to resign so close to the start of the 40-day session, which kicks off Jan. 12.

After several special elections in the Georgia General Assembly this fall and winter, Democrats picked up one seat in the state House. With Bennett and Heffner’s departures, Democrats drop to a 79-seat minority bloc.

A spokesperson with Kemp’s office said the governor will call a special election to replace Bennett and Heffner but did not specify a time.

Since those announcements, it came out that former State Rep. Bennett has been indicted. From the AJC:

Federal prosecutors charged former Democratic state Rep. Karen Bennett on Monday with fraudulently obtaining pandemic-era unemployment benefits, making her the second Georgia legislator to be charged with fraud tied to the COVID-19 relief programs.

Prosecutors say the Stone Mountain Democrat improperly collected $13,940 in federal unemployment benefits and supplements in 2020 after falsely stating that the pandemic prevented her from working. Court filings indicate she pleaded not guilty. She and her attorney didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment.

State Rep. Sharon Henderson, a Democrat from Newton County, was charged in December with fraud related to government assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Henderson has pleaded not guilty.

After several special elections in the Georgia General Assembly this fall and winter, Democrats picked up one seat in the state House. With Bennett and Heffner’s departures, Democrats drop to a 79-seat minority bloc.

Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp visited Georgia National Guard members in Washington, DC on December 22, 2025, according to a Press Release.

Ahead of the Christmas holiday, today Governor Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp visited Georgia National Guard troops deployed to the nation’s capital in support of Joint Task Force-District of Columbia. They were accompanied by Insurance Commissioner John King (Major General, ret.); Labor Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes; and Major General Dwayne Wilson, Adjutant General of the Georgia Guard. Spending several hours with Guardsmen at the DC Armory, the group of state leaders thanked the Georgia troops for their willingness to serve, especially during this holiday season.

“Marty and I are always inspired by the brave men and women of the Georgia Guard who put service above self, and we want to thank these patriotic troops for all they’re doing to secure our nation’s capital,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “As families gather to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, our thoughts and prayers will be with these servicemembers – and those throughout the world – who won’t be with their loved ones for the holidays because they’re keeping our nation and allies safe.”

In September, Governor Kemp announced he would mobilize Georgia Guard troops in and around the nation’s capital to aid in restoring public safety following the president’s executive order declaring a crime emergency in the District of Columbia, dated August 11, 2025. The Georgia Guard has a long history of partnering with federal, state, and local agencies to respond to such emergency situations, both in the state and in other parts of the country, as well as in allied countries around the world without any compromise to the Guard’s ability to respond to in-state needs.

About the Georgia National Guard

The Georgia Guard is comprised of more than 14,000 Soldiers and Airmen supporting overseas and domestic missions. Its support roles in the various missions as part of Joint Task Force-District of Columbia do not impact its ability to support the state in the event of an emergency, such as a major weather event. During the response to Hurricane Helene last year, the Georgia National Guard provided support to nearly forty impacted counties while simultaneously participating in operations on six continents.

Yesterday, Governor Brian Kemp announced his legislative floor leaders for the 2026 Session of the Georgia General Assembly, according to a Press Release.

“Over the last seven years, this administration has worked with the General Assembly to pass historic policies and investments that put Georgians first,” said Governor Kemp. “I’m proud to announce the hardworking legislators who will be my Floor Leaders for this upcoming session so we can further build on that success, and Marty and I want to thank them for their willingness to serve.”

2026 Georgia State Senate Floor Leaders

Senator Drew Echols, Senate District 49

Senator Bo Hatchett, Senate District 50

2026 Georgia House of Representatives Floor Leaders

Representative Soo Hong, House District 103

Representative Will Wade, House District 9

Representative Matthew Gambill, House District 15

Representative Devan Seabaugh, House District 34

On December 23, 2025, Governor Brian Kemp announced four judicial appointments, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the following judicial appointments: Matthew B. Bennett to the Superior Court of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit, filling a vacancy created by the passage of House Bill 55 (Act 171) (2025); Donald L. Montgomery, Jr., to the State Court of Bryan County, filling a vacancy created by the passage of House Bill 722 (Act 60) (2025); Torrey D. Smith to the State Court of Fulton County, filling a vacancy created by the passage of HB 625 (Act 208) (2025); and Robert D. “Bobby” Wolf to the State Court of Fulton County, filling a vacancy created by the passage of HB 625 (Act 208) (2025).

Matthew B. Bennett is a partner at the law firm of Bennett & Connell, LLC, where he has a litigation practice. Bennett also serves as the Solicitor for the Probate Courts of Cook, Lanier, and Atkinson counties, as well as the Municipal Courts of Nashville, Ray City, and Homerville.

Bennett attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and received a bachelor’s degree from University of Georgia. He received his J.D. from Florida Coastal School of Law. Bennett serves on the Board of Directors of the Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit Bar Association. He also serves on the Cook County Student Attendance Committee and Cook Middle School Council.

Bennett and his wife, Kala, have two children and live in Cook County.

Donald L. Montgomery, Jr., serves as the Solicitor-General of Bryan County, where he prosecutes misdemeanor criminal cases in the Bryan County State Court. In addition, he is a partner with the law firm of Scheer, Montgomery & Call, P.C., handling criminal and administrative matters throughout coastal Georgia. Montgomery has provided extensive pro bono representation of law-enforcement officers involved in critical incidents.

Before entering the legal profession, Montgomery was a police officer. During his tenure in law enforcement, he earned Police Officer of the Year honors and received commendations for lifesaving actions in the line of duty.

Montgomery began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Eastern Judicial Circuit. He earned his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland. While working as a police officer, he obtained his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Montgomery lives in Bryan County with his wife, Carolyn, and their three sons.

Torrey D. Smith serves as the Deputy City Attorney for the City of Atlanta, where he oversees the litigation and claims divisions of the Atlanta Law Department.

Smith has devoted his legal career to public service, working as a staff attorney to the Honorable T. Jackson Bedford, Jr., and Assistant District Attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office before moving to the City of Atlanta Law Department. In 2019, Smith became an Attorney-Advisor with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to practice employment litigation. Smith returned to the City of Atlanta’s Law Department as Deputy City Attorney in 2024.

Smith began his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Sidney Landau on the Connecticut Appellate Court.

Smith graduated from Morehouse College and Quinnipiac University School of Law.  He has volunteered his time preparing wills and advance directives for senior citizens and attends Elizabeth Baptist Church in Southwest Atlanta.

Robert D. “Bobby” Wolf serves as a Fulton County Magistrate Court judge.

Before coming to the Fulton County Magistrate Court, Judge Wolf was a prosecutor in the Cobb County Solicitor-General’s Office, Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, as well as a solo practitioner.

Judge Wolf is immediate past president of the Georgia Council of Magistrate Court Judges and served on the Judicial Council of Georgia. He is a current State Bar of Georgia Board of Governors delegate for the Atlanta Circuit, as well as State Bar Access to Justice committee member. He is immediate past chair of the Judicial Section of the Atlanta Bar Association.

Judge Wolf teaches judges across the state on civil and criminal law issues through the Georgia Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Judge Wolf is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta Class of 2014 and past co-chair of its Criminal Justice and Public Safety program. He is a member of Lawyers Club of Atlanta.

Judge Wolf graduated cum laude from Washington & Lee University with a bachelor’s degree in politics and received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

Judge Wolf was born and raised in Fulton County. He is an Eagle Scout and former assistant scoutmaster, as well as a former president of the Garden Hills Civic Association.

Judge Wolf, his wife, and their child live in Atlanta. He is a lifetime member of The Temple.

On December 29, 2025, Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Community Health announced $218 million dollars in federal healthcare funding, according to a Press Release.

Governor Brian P. Kemp, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), announced today that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded the State of Georgia $218.8 million for the first of five years of the Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health (GREAT Health) Program. This comprehensive effort will strengthen rural healthcare systems and improve outcomes statewide while introducing innovation and greater flexibility into the health system. Part of the federal government’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), the GREAT Health initiative was made possible following the passage of the H.R. 1 budget legislation earlier this year. Georgia’s initial RHTP allotment is one of the largest to be awarded among the 50 states.

In the coming weeks, the state will share additional information regarding implementation timelines and next steps for the GREAT Health initiative.

“I’m thankful for the Trump administration’s dedication to improving healthcare in America and for this substantial investment in Georgia through the Rural Health Transformation Program,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “This funding will help move us forward in strengthening our rural providers while bringing cost-saving innovations to the state’s health system. I also want to thank the hardworking team at the Department of Community Health that put together such a strong proposal, resulting in one of the largest allotments in this first year of the program.”

The Rural Health Transformation Program allowed states to apply for funding to advance innovative, value-based healthcare models tailored to rural communities. Georgia’s successful application positions the state to make historic investments in rural health infrastructure, workforce, and care delivery.

“Through the GREAT Health program, we remain committed to driving true transformation of healthcare in rural Georgia,” said Dr. Dean Burke, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Health. “When Georgia was presented with this funding opportunity, we sought public input to shape the grant process – because different rural communities have different needs. Also, this was the state of Georgia’s application, so we wanted to ensure we had Georgia’s input. This funding will allow us to advance transformation by supporting rural residents to live longer, healthier lives with access to more effective and higher-quality health care.”

For more information regarding GREAT Health, click here. For information regarding the submitted application, click here.

From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News:

The federal government will give Georgia nearly $219 million to bolster health care in 126 rural counties, under a program established by President Donald Trump’s signature budget reconciliation bill passed in July.

The distribution, announced Monday, is part of a $10 billion allotment to the 50 states during the federal fiscal year that began in October, with another $40 billion to be divvied among them in equal installments during the following four fiscal years.

Half of the money is being distributed equally, meaning less populous states will get more per person. The other half is being split based on a variety of factors, including rural population, the proportion of rural health facilities and “the situation of certain hospitals” in each state, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Georgia got more than all neighboring states, with the seventh largest sum nationally — $333,000 ahead of Nebraska and $3 million behind Kansas. Texas got the most money at over $281 million.

Georgia’s application by the Department of Community Health targeted 126 of the state’s 159 counties, excluding the Atlanta metro area and other populous regions, such as Athens, Dalton, Macon, Rome, Savannah and Valdosta.

The application said the state’s initiative — the Georgia Rural Enhancement and Transformation of Health program — would focus on “root causes” of disease and on “strengthening the continuum of care” in rural areas.

“This funding will help move us forward in strengthening our rural providers while bringing cost-saving innovations to the state’s health system,” Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement.

The federal Rural Health Transformation program was authorized by Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A government description says the money must be used for things like “evidence-based, measurable interventions,” “consumer-facing, technology-driven solutions” for chronic disease, or training for use of “technology-enabled solutions” for delivering care.

Program goals include more “efficiency and sustainability,” encouraging “the growth of innovative care models” and fostering “innovative technologies that promote efficient care.”

The money comes as thousands of Georgians will see a spike in their premiums under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Democrats criticized the One Big Beautiful Bill for its impact on that program and on Medicaid — and on rural health care. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock visited Evans Memorial Hospital in Claxton in August because, his office said, the hospital had to cut $3.3 million a year due to the budget reconciliation bill. The Georgia Hospital Association warned in a letter to Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate in June that the bill as it was written then would “devastate” rural health care, putting dozens of rural hospitals at risk of closure.

The White House pushed back in a memo about the new funding, blaming presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama for expanding enrollment in government-funded health care, saying only a fraction of Medicaid spending was reaching rural hospitals as a result.

The memo said CMS would hold states accountable for their use of the new money “to ensure resources are delivered to the most deserving care providers and their patients, not the most politically well-connected.”

United States Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme NW GA) delivered her resignation to Governor Kemp on January 3, 2026, triggering the ten day deadline for Gov. Kemp to call a Special Election to fill the remainder of Rep. Greene’s term, according to Atlanta News First via WTOC.

Greene’s 14th congressional district seat will become vacant on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. On Saturday, Jan. 3, she officially turned in her resignation letter to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the people of Georgia’s 14th congressional district,” Greene wrote in the letter.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp now has 10 days to set the date for a special election in Georgia’s 14th congressional district.

Georgia’s nationally watched midterms in the 2026 primary are May 19, 2026, meaning whoever wins the upcoming special election — and likely a runoff — may choose to run again in the primaries and, if victorious, run in November’s general election.

According to Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, no temporary appointments to the seat are allowed. All House vacancies must be filled by an election, regardless of when the representative resigns.

On Nov. 21, 2025, Greene, who was elected to represent northwest Georgia in 2020 and has been overwhelmingly re-elected since, said she was resigning over her disillusionment with the nation’s current political climate, stemming from a recent political split with President Donald Trump.

Here’s how a special election for a vacant congressional seat works in Georgia:

Georgia law requires the governor to issue a writ calling a special election for a U.S. House vacancy within 10 days of the vacancy.

Greene’s resignation takes effect Jan. 5, 2026.

The special election date must be at least 30 days after the writ is issued. If no candidate receives a 50% majority, a runoff between the top two is held 28 days after the special election.

County superintendents and the secretary of state handle the special election.

Candidate qualifying windows for special elections are set by the Georgia Secretary of State and the governor. For many special contests, qualifying is short and typically closes several weeks before the election to allow ballot printing and absentee processing.

Georgia’s 14th congressional district stretches from the Chattanooga, Tennessee, metropolitan area in an arc east and south toward metro Atlanta’s outlying suburbs.

The district’s major population centers are Dalton (Whitfield County), Rome (Floyd County), Cartersville (Bartow County) and portions of Paulding County (Dallas).

The district includes most, if not all, of Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker, Whitfield and part of Pickens counties.

While mostly white, the district has notable Hispanic populations concentrated around Dalton with its carpet-industry workforce. Its economy is centered around manufacturing (particularly in Dalton’s carpet and rug industry), agriculture and small business.

The Cook Partisan Voting Index rates the district solidly Republican, as does Ballotpedia. Historically Republican, the district was represented by Tom Graves before his retirement in 2020.

Twenty Republican candidates, two Democrats, and an independent have filed to raise money for the 14th Congressional District seat to be vacated by U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Extreme NW GA), according to the Dalton Daily Citizen.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, is expected to officially resign Monday. Gov. Brian Kemp will then have 10 days to call a special election to fill the seat.

The seat will remain vacant until a successor is elected. Republicans currently hold 220 seats in the U.S. House, compared to 213 held by Democrats, with two vacancies, according to the U.S. House of Representatives.

On the Democratic side, Shawn Harris, who challenged Greene in the 2024 general election, has filed paperwork to run again. Harris received 35% of the vote in that race. Clarence Blalock of Paulding County has also filed as a Democrat.

Republicans who have filed paperwork include Star Black, Beau Brown, James Marty Brown, Regan Box, Elvis Casely, Jeff Criswell, Daniel Davenport, Christian Michael Hurt, Uloma Expete Kama, Benjamin Pope, Michael Allen Corbin, Thomas Jonathan Jackson Gray, Nicky Lama, state Sen. Colton Moore, Linvel Risner, Brian Stover, Meg Strickland, Jim Tully, Jenna Turnipseed and Jacqueline Cherise Wilmer.

State Rep. Steven Sainz (R-St Marys) says tax relief will be his priority in the 2026 legislative session, according to The Brunswick News.

“Our neighbors to the south of us have long enjoyed no state income tax, and this is a reality we live with daily as we try to recruit industry and a skilled workforce to Georgia,” Sainz said.

A number of new state laws went into effect January 1, 2026, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Statesboro Herald.

Most new laws from this year’s legislative session took effect in July, but a handful of significant bills become law on New Year’s day.

They address shortages in accounting and dentistry, and they increase homeowner protections. They update campaign finance and vehicle licensing requirements. One adds a new look for car tags.

House Bill 148, The Public Accountancy Act of 2025, was brought by Rep. John Carson, R-Marietta, a certified public accountant trying to address a shortage of accountants. It updates a licensing framework established nearly three decades ago by offering new paths to becoming a certified public account. It also lets accounting firms do some work in Georgia without having an office in the state.

House Bill 551 by Rep. Jason Ridley, R-Chatsworth, updates rules for owning and operating a motor vehicle, adding numerous new requirements around the issuance of temporary operating permits and setting standards for a new electronic system for issuing them. It also lets permitted property owners install an immobilization device on trespassing vehicles rather than just having them towed.

House Bill 567 by Rep. Katie Dempsey, R-Rome, address regional shortages in dentistry, authorizing licensed dentists to practice online, with regulation by the Geogia Board of Dentistry. It also permits coverage of teledentistry by dental benefits plans. “Geography should not be a barrier to dental care,” Kristen Morgan, the Georgia Dental Association executive director, said in May when Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law.

Senate Bill 35 by Sen. Larry Walker, III, R-Perry, gives homeowners more time to prepare for loss of insurance. It doubles the minimum notice period for nonrenewal of certain residential policies to 60 days, from 30.

Senate Bill 112 by Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, requires that manufacturer warranties of residential HVAC systems transfer to home buyers. It also requires that warranties take effect on the date a system is installed by a licensed contractor and prohibits requiring product registration as a condition of warranty.

Senate Bill 199 by Sen. Sam Watson, R-Moultrie, prohibits the State Ethics Commission initiating investigations of candidates within 60 days of their election. It also requires that local elected officials file mandatory financial disclosures with the Commission rather than locally. And it requires that political action committees maintain bank accounts with detailed reporting when they contribute to candidates in the state. It also establishes uniform reporting dates for campaigns for all levels of office and requires redaction of home addresses from any records the Commission makes available to the public.

Last but not least is America First: Senate Bill 291. The act, by Sen. Steve Gooch, R-Dahlonega, establishes a special license plate featuring the American flag and the words “America First.” Funds raised from the sale of this plate will go to the state general fund. Gooch pushed the bill through as Senate majority leader, a post he left after the legislative session to run for lieutenant governor.

From Atlanta News First via WTVM:

Georgia’s flat state income tax will again decrease as part of an effort to lower it to 4.99% by January 2027.

Every Georgia taxpayer is now allowed to create one catastrophe savings account.

Want to build a landfill? Georgia’s Board of Natural Resources now requires anyone wishing to build or alter a solid waste facility to prove the project meets zoning and land use rules.

Just before one of the nation’s sure-to-be most contentious midterms in history, the State Ethics Commission will no longer accept complaints made about candidates or their campaigns within 60 days of an election.

• Local officials are now required to send campaign and finance reports to the commission
• Candidates for county offices or school boards must prove they have completed all required training before running
• Political action committees must register, keep a bank account and give more detailed reports about their finances

Georgia’s film/gaming/video/digital production tax‑credit law has been updated. If a production company sues over a denied certification and the denial is upheld by the courts, the company must pay court costs.

Drug abuse treatment programs now fall under the authority of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Previously, the state Department of Community Health implemented those programs.

New rules go into effect for the practice of teledentistry.

Insurance companies are now required to have a website scheduling or callback system for doctors.

Some court hearings are now allowed to be recorded digitally instead of through an in-person court recorder.

The Public Accountancy Act of 2025 establishes new ways to become a certified CPA in the state.

Georgia’s rules for temporary operating permits have been updated.

Private property owners can also now boot trespassing vehicles, as long as the local jurisdiction allows it. The owners are required to post warnings.

More on the catastrophe savings account, from WTOC:

A new state law that took effect at the start of the year creates a way for Georgians to build tax-advantaged savings specifically for disaster repairs, a measure supporters say will help fill gaps left by insurance.

Under the new law, Georgia will allow residents to open catastrophe savings accounts that are exempt from state income tax. Homeowners can save up to $25,000 per year in these accounts, or up to $250,000 without insurance, and use the money to pay for repairs after a declared emergency.

Georgia State University law professor Samuel Donaldson said the accounts are intended to fill important gaps that insurance may leave behind.

“Georgia is just one of a handful of states that allows this,” Donaldson said. “It shows that in our neck of the woods we’re sensitive to the fact that homeowners probably want more coverage than they have.”

The accounts are designed to be used after a declared emergency; details such as eligibility, how withdrawals are documented, and interaction with federal disaster assistance will be governed by implementing rules and guidance from state authorities. The law’s supporters say the accounts give homeowners another tool to recover faster when insurance falls short or is unavailable.

The measure went into effect at the start of the new year.

From AccessWDUN:

House Majority Leader for District 104 representing Barrow and Gwinnett Counties Chuck Efstration (R) and Senator for District 49 representing Hall County Drew Echols (R) spoke to AccessWDUN about those laws and a preview of the issues under the Gold Dome.

Both legislators hit on affordability as a major issue for lawmakers this year.

Affordability has been the hot-button topic of 2025 and does not seem to be going away for politicians. Over 50% of the nearly-400 respondents to AccessWDUN’s survey question on Tuesday said that affordability should be lawmakers’ top priority.

“I actually went on your website then answered the survey question, and I hit affordability,” Echols said. “That hits home for me. I got a budget here at my house, just like everyone else does.”

Echols mentioned Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ “Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025” as a mitigator to some of the affordability crises for Georgians.

The consumer price index put out by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows a 2.7% increase in all items for consumers year-over-year. Since the start of 2020, costs have risen over 25%.

“Addressing the needs of Georgians economically is a top priority,” Efstration said.

Efstration said that they are looking into property tax relief, income tax relief, and a decrease of insurance premium rates.

“As property values have increased, the property taxes and the burden on homeowners has become really unbearable,” Efstration said. “Also, there’s been a study into income tax relief to further cut Georgia’s income tax rate.”

Georgia senators met in October to discuss eliminating the state income tax altogether. Efstration was asked what the replacement for income tax may be if the plan to eliminate income tax is successful.

“The state is in a good position financially … we’ve been able to steadily cut Georgia’s income tax over the past few sessions,” Efstration said. “There’s no replacement tax that’s been proposed or put in place to account for that.”

Echols said that tapping into tourism can help lower income and property taxes.

“I do want us as a state, as a legislature, to give these communities some tools outside of the box .. to bring in tourism money and help drive down property taxes or help make up the difference in the income tax,” Echols said.

Echols also heads the Georgia Senate Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism.

At Eggs and Issues this year, housing affordability was talked about. District 30 State Representative Derrick McCollum (R-Chestnut Mountain) agreed with reducing regulations, but added that increased private equity in the market are pricing young people out.

“I want to praise [McCollum’s] tireless efforts to really address the need of first time homebuyers to be able to afford homes right now,” Efstration said. “We have programs within the state … to help facilitate younger Georgians who are looking to buy their first homes … I expect that is going to continue to be an area of focus for us at the Capitol.”

Echols said that rolling back regulations can also help with home prices.

“In the cost of a home, an estimated 30% to 40% is tied up in red tape,” Echols said. “I’m all for taking care of the environment … some of this has gotten out of hand. Who cares about the International Building Code? Let’s worry about the Georgia Building Code.”

Echols did agree that investment groups “coming in and buying lots, buying apartments, buying whole neighborhoods” are a part of the problem and needs to be whittled away at.

“I’m not telling you that developers aren’t making a lot of money, because they’re doing just fine,” Echols said. “At the same time … a lot of [regulations] are trickling all the way down to those homeowners.”

It is expected that rates for ACA marketplace insurers may increase by a median of 18% due to the credits expiring. Open enrollment for health insurance started for Georgians on Nov. 1 and ran until Dec. 15 to get coverage by Jan. 1. Additionally, Jan. 15 of 2026 is the deadline to have coverage that would begin on Feb. 1 of next year.

It’s also been estimated that roughly 500,000 Georgians may become uninsured by 2034 due to the expiration of ACA enhanced tax credits.

Echols said that if he had his way, he would help relieve pressure for Georgians.

“I’m the freshman senator here, if I controlled the purse strings … I  would try to help relieve some of that pressure from a state level,” Echols said. “I can tell you that it is at the forefront of everybody’s mind.”

Efstration said that the issue will be looked into.

“This issue is certainly on our radar,” Efstration said. “Some of this … is due to federal policies that have been under consideration … Georgians who are looking at these exponentially higher health insurance rates are just simply in a place where it’s not affordable for them.”

Efstration noted other insurance premiums for homes and auto have increased, and that last year’s tort reform was an “important step” to address those issues.

“If we’re to address issues of fraud or abuse that may be out there around insurance fraud, that we ensure that those savings are passed on to consumers,” Efstration said.

Bulloch County began collecting a 1 percent Floating Local Option Sales Tax on January 1, 2026, according to the Statesboro Herald.

The FLOST, or Floating Local Option Sales Tax, is a new 1% sales tax that will be collected for five years beginning Thursday – January 1. Its revenue will go into a special fund to be used by the Bulloch County government and the municipalities of Statesboro, Brooklet, Portal and Register for a future proportional rollback of their property tax rates.

In November, 6,509 Bulloch County voters, or 71.7%, said “yes” to FLOST, while 2,570 other citizens voted “no.”

The addition of FLOST will bring the total of sales taxes in Bulloch County to 9% on non-exempt items. The total tax includes Georgia’s 4% state sales tax and, in Bulloch, the original Local Option Sales Tax; the multipurpose Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or SPLOST; the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or T-SPLOST; and the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, or E-SPLOST.

All FLOST revenue collected can’t be distributed to the cities or used by the county for a rollback until July 1, 2027, when the amount may be allocated toward tax bills and help either offset potential tax increases or allow for potential tax decreases. The delay until after the first year’s revenue accumulates is intended to give the local governments time to build the new revenue into their fiscal year 2027-28 budgets, which would begin on that date.

Jason Joyner took office as the new Mayor of Pearson, according to WALB.

Mayor Jason Joyner officially took office on Wednesday, January 1, a holiday, but city officials confirm work began immediately. One of his first actions addressed a long-standing issue at the Pearson Senior Center, where a faulty seal in a men’s restroom urinal had caused water to run continuously for more than a year.

Staff and community members say the problem had been raised repeatedly before Joyner took office. During visits to the senior center prior to his election, residents say Joyner noticed the issue himself and promised it would be fixed once he was sworn in. The repair was completed on his first day in office.

In a social media post, Joyner acknowledged the holiday but made it clear work would not wait. He said he stopped by City Hall to review paperwork and plans to begin sharing regular updates with residents about progress being made.