The Georgia General Assembly has completed Day 31 of the 40-day session, according to the Georgia Construction Aggregate Association (GCAA).
Tort reform legislation, (SB 68 and SB 69), backed by Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and aimed at reining in huge jury awards supporters say cripple Georgia businesses, has passed the Senate and now is assigned to the House Rules Committee Subcommittee on Tort Reform.
The subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Rob Leverett from Elberton, has held multiple hearings on SB 68. Among other things, SB 68 would shield property owners from liability claims stemming from criminal acts committed by third parties outside of the owner’s control; allow lawyers for defendants in suits stemming from car accidents to introduce evidence showing the injured party was not wearing a seatbelt; and require plaintiffs in liability cases to show the jury their actual medical costs when the jury is deliberating on compensation. GCAA has been very proactive urging House members to support this vitally important legislation.
The House approved Georgia’s $37.7 billion FY 2026 budget Tuesday, ($1.6 billion or 4.4% over the original FY 2025 budget) a spending plan that emphasizes the needs of the state prison system.
The budget, which takes effect July 1, builds on the mid-year budget the General Assembly adopted last week, which added $345 million in new spending on prisons. In addition to the prison system, education is a main driver in the fiscal 2026 budget, with the House adding $98 million to the Governor’s spending recommendations.
Of that total, $60 million would go toward student support services, including $20 million in grants to hire mental-health counselors for Georgia middle schools and $28 million to support students from low-income families. Another $25 million would go toward school safety initiatives, which already received a major boost in the $40.5 billion mid-year budget. The House earmarked $10 million to hire more literacy coaches. And, it includes $212 million for GDoT’s LMIG program.
The truck weight bill, HB 164, passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee. It removes the sunset provision from the weight bill that passed two years ago. Under the bill that passed, there would be no changes to existing law. It is now pending in the Senate Rules Committee, which is the final step in the legislative process before going to the Senate floor for a vote.