Week 1 Legislative Session Recap 2026

The Georgia House of Representatives convened on Monday, January 12, 2026, for the first day of the 2026 legislative session, the second regular session of the 158th Georgia General Assembly. The session opened with a special violin performance of “Georgia on My Mind” by Audrey Kittila, Miss Georgia 2025.

The House also recognized the recent restoration and renovation of the House Chamber, completed by the Georgia Building Authority (GBA) and partners. The project preserved the Capitol’s historical character while adding modern updates, featuring locally produced carpet from Dalton and gold leaf accents from Dahlonega. A timelapse video of the process is available for viewing here.

The House adopted House Resolution 998, the Adjournment Resolution, establishing the 2026 legislative calendar. The Georgia Constitution requires 40 legislative days, with Sine Die scheduled for Thursday, April 2, 2026.

On Wednesday, members attended the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs & Issues breakfast, where Gov. Kemp outlined priorities. He proposed a one-time $35 million natural gas infrastructure fund through the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, along with major transportation investments: $1.8 billion for I-75 Henry County Express Lanes, $200 million for Highway 316—University Parkway, $250 million for local roads, and $100 million for rural bridge improvements. He also announced a one-time $50 million Homeless Response Grant to support preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta. 

On Thursday, the House and Senate held a joint session for Gov. Kemp’s final State of the State Address as Georgia’s 83rd governor. The address focused on lowering the cost of living, while prioritizing education, workforce training, school safety, law enforcement retirement security, and intensified efforts against human trafficking and gang-related crime.  A video archive of the address is available here.

Gov. Kemp highlighted fiscal achievements since 2021: more than $3.2 billion in one-time tax relief, nearly $1 billion in property tax relief, over $2.2 billion through motor fuel tax suspensions, and nearly $3.4 billion in permanent income tax savings—totaling almost $9.7 billion returned to Georgians. His budget proposals include a fourth one-time $1 billion tax rebate (averaging $250 for single filers and up to $500 for married couples), bringing total surplus revenue returned over four years to more than $7.5 billion. He also proposed a 20-basis-point reduction in the personal and corporate income tax rate, to 4.99 percent.

The governor emphasized support for state employees and economic development, noting more than 219,700 new jobs and over $118 billion in investment over seven years, much directed outside metro Atlanta. His Amended Fiscal Year 2026 budget includes a one-time $2,000 pay supplement for state employees, including educators and public safety officers.

In education, the state has fully funded the Quality Basic Education Act (QBE) seven times and added $368 million for workforce preparation. School safety funding has grown from three campus security grants totaling over $184.5 million in his first year to an additional $109 million in the base budget, with proposals bringing total public safety allocations during his tenure to more than $511 million. Teacher pay has increased by $9,500, raising starting salaries by nearly 28 percent.

For higher education, the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) scholarship has been restored to 100 percent, with tuition increases limited to five percent since 2019. Proposals include $2 billion more for higher education, $40.7 million for healthcare education facilities and medical workforce training, and $2.1 million to expand medical residency slots (now at 2,523, up 897 since he took office).

The address announced $326 million for the University of Georgia’s Dedicating Resources to Educationally Advance More Students (DREAMS) scholarship, Georgia’s first needs-based endowment program to reduce student debt and promote generational economic advancement. It complements the Georgia MATCH program, which has driven 5.9 percent USG enrollment growth and 7.1 percent TCSG growth in its first two years.

Gov. Kemp proposed an enhanced retirement plan for state law enforcement officers, increasing the state’s 401(k) match rate and raising the maximum contribution cap from 9 percent to 15 percent. He also committed to further action against human trafficking, noting ten prior bills and an upcoming eleventh, led in part by the GRACE Commission under First Lady Marty Kemp. Efforts against gang violence include the GBI Anti-Gang Taskforce, which has investigated over 1,800 cases, arrested nearly 2,500 gang-affiliated offenders, and seized more than $95 million in drugs and illegal items since 2019.

The week concluded with a Celebration of Service event honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of compassion and unity.

The 2026 session is now underway. Following the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, work resumes Tuesday, January 20, with budget week featuring presentations from Gov. Kemp and agency leaders to the joint House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

Committee meetings are open to the public in person or via live streams at https://www.legis.ga.gov/schedule/house. Follow updates on @GaHouseHub (X), @gahouseofrepresentatives (Instagram), and the House Facebook page.

I welcome your input as we address community and statewide needs. Contact me at karen.mathiak@house.ga.gov or (404) 656-0213. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your state representative.