Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA), in consultation with Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R-GA) and Speaker of the House Jon Burns (R-Newington), announced an extension of Georgia’s state of emergency and the gas tax suspension.
Why has the gas tax been suspended for a second time? Gov. Kemp made this decision due to global market volatility, and the suspension is expected to run through November 30. With gas and diesel prices remaining high, this action will provide needed relief for Georgians through the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
This follows the Governor's previous executive orders declaring a state of emergency, which also suspended state weight limits on commercial vehicles and penalties for using off-road "dyed" diesel on roads.
What Gov. Brian Kemp had to say:
- “With a major holiday coming up and fuel prices still at high levels, I am proud to take this step to keep more money in Georgians' pockets.
- “Our commitment to fiscal responsibility and stewarding taxpayer dollars has allowed us to act when needed, whether by suspending the gas tax or returning billions to taxpayers through income tax refunds and property tax relief.
- “I'm grateful to our partners in the General Assembly for their support and for standing with us to budget conservatively for times such as these.”
What is the current gas tax, and how does it compare nationally? Georgia's current motor fuel excise tax is 33.3 cents per gallon for gasoline and 37.3 cents per gallon for diesel.
Following the original suspension of the state gas tax on September 28, the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Georgia has remained well below the national average, according to AAA.
Georgia's average price for a gallon of regular gas is approximately 63 cents below the national average, and the average diesel price is around 61 cents below the national average.
The current average price for a gallon of regular gas in Georgia is $3.66, and the average price for a gallon of diesel is $ 5.72.
