Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) recently announced an amendment to the State of Emergency Order issued last week to include waiving penalties for the use of off-road "dyed" diesel, providing further relief to Georgia's truckers and farmers.
Was this decision made unilaterally? Gov. Kemp made this announcement in consultation with Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R-GA), Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington), and Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper.
How does this add to the ongoing State of Emergency? For the duration of the State of Emergency, there will be no state penalties incurred for selling, delivering, or using dyed fuel oil for on-road vehicle use.
With this new action, Gov. Kemp has also extended the original State of Emergency and its suspension, which will now run through November 5th.
What Gov. Brian Kemp had to say:
- “With our farmers and truckers under heavy pressure, we're leaving no stone unturned when it comes to giving them relief, along with the hardworking Georgians who rely on the goods they produce and deliver. I'm thankful for the support of our partners in the legislature on these measures as we continue to put Georgia workers and families first.”
What other key figures had to say:
- Speaker Jon Burns via his Official X: “Georgia Republicans are continuing to deliver savings at the pump for families, farmers, and businesses when they need it most.”
- Rick Jackson via his Official X: “Like Governor Kemp said, he's leaving no stone unturned when it comes to bringing relief to Georgia families, farmers, and truckers relief. It's 100% the right move. When I'm governor, we're going to make this relief automatic when crisis hits and prices spike.”
Further Context: Following the suspension of the state motor fuel tax exactly a week ago, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Georgia has decreased by roughly 33 cents, according to AAA.
The average price of a gallon of diesel fuel has decreased by over 42 cents in that same time. Georgia's average price for a gallon of regular gas is currently 51 cents below the national average.
