Week 2 Special Legislative Session 2026

On Monday, June 22, 2026, members of the Georgia General Assembly returned to the State Capitol for Legislative Day 4 of the 2026 special session to continue advancing the legislative work outlined in Governor Brian Kemp's proclamation. As the special session entered its final days, committees met to review legislation and complete the remaining business before adjournment, including final passage of legislation updating Georgia's election laws and voting system requirements. After completing the work of the special session, the General Assembly adjourned sine die on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

The House reconsidered its action on local legislation related to Senate Bill 33, which would have allowed communities to approve local homestead exemptions from ad valorem taxes through the creation of a new Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST), subject to voter approval in the November 2026 General Election.

• These local measures had initially failed to receive the constitutional majority required for passage on Saturday.
• After reconsideration on Monday, the legislation again failed to secure the necessary votes.
• Additional local legislation was also considered during the week and similarly did not receive the required constitutional majority.

The House gave final passage to Senate Bill 3EX, legislation making several updates to Georgia's election laws.

• The bill extends the July 1, 2026, deadline established under Senate Bill 189—which prohibited ballot scanners from relying solely on QR codes, barcodes, or similar coding for official tabulation—to January 1, 2028, allowing additional time for the state to transition to a compliant voting system.
• SB 3EX establishes the Election Equipment Specifications and Standards Committee, a nine-member committee responsible for developing recommendations for Georgia's next uniform voting system based on hand-marked paper ballots produced using ballot-on-demand printing.
• The committee will consist of three electors appointed by the governor, three state senators appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments, and three state representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House. One senator and one representative will serve as co-chairs.
• The committee may consult with election officials, the State Election Board, the Georgia Association of Voter Registration and Election Officials, cybersecurity professionals, and accessibility and disability experts.
• A final report is due by January 31, 2027, providing recommendations detailed enough to support appropriations, procurement, and implementation of a new voting system before the 2028 election cycle.
• The bill also specifies that the secretary of state serving when the legislation takes effect would serve only in an advisory capacity regarding the selection, certification, or procurement of the new voting system.

SB 3EX also expands Georgia's use of risk-limiting audits by requiring top-of-the-ballot races to be included.

• While the Senate originally amended the bill to require manual hand recounts of the top two races on every ballot before certification, the House adopted a substitute that limits mandatory hand recounts to the top two statewide races only when the margin between candidates is one-half of one percent or less.
• In those cases, the secretary of state would direct a statewide manual recount within two business days following certification, with counties reimbursed for associated costs.
• After the House approved the revised bill, the Senate agreed to the House's changes, sending SB 3EX to Governor Kemp for consideration. If signed, the legislation will take effect immediately.

On Tuesday, the Senate gave final passage to House Resolution 3EX, ratifying Governor Kemp's executive order temporarily suspending the collection of motor fuel and diesel fuel taxes.

• The resolution had previously passed the House unanimously on Saturday.
• With passage in both chambers, the gas tax suspension has been officially ratified.

In addition to the work outlined in the governor's proclamation, House members also began interim study committee work during the special session.

• Following the 2026 regular legislative session, Speaker Jon Burns appointed members to several House Blue-Ribbon Study Committees to examine issues affecting Georgians and develop recommendations for the 2027 legislative session.
• The House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Youth Exposure to Kratom and Retail Available Substances met on the first day of the special session.
• The committee heard testimony from organizations and subject matter experts regarding the effects of kratom products on minors.
• Additional study committees will continue meeting throughout the interim. For a full list of 2026 House study committees, please click here, and to find information about upcoming House study committee meetings, please click here. 
  

All legislation from the special session may be found here.

Now that the 2026 special session has concluded, I look forward to returning home to serve the people of our district throughout the interim. I will remain engaged in study committee meetings and other legislative work as we prepare for the 2027 regular legislative session. If you have questions or concerns about the special session or other issues affecting our community, please do not hesitate to reach out. The General Assembly will reconvene for the 2027 regular legislative session on Monday, January 11, 2027. In the meantime, you can contact my Capitol office at (404) 656-0213 or by email at karen.mathiak@house.ga.gov.