As the Georgia General Assembly prepares to convene on Jan. 12, lawmakers, advocates, and business groups are lining up priorities that promise to shape policy across education, taxes, public safety, and more when legislators return to the Gold Dome.
Among the top anticipated topics is tax reform, including proposals to further reduce Georgia’s income tax and advance property tax cuts championed by House Speaker Jon Burns. Burns and other Republican leaders have signaled a push to ease the tax burden on homeowners while maintaining fiscal discipline.
The Georgia Department of Education has already outlined 2026 legislative priorities tied to its Student Bill of Rights, including support for students in poverty and teacher pay increases. Lawmakers will also revisit unfinished education matters from 2025 that did not advance, such as school safety measures and other K-12 funding formula adjustments.
A bipartisan group of state senators said they will recommend extending Georgia’s cellphone ban to high school students, limiting the use of AI in schools to administrative tasks only, and strengthening recess and learning through play recommendations.
A high-profile area of debate is gambling legalization, with industry supporters optimistic that the legislature may finally approve expanded gaming or sports betting to generate new revenue.
Election reform and technology changes will also press lawmakers to consider updates to voting systems ahead of the crucial 2026 midterms. Republican lawmakers are leading a push to replace computer ballot-marking devices with hand-marked paper ballots.
LGBTQ+ advocates are bracing for renewed debate over legislation affecting transgender people. Lawmakers may revisit proposals restricting gender-affirming medical care, regulating transgender students’ participation in school athletics, and expanding religious exemption protections.
