With the Georgia legislative session coming to a close, Georgians saw six new bills enacted into law. Both the Senate and the House did their fair share of sending bills up to Governor Brian Kemp (R). The new laws are varied and cover a wide range of topics.
The first bills signed were House bill (HB) 359 and Senate bill (SB) 16. HB 359 is a simple land development bill. The bill authorizes the City of Cedartown, Georgia, to exercise all redevelopment and other powers under Article IX of the Georgia Constitution.
SB 16 is a simple revision bill. It revises existing code pertaining to public officials engaging in the bail bond business. The bill also revises code relating to miscellaneous offenses concerning public officers and employees.
Next up is HB 67 which is the new budget amendment for 2025. This budget amendment allocates funds for hurricane relief and infrastructure fortification.
Public facilities like schools and corrections institutions are set to receive more funding. On top of this, the budget amendment includes a $1 billion statewide tax refund.
HB 58 came then to establish new provisions relating to aviation and public safety. The bill authorizes the adoption of local ordinances and policies that restrict the flight of unmanned aircraft systems over mass public gatherings.
HB 92 was passed on the same day as HB 58 but focused on a completely different issue. This bill relates to base year homestead tax exemption.
Specifically, HB 92 postpones the date by which local governing authorities are authorized to opt out of homestead exemptions.
The final bill to be passed out of this year’s session was SB 36. This bill is also known as the Georgia Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
SB 36 relates to the state government. It enacts provisions relating to the preservation of religious freedom.
Governor Kemp commented on X how the session was a massive success. He praised lawmakers for passing laws that strengthen Georgia.
Kemp stated, “We’re making historic investments in infrastructure, enacting meaningful tort reform, and providing much needed disaster relief all while returning taxpayer money to Georgians’ pockets. I’d call that a successful session!”
