King George III approved of the passage of the Stamp Act legislation on March 22, 1765 designed to pay for some of the costs the UK incurred in protecting the colonies, but it would lead to the movement that culminated in the American Revolution.
Lyman Hall was elected to the Continental Congress on March 21, 1775 from St. John’s Parish; the next year he would sign the Declaration of Independence as a representative from Georgia.
Patrick Henry addressed the Virginia Convention in Richmond on March 23, 1775, stating, “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
March 20, 1854 saw a meeting in Ripon, Wisconsin that is generally considered the founding of the Republican Party.
[F]ormer members of the Whig Party meet to establish a new party to oppose the spread of slavery into the western territories. The Whig Party, which was formed in 1834 to oppose the “tyranny” of President Andrew Jackson, had shown itself incapable of coping with the national crisis over slavery.
The Civil War firmly identified the Republican Party as the party of the victorious North, and after the war the Republican-dominated Congress forced a “Radical Reconstruction” policy on the South, which saw the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution and the granting of equal rights to all Southern citizens. By 1876, the Republican Party had lost control of the South, but it continued to dominate the presidency until the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.
The Georgia State Capitol was completed on March 20, 1889. Ron Daniels, the Poet Laureate of GaPundit, has written an ode to the Gold Dome:
Well I guess it was back in eighteen eighty nine,
When a couple of boys in Dahlonega went down in a mine,
And found it was slap full of gold.
Then these folks in Atlanta wanted to keep growing,
So they told the legislature the Capitol had to be going,
And so those politicos said “Good Bye Milledgeville! Our attorneys will be in touch.”
Now the Capitol had been moved before,
Savannah, Louisville, and more,
They’d even moved it down to Macon on an overloaded poultry wagon.
Atlanta sure wanted to lend the State a hand,
Giving the legislature plenty of land,
Hammers started swingin’ and, boy howdy, they sure were buildin’.
The architect of this here building was feeling bold,
Covering the building’s dome all in beautiful gold,
Leaving the gold mine empty, and leaving someone with the shaft.
Well, Governor Gordon was slap full of delight,
When his eyes did recognize that impressive sight,
On March 20, 1889, a completed Capitol building.
He grabbed the keys and a few words he spoke,
The words he uttered were no joke,
“Boys when you’re hot, you’re hot! Now thanks a lot.”
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Beer and Wine Revenue Act on March 22, 1933, allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages, and later that year, the federal Prohibition was ended.
The first Masters golf tournament began on March 22, 1934 in Augusta, Georgia.
The state prohibition on all alcoholic beverages ended on March 22, 1935 with Governor Eugene Talmadge’s signature of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.
On March 21, 1941, Governor Eugene Talmadge signed legislation establishing the Eastern Standard Time Zone as the only Time Zone in Georgia. Prior to that, Georgia observed two different time zones.
On March 20, 1943, Governor Ellis Arnall signed legislation authorizing a referendum to amend the Georgia Constitution and make the Public Service Commission a Constitutional agency.
On March 20, 1965, President Lyndon Baines Johnson notified Alabama Governor George Wallace that Alabama National Guard troops would be called up to maintain order during a third march from Selma to Montgomery. Within five months, the Voting Rights Act would be passed by Congress.
On March 21, 1965, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. led more than 3000 protesters in a march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery.
On March 20, 1970, Governor Lester Maddox signed legislation designating the Brown Thrasher the official state bird, and the Bobwhite Quail the official state game bird.
The United States Congress passed the Equal Rights Amendment on March 22, 1972; it would fail to garner enough state ratifications.
On March 21, 1980, President Jimmy Carter announced the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
Former Georgia Governor and United States Senator Herman Talmadge died on March 21, 2002.
Happy birthday to Georgia-born actress Holly Hunter (1958) and Atlanta-born film director/actor Spike Lee (1957).
Georgia Politics, Campaigns, and Elections
Friday, March 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .convene for legislative day 35
Monday, March 23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . convene for legislative day 36
Tuesday, March 24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .committee work day
Wednesday, March 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . convene for legislative day 37
Thursday, March 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . committee work day
Friday, March 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .convene for legislative day 38
Tuesday, March 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . convene for legislative day 39
Thursday, April 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Sine Die) convene for legislative day 40
Under the Gold Dome Today
TBD Senate Rules: Upon Adj 450 CAP
8 AM HOUSE WAYS & MEANS 506 CLOB
8 AM HOUSE INSURANCE 406 CLOB
9 AM HOUSE RULES 341 CAP
9 AM Senate Floor Session (LD 35) Senate Chamber
10 AM HOUSE FLOOR SESSION (LD 35) House Chamber
Governor Brian Kemp issued Executive Order #03.19.26.01, appointing Frank O’Connell as Chief Judge of the Georgia Tax Court.
The State House of Representatives voted to pass House Bill 1199 by State Rep. John Carson (R-Marietta) to suspend the state gas tax for 60 days, according to the Capitol Beat News Service via the Savannah Morning News.
Georgia drivers could soon get a break on rising gas prices under a proposal moving quickly through the General Assembly.
The state House voted 163-4 on a bill Wednesday that would suspend Georgia’s gas tax to help moderate costs as they increase because of the United States war with Iran.
“Given the actions in the Middle East, this is going to be some well-received relief to our constituents and taxpayers, particularly as we head into the summer season for purchasing gasoline,” said Rep. John Carson, R-Marietta.
Gas prices in Georgia average $3.73 per gallon for regular unleaded, according to AAA. That’s an increase of more than a dollar per gallon compared to a month ago, when prices averaged $2.71 per gallon.
The proposal, House Bill 1199, would suspend Georgia gas taxes for 60 days at a cost of roughly $200 million per month to the state government.
“Today’s passage of House Bill 1199 is a direct reflection of the House’s continued leadership in addressing affordability for citizens across the state,” said House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington. “We are delivering meaningful, timely relief to millions of Georgia drivers and families when and where it’s needed most.”
Gov. Brian Kemp, who would have to sign off on the bill if it passes the Senate, hasn’t yet agreed to the plan.
But Kemp has used his authority to suspend gas taxes by executive order three times in recent years in response to high prices, inflation and Hurricane Helene.
“The governor is always actively working to find ways to support hardworking Georgians, including this step alongside the Legislature to keep more money in their pockets,” said a spokesperson for Kemp.
HB 1199 now advances to a final vote in the Senate.
From the Capitol Beat News Service via the Valdosta Daily Times:
Georgia drivers should soon see relief at the pump after the Georgia General Assembly sent a temporary gasoline tax suspension to Gov. Brian Kemp.
The 60-day suspension of the state excise tax would save drivers just over 33 cents a gallon for gasoline and 37 cents a gallon for diesel.
It would cost the state treasury an estimated $200 million a month.
The measure comes after the U.S. attack on Iran triggered a spike in fuel prices.
“Hopefully this will be resolved but in the meantime we’re going to do what we can to help our citizens of Georgia have the lowest cost possible,” said Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, who presented House Bill 1199 on the Senate floor Thursday.
The bill started out as a measure to conform Georgia law with changes in the federal tax code. It passed the House for the first time in mid-February, a week before the air strikes on Iran ordered by President Donald Trump.
The bill bounced back and forth between the House and Senate as each made changes, and then, on Wednesday, the House added the gas tax suspension and sent HB 1199 to the Senate again.
“We’re hopeful that the ongoing international conflict, which is temporarily driving up energy prices, comes to an expeditious and successful conclusion,” Hufstetler said.
He talked about affordability, noting that fuel prices ripple through the economy, driving up the price of fertilizer and food.
Democrats agreed.
“It’s a win for our constituents and hopefully will give them much needed relief while we get through this time,” said Sen. Nikki Merritt, D-Grayson, the minority caucus vice chair.
The bill then passed the Senate unanimously.
Kemp has used his authority to unilaterally order three gas tax suspensions in recent years in response to high prices, inflation and Hurricane Helene.
Kemp said Thursday on X that he applauded passage of the bill because it would provide immediate relief for families: “This is great news for all Georgians, and I look forward to signing this tomorrow!”
From Atlanta News First via WTVM:
Atlanta News First reached out to the governor’s office Wednesday to see whether he supports the new amendment. In response, a spokesperson sent the following statement:
“The Governor is always actively working to find ways to support hardworking Georgians, including this step alongside the legislature to keep more money in their pockets. This follows the passage of a fourth tax refund and builds on multiple previous suspensions of the state gas tax, saving families over $10 billion since 2021.”
“Today’s passage of House Bill 1199 is a direct reflection of the House’s continued leadership in addressing affordability for citizens across the state,” House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, said in a statement Wednesday.
Burns added, “By suspending the state motor fuel tax for 60 days, we are delivering meaningful, timely relief to millions of Georgia drivers and families when and where it’s needed most.”
“‘Affordability’ is not just a buzzword. We all have to work towards this,” said Rep. Akbar Ali, D-Lawrenceville.
“Anything the state can do to provide some temporary relief right now at the pump, I think is critically important,” said Rep. Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville.
From Atlanta News First via WALB:
On Wednesday, the House overwhelmingly approved an amendment to add the suspension to HB 1199, an annual bill that aligns the Georgia tax code with IRS rules. The state gas tax is currently 33.3 cents per gallon, or 37.3 cents for diesel.
In metro Atlanta, the average gas price is currently $3.84 per gallon, according to AAA. For diesel fuel, that cost jumps to $5.27.
Just one month ago, the average gas price was $2.70.
The Senate unanimously passed the bill on Thursday. It now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for a signature.
“I’m very grateful for the House chamber and the Senate chamber for getting it done,” said Lt. Gov. Burt Jones.
Gas prices are currently soaring in response to the war in Iran. The country is controlling who gets through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for the world’s oil supply. About 20 million barrels traveled through the strait each day in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
House Bill 154 had its viscera removed and transplanted with a Daylight Savings Time bill. From the AJC:
State Sen. Bo Hatchett, R-Cornelia, is pushing legislation that would shift Georgia one time zone east — from Eastern to Atlantic Standard Time — a move that would effectively keep the state on daylight saving time year-round without waiting on Congress.
“It’s the only way to keep Georgia sprung forward year-round without having to get congressional approval,” Hatchett told us last night after advancing the measure through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
The maneuver exploits a quirk in federal law. While states need congressional approval to adopt permanent daylight saving time, they can petition the U.S. Department of Transportation to change time zones.
Georgia already tried the more direct route. In 2021, Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation to make daylight saving time permanent, but only if Congress first lifts a federal ban.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly backed that approach, arguing it would end the twice-a-year clock changes blamed for sleep disruption, health issues and even traffic accidents.
But Congress never acted. Now, with Washington stalled, Hatchett and his allies are revisiting the issue with a more creative fix.
It could get a Georgia Senate vote within days.
Senate Bill 406 by State Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan), the “Georgia Property Owners’ Bill of Rights Act,” would regulate homeowners associations, according to Atlanta News First via WRDW.
A bill to rein in the power of homeowners associations in Georgia is one step closer to law.
State Sen. Matt Brass, R-Newnan, sponsored the HOA bill, the most comprehensive HOA oversight bill the state has seen and the only HOA regulation bill to make it this far in the current legislative session.
“This has been a lot of work, way more than I anticipated, but much needed,” Brass said. “At the end of the day we’ve got a really good bill I’m very proud of.”
Senate Bill 406 would assign oversight to the Georgia secretary of state’s office and raise the foreclosure threshold from $2,000 to $4,000 in unpaid association dues, not including fines or fees.
On Thursday, the bill passed out of the House judiciary committee, but not without several changes and amendments.
The original bill created a five-person state review board and the opportunity for arbitration. The latest version does not include a board, but instead allows homeowner complaints and association disputes to go through a “hearing officer.” The secretary of state’s office could make a decision after a hearing and homeowners could end up in court in an appeal process.
The bill now also requires an HOA to submit three years of financial documents to the state, allowing the state to deny, suspend and revoke an HOA registration.
When it comes to foreclosures, the bill raises the threshold to $4,000 in unpaid dues. It cannot include fines and fees. Or if a homeowner is not paying any dues for a year, if that amount exceeds $2,000.
If homeowners are trying to pay, they cannot be foreclosed on. The bill also allows them 90 days to cure the debt before the HOA can file to foreclose.
Lawmakers also added another bill that did not get a vote before crossover day. That bill requires HOAs to give notice before charging a homeowner for its HOA attorneys fees.
An HOA can opt out of registering, but then it cannot issue fines, fees, liens or start foreclosures.
Homeowners and advocates said they are happy but also worried it is not enough.
“The bill states you cannot be foreclosed on if you pay your assessment,” said Michael Shephard, a homeowner and member of The Watch Project. “Gone are the days of losing your home because someone doesn’t like who you are, and they send you an arbitrary fine or a fee related to that.
“The bill looks great with one glaring exception: we do not have impartiality and we do not have a board,” he said.
Brass said state Rep. Reynaldo Martinez, R-Loganville, will carry his bill on the House floor. It will need to pass rules and get a vote before the end of session on April 2, 2026.
State Sen. Donzella James, D-Atlanta, has led the charge for HOA oversight legislation for several years, and is a co-sponsor of SB406.
Statesboro City Council passed a resolution opposing House Bill 1116 by State Rep. Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire), according to the Statesboro Herald.
Statesboro City Council during its March 17 meeting by a 4-0 vote passed a resolution, for Mayor Jonathan McCollar to sign, opposing Georgia House Bill 1116, which would generally limit local property tax increases to 3% in a year, or to the national inflation rate if lower.
House Bill 1116, which passed the state House of Representatives by a 98-68 vote on March 6, also proposes to make available a new sales tax, called the Local Homestead Option Sales Tax, or LHOST, to replace some property tax revenue. But City Manager Charles Penny noted that Statesboro, along with the rest of Bulloch County, is already at the limit of 9 cents on the dollar in sales tax, which includes 4 cents of state tax and 5 separate local option taxes.
The most recent of Bulloch County’s sales taxes, the Floating Local Option Sales Tax, or FLOST, was approved by voters last fall and has been collected since Jan. 1, and is already required to be used for a property tax millage rate reduction beginning next year. The limit of 5 cents in local sales taxes would apparently not be lifted by HB 1116, but is restated in the bill as applying to city and county governments and school boards.
Georgia Supreme Court Justice Charlie Bethel announced his campaign committee, according to Atlanta News First via WALB.
Three of Georgia’s supreme court justices are up for reelection, and two of those incumbents — Charlie Bethel and Sarah Harkins Warren — have drawn challengers: Miracle Rankin and Jen Jordan, respectively.
On Thursday, Bethel announced a campaign reelection steering committee consisting of some prominent figures, including former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, former state senator Jason Carter, former U.S. attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak and attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who ended Fulton County DA Fani Willis’ historic election interference prosecution of Donald Trump by uncovering Willis’ romantic relationship with her special prosecutor, Nathan Wade.
Deal appointed Bethel to the court in 2018 while he was governor. Bethel was elected to a full, six-year term in 2020.
Also on Bethel’s steering committee are former Chief Justice Harold Melton; Patrise Perkins-Hooker, former general counsel of the Atlanta BeltLine; and Robin Frazier Clark, former president of the State Bar of Georgia.
Jordan, a former Democratic state senator who lost to Chris Carr in 2022 in a race for attorney general, is challenging Warren, who was also appointed by Deal in 2018 and, like Bethel, won her first election to a full, six-year term in 2020.
In Macon-Bibb County, Andrea Cooke and Edward Foster are heading to a Runoff Election for County Commission District 5 on April 14, 2026, according to the Macon Telegraph.
Preliminary results Wednesday showed Andrea Cooke, a local mental health advocate, eading the race with 49.53% of the vote, according to Macon-Bibb County Board of Elections Supervisor Thomas Gillon.
She will face community advocate Edward Foster, who had the second-highest percentage of votes, in a runoff scheduled for April 14, Gillon said.
According to preliminary results, Foster received 19.41% of the vote, Stephanie Stephens-Lanham received 14.58%, Landon A. Justice received 9.75%, A. Chester Gibbs received 5.4% and Ulisha Hill received 1.33%. A total of 1,056 votes were cast.
The runoff will determine who will replace former District 5 commissioner Seth Clark, who resigned in January to run for lieutenant governor. He dropped out of that race in February due to undisclosed “personal circumstances.”
State Rep. Edna Jackson (D-Savannah) gave her farewell speech in the State House, according to WSAV.
Georgia representative and former Savannah mayor Edna Jackson gave her farewell speech at the Georgia state capitol Thursday.
Jackson was born and raised in Savannah and began her career as a social worker after graduating from Beach High and Savannah State University.
Jackson then entered politics, serving three terms as alderman at large for city council and two terms as mayor pro tempore.
She made history as the first Black woman to serve as mayor of Savannah in 2012.
Following a special election in 2021, Jackson won the state House District 165 seat. She was re-elected in 2022.
In Thursday’s speech, she reflected on the chapters of her life and her accomplishments, both politically and personally.
“I want you to know that as I look at you and I look at the young people that are getting out there, again, continue the fight,” Jackson said. “We have a long way to go. But in doing that, let us always be kind to each other.”
Jackson had one final thing to remind the State of Georgia before leaving the stand.
“And I got one thing I wanna say…Chatham County has the best delegation in the South,” she said. “All right, all right. Can I come down now?”
Derek Dooley is campaigning in Coastal Georgia with Governor Kemp, according to the Savannah Morning News.
Derek Dooley (R), who is running in the Republican primary May 19 for the chance to face Jon Ossoff (D) for his Georgia U.S. Senate Seat this fall, stopped by Effingham County Wednesday morning as part of his Georgia First campaign tour. He met with residents for breakfast at Moncrief Square in Springfield.
Dooley announced his run for office Aug. 4, 2025. The attorney and former head football coach at the University of Tennessee was accompanied by Gov. Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp. The three-day tour across 12 counties began Monday and will end Wednesday in Bulloch County.
“We got to learn lessons from our past elections,” said Dooley. “Kemp mentioned we have not won a Senate race, the Republican Party, in 10 years and candidates matter. We have a very diverse state here in Georgia. As I travel around, I live up in Rabun County in the mountains, and it’s just been a treat to see all the different areas of the state, different communities. It’s diverse and if you’re going to win a statewide election, you’ve got to have a candidate that not only can energize and mobilize the Republican-Trump voters, but you better have someone who can find some common ground – have a leadership style that connects with voters that don’t always vote Republican or don’t always vote in the mid-terms.”
Kemp endorsed Dooley. The two have known each other for decades.
“I’ve know Derek Dooley all my life,” said Kemp. “We need to win one of our senate seats back. Our two senators don’t hold the same values. My mission in 2026 is to change that. I know Derek has the integrity, the drive to do that. Vince Dooley was like a second father to me. People that played for him 20 years ago have respect for how he treated and led them. That’s the way Derek was raised.”
Dooley admitted during the meet and greet that it is going to be difficult to defeat Ossoff.
“I will tell you, it’s not going to be easy to beat Jon Ossoff,” said Dooley. “I’ve been around the state. We’ve put on about 32,000 miles since August, and it’s been incredible talking to so many great, hardworking Georgians.”
Low voter turnout has been a key issue in areas like Effingham County, a Republican stronghold. Dooley hopes meetings like today will keep him at the forefront of voters’ minds.
“I think people sometimes get caught up in their lives and they’re worried about putting food on the table,” said Dooley. “I hope I can encourage all of them to get active because if you don’t get active you end up with bad leadership. So if they want good leadership, let’s get out there and get active, get engaged, spread the word and show up on May 19.”
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