HB1377: HB1377 Transit SPLOST; time limits upon recalling of an election; provisions

Some Georgia counties in areas with poor air quality (called nonattainment areas) can ask voters to approve a special sales tax, known as Transit SPLOST, to pay for transit, roads, and related infrastructure. This bill changes what that tax money can be used for and how soon a rejected tax question can be brought back to voters. Section 1 rewrites the definition of 'transportation purposes' in Georgia's sales tax code (O.C.G.A. § 48-8-260) so that the tax can still fund roads, bridges, transit, rail, airports, buses, and seaports, but specifically cannot be used to provide free or reduced fares for public transit riders. Section 2 changes the rule for resubmitting a failed Transit SPLOST question (O.C.G.A. § 48-8-269.46): instead of allowing counties to bring the question back whenever they choose, they must now wait eight years after a special election fails before asking voters again. The bill would repeal any conflicting laws.

• Rewrites the legal definition of 'transportation purposes' for Transit SPLOST taxes to exclude spending on free or reduced-fare public transit service.
• Requires counties in nonattainment areas to wait eight years after voters reject a Transit SPLOST measure before resubmitting the same tax question.
• Keeps the tax usable for roads, bridges, public transit, rail, airports, buses, seaports, and related infrastructure and debt payments.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these changes.

Counties and transit authorities in Georgia's nonattainment areas (regions with air quality problems) that rely on or are considering a Transit SPLOST sales tax, along with public transit riders who might otherwise benefit from fare discounts funded by that tax.

Transit agencies funded by this tax would no longer be able to use the money to subsidize free or discounted rides, which could affect fare policy for riders. Counties whose transit tax fails at the ballot box would have to wait eight years before trying again, slowing efforts to secure funding after a defeat.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-8-260 to redefine 'transportation purposes' for the special district mass transportation sales and use tax, explicitly excluding free or reduced transit fares.
• Section 1 preserves funding eligibility for roads, bridges, public transit, rail, airports, buses, seaports, and related infrastructure, including general obligation debt tied to those purposes.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 48-8-269.46(c) to require an eight-year wait after a failed special election before a county may resubmit the Transit SPLOST question to voters.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-02-24House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
3. 2026-02-20House Second Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-19House First Readers (House)
5. 2026-02-18House Hopper (House)

• John Carson (R, HD-046)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
• Ginny Ehrhart (R, HD-036)
• Don Parsons (R, HD-044)
• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)
• Soo Hong (R, HD-103)

• transit funding
• sales tax
• Transit SPLOST
• public transportation
• local elections