---
title: HB 930. Income tax; refundable credit for grocery, transportation, and utility costs; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb930
cite_as: HB 930, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb930
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb930.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb930/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72079
date: 2026-01-12
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb930.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 930
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-04-04
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Karen Lupton
- Marvin Lim
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB930/2025
upstream_id: 2020900
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- income tax credits
- cost of living relief
- workforce training
- rural attorneys
- low-income housing tax credit
---
# HB 930. Income tax; refundable credit for grocery, transportation, and utility costs; provide
## Text
House Bill 930
By: Representatives Lupton of the 83rd and Lim of the 98th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Titles 33, 34, and 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
insurance, labor and industrial relations, and revenue and taxation, respectively, so as to
provide for a refundable tax credit for grocery, transportation, and utility costs; to provide
for a refundable tax credit for certain workforce development training expenses; to require
the State Workforce Development Board to approve and publish a list of training programs
most critical to the state's current and future workforce needs; to provide for a tax credit for
rural attorneys; to provide for eligibility, terms, conditions, limitations, and procedures for
such credits; to provide for definitions; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for
a sunset; to expand a low income housing tax credit to include certain qualified Georgia
projects that do not receive a federal housing tax credit; to provide for an additional state tax
on retail sales of certain tangible personal property facilitated by a marketplace facilitator;
to provide for the collection and administration of such tax; to provide for related matters;
to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
PART I
SECTION 1-1.
Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to revenue and taxation, is
amended in Chapter 7, relating to income taxes, by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"48-7-29.27.
(a) On and after January 1, 2026, a taxpayer shall be allowed a tax credit against the tax
imposed by Code Section 48-7-20 to offset the costs incurred by such taxpayer for
groceries, transportation, and utilities in an amount equal to the sum of:
(1)(A) In the case of a single taxpayer, a married taxpayer filing a separate return, or
a head of household, $1,000.00; or
(B) In the case of a married couple filing a joint return, $2,000.00; and
(2) For each dependent, as such term is defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, of such taxpayer, $1,000.00.
(b) If the total amount of the tax credit provided for in this Code section exceeds the
taxpayer's income tax liability for a taxable year, such excess funds shall be refunded to the
taxpayer.
(c) No refund or credit provided for in this Code section shall constitute taxable income
for Georgia individual income tax purposes.
(d) Refunds due under this Code section to a taxpayer shall be either electronically
transmitted or sent by check to such taxpayer, based on the taxpayer's refund instructions,
if any, as indicated on the taxpayer's income tax return, provided that such refund shall first
be credited against any outstanding liability existing at the time the refund provided for in
this Code section is to be issued.
(e) In no event shall the amount of a refund or credit provided for in this Code section
accrue interest for the benefit of the taxpayer or be paid or credited to the taxpayer with
interest.
(f) Any amount due to be refunded or credited to a taxpayer pursuant to this Code section
shall be subject to the setoff debt collection provisions of Article 7 of this chapter.
(g) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement and
administer the provisions of this Code section."
PART II
SECTION 2-1.
Said title is further amended in said chapter by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"48-7-29.28.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'workforce training expenses' means expenses
paid as tuition or fees to participate in a workforce training program approved for the
taxpayer's local workforce development area by the State Workforce Development Board
pursuant to Code Section 34-14-4.
(b)(1) On and after January 1, 2026, a taxpayer shall be allowed a tax credit against the
tax imposed by Code Section 48-7-20 for workforce training expenses in an amount not
to exceed $1,000.00.
(2) No taxpayer shall be eligible to receive the credit provided by this subsection more
than once.
(c) If the tax credit provided for in this Code section exceeds the taxpayer's income tax
liability for a taxable year, such excess funds shall be refunded to the taxpayer.
(d) No refund or credit provided for in this Code section shall constitute taxable income
for Georgia individual income tax purposes.
(e) Refunds due under this Code section to a taxpayer shall be either electronically
transmitted or sent by check to such taxpayer based on the taxpayer's refund instructions,
if any, as indicated on the taxpayer's income tax return, provided that such refund shall first
be credited against any outstanding liability existing at the time the refund provided for in
this Code section is to be issued.
(f) In no event shall the amount of a refund or credit provided for in this Code section
accrue interest for the benefit of the taxpayer or be paid or credited to the taxpayer with
interest.
(g) Any amount due to be refunded or credited to a taxpayer pursuant to this Code section
shall be subject to the setoff debt collection provisions of Article 7 of this chapter.
(h) The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement and
administer the provisions of this Code section."
SECTION 2-2.
Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor and industrial relations,
is amended in Chapter 14, relating to the State Workforce Development Board, by adding
a new Code section to read as follows:
"34-14-4.
(a) The State Workforce Development Board shall publish a High-Demand Workforce
Training List identifying training programs most critical to the state's current and future
workforce needs, as provided in this Code section.
(b) The State Workforce Development Board, in consultation with the Office of
Workforce Development, shall assess current labor market information and other
employment data sources and determine which training programs merit inclusion on such
list for the entire state and for each local workforce development area of the state and shall
implement a data-driven process to assess present and future growing and declining
industries, occupations, skills, and credentials.
(c) The High-Demand Workforce Training List required by this Code section shall:
(1) State which training programs are approved for the entire state and for each local
workforce development area of the state; and
(2) Be published annually on or before December 31 on the State Workforce
Development Board's public website."
PART III
SECTION 3-1.
Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to revenue and taxation, is
amended in Chapter 7, relating to income taxes, by adding a new Code section to read as
follows:
"48-7-29.29.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Rural attorney' means an attorney licensed to practice law in this state who practices
in wills and estates or landlord-tenant law in a rural county and resides in a rural county
or a county contiguous to the rural county in which such lawyer practices.
(2) 'Rural county' means a county in this state that has a population of less than 50,000
according to the United States decennial census of 2020 or any future such census;
provided, however, that, for counties which contain a military base or installation, the
military personnel and their dependents living in such county shall be excluded from the
total population of such county for purposes of this definition.
(b)(1) A person qualifying as a rural attorney after July 1, 2026, shall be allowed a credit
against the tax imposed by Code Section 48-7-20 in an amount not to exceed $5,000.00
for each 12 month period of employment as a rural attorney; provided, however, that such
amount shall be prorated on a monthly basis for the first year during which a person
qualifies as a rural attorney. Such tax credit may be claimed each year for up to five
years, provided that the person continues to qualify as a rural attorney.
(2) In no event shall the amount of the tax credit exceed the taxpayer's income tax
liability, nor shall any unused tax credit be allowed to be carried forward or applied to
any of the taxpayer's succeeding years' tax liability. No such tax credit shall be allowed
the taxpayer against prior years' tax liability.
(3) No attorney who, on July 1, 2026, is currently practicing in a rural county shall be
eligible for a tax credit under this Code section. No attorney who, prior to July 1, 2026,
practiced in a rural county shall be eligible for a tax credit under this Code section unless,
after July 1, 2026, such attorney returns to practice in a rural county after having
practiced in a county other than a rural county for at least three years.
(c) The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement
and administer this Code section.
(d) This Code section shall stand repealed and reserved on December 31, 2029."
PART IV
SECTION 4-1.
Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insurance, is amended in
Code Section 33-1-18, relating to housing tax credit for qualified projects and rules and
regulations, by revising paragraph (1) of subsection (b) as follows:
"(b)(1) A tax credit against the taxes imposed under Code Sections 33-5-31, 33-8-4, and
33-40-5, to be termed the Georgia housing tax credit, shall be allowed with respect to
each qualified Georgia project placed in service after January 1, 2001. The amount of
such credit shall, when combined with the total amount of credit authorized under Code
Section 48-7-29.6, in no event exceed an amount equal to the federal housing tax credit
allowed with respect to such qualified Georgia project.; provided, however, that such tax
credit shall be allowed in an amount equal to 100 percent of the federal housing tax credit
with respect to any qualified Georgia project that does not receive the federal housing tax
credit but would have received the federal housing tax credit if the state had received 125
percent of its annual allocation of such tax credits."
SECTION 4-2.
Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to revenue and taxation, is
amended in Code Section 48-7-29.6, relating to income tax credits for qualified low-income
buildings, by revising paragraph (1) of subsection (b) as follows:
"(b)(1) A state tax credit against the tax imposed by this article, to be termed the Georgia
housing tax credit, shall be allowed with respect to each qualified Georgia project placed
in service after January 1, 2001. The amount of such credit shall, when combined with
the total amount of credits authorized under Code Section 33-1-18, in no event exceed
an amount equal to the federal housing tax credit allowed with respect to such qualified
Georgia project.; provided, however, that such credit shall be allowed in an amount equal
to 100 percent of the federal housing tax credit with respect to any qualified Georgia
project that does not receive the federal housing tax credit but would have received the
federal housing tax credit if the state had received 125 percent of its annual allocation of
such tax credits."
PART V
SECTION 5-1.
Said title is further amended in Chapter 13, relating to specific, business, and occupation
taxes, by adding a new article to read as follows:
"ARTICLE 9
48-13-150.
(a) In addition to all other taxes of every kind imposed by law, there is imposed an excise
tax of 0.20 percent of the retail sales price on any tangible personal property sold or
delivered into this state which is:
(1) Facilitated by a marketplace facilitator, as such term is defined in Code Section
48-8-2; and
(2) Subject to taxation under Article 1 of Chapter 8 of this title.
(b) The excise tax imposed by this article shall be paid by the seller and due and payable
in the same manner as required for a retail sale under Article 1 of Chapter 8 of this title.
(c) The commissioner shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement
and administer the provisions of this article."
PART VI
SECTION 6-1.
(a) This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2026, and, except as provided in subsection
(b) of this section, shall be applicable on and after such date.
(b) Parts I through IV of this Act shall be applicable to all taxable years beginning on or
after January 1, 2026.
SECTION 6-2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 930 would create new refundable Georgia income tax credits for grocery, transportation, and utility costs, for workforce training, and for rural attorneys, while also adding a small new tax on marketplace facilitator sales.
### Plain-language summary
House Bill 930 creates several new tax provisions in Georgia law. Starting January 1, 2026, taxpayers would get a refundable income tax credit of $1,000 (single filers or heads of household) or $2,000 (married filing jointly), plus $1,000 per dependent, meant to offset the cost of groceries, transportation, and utilities. A separate refundable credit of up to $1,000 would cover tuition or fees for workforce training programs approved by the State Workforce Development Board, which must publish an annual list of high-demand training programs by local workforce area.
The bill also creates a credit of up to $5,000 per year, for up to five years, for attorneys who begin practicing wills and estates or landlord-tenant law in a rural county (population under 50,000) starting after July 1, 2026, and repeals that credit at the end of 2029. It expands the state's low-income housing tax credit to cover certain projects that did not receive a federal housing credit. Finally, it adds a 0.20 percent excise tax on retail sales facilitated by marketplace facilitators. Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026, applying to tax years starting January 1, 2026.
### What it does
- Creates a refundable income tax credit of $1,000 to $2,000 plus $1,000 per dependent to help offset grocery, transportation, and utility costs, starting in tax year 2026.
- Creates a separate refundable credit of up to $1,000 for tuition or fees paid for state-approved workforce training programs, usable only once per taxpayer.
- Requires the State Workforce Development Board to publish an annual list of high-demand training programs by December 31 each year for the whole state and each local workforce area.
- Creates a credit of up to $5,000 per year for up to five years for attorneys who newly begin practicing wills/estates or landlord-tenant law in a rural county after July 1, 2026, ending automatically on December 31, 2029.
- Expands the Georgia low-income housing tax credit to cover qualified projects that missed out on the federal housing tax credit but would have gotten it under a larger state allocation.
- Imposes a new 0.20 percent excise tax on retail sales of tangible personal property facilitated by online marketplace facilitators, paid by the seller.
### Who it affects
Georgia individual taxpayers who file income tax returns, especially those with dependents, would gain new grocery, transportation, and utility tax credits. Workers pursuing state-approved job training, attorneys considering rural practice, low-income housing developers, and businesses selling goods through online marketplace facilitators are also directly affected.
### Why it matters
Many Georgia households could see a direct reduction in their state income tax bill, or a refund check, tied to everyday living costs. Rural communities facing attorney shortages could gain more lawyers, and low-income housing developers could access more state tax credits, while online sellers would face a small new sales tax.
### Key provisions
- Section 1-1 adds O.C.G.A. § 48-7-29.27, creating the grocery, transportation, and utility tax credit effective January 1, 2026, refundable if it exceeds tax owed.
- Section 2-1 adds O.C.G.A. § 48-7-29.28, a refundable workforce training credit up to $1,000, usable only once per taxpayer.
- Section 2-2 adds O.C.G.A. § 34-14-4, requiring the State Workforce Development Board to publish a High-Demand Workforce Training List annually by December 31.
- Section 3-1 adds O.C.G.A. § 48-7-29.29, a rural attorney tax credit up to $5,000 per year for five years, limited to attorneys new to rural practice after July 1, 2026, and repealed December 31, 2029.
- Sections 4-1 and 4-2 amend O.C.G.A. §§ 33-1-18 and 48-7-29.6 to let certain Georgia housing projects get 100 percent of the federal housing tax credit amount even without receiving the actual federal credit.
- Section 5-1 adds O.C.G.A. § 48-13-150, imposing a 0.20 percent excise tax on retail sales facilitated by marketplace facilitators, paid by the seller.
- Section 6-1 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026, with Parts I through IV applying to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-04-04)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-12)
- Sponsors: Karen Lupton, Marvin Lim
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72079
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb930.md?full=1