HB 248: Income tax; tax credit for certain expenses incurred by taxpayers for certain geothermal machinery installations at residential dwellings; provide

Although HB 248 was originally written to create a tax credit for geothermal heating and cooling installations, the Senate Finance Committee substitute shown here replaces that idea entirely. It creates a new Georgia income tax credit, called the Firearm Safe Handling and Secure Storage Tax Credit Act, for individual taxpayers who buy a gun safe, trigger lock, or similar secure storage device, or who pay for an in-person firearm safety course lasting at least two hours. The credit equals a taxpayer's eligible expenses or $300, whichever is less, and taxpayers must apply to the Georgia Department of Revenue for preapproval before claiming it. Credits are awarded first-come, first-served until a statewide $10 million annual cap is reached. The credit cannot exceed a taxpayer's tax bill, cannot carry forward to future years, and the law would repeal itself on December 31, 2031. It would take effect January 1, 2027.

• Creates a new Georgia income tax credit for individuals who buy firearm secure storage devices like gun safes, trigger locks, chamber locks, or cable locks.
• Extends the same credit to costs of an in-person firearm safe handling instructional course lasting at least two hours.
• Caps each taxpayer's credit at $300 or actual eligible expenses, whichever is less, and caps total statewide credits at $10 million per year.
• Requires taxpayers to apply to the Department of Revenue for preapproval and get approved within 30 days on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Bars anyone from creating a list or database of people who applied for or received the credit, except as needed to administer it.
• Sets the credit to automatically repeal on December 31, 2031, and makes the law effective January 1, 2027.

Individual Georgia taxpayers who purchase gun safes or other secure firearm storage devices or pay for firearm safety courses, the Georgia Department of Revenue which must build a preapproval system, and gun safety course providers and storage device retailers whose products or services would qualify.

Georgians who buy gun safes or take safety courses could get up to $300 off their state income taxes, but only if they apply for preapproval in time, since the $10 million yearly pool runs out on a first-come, first-served basis and unused credit cannot roll over to future years.

• Section 1 names the law the 'Firearm Safe Handling and Secure Storage Tax Credit Act.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 48-7-29.11A defining eligible expenses, firearms, safety courses, and secure storage devices.
• Subsection (b) sets the credit at the lesser of actual expenses or $300 per taxpayer and caps total annual credits statewide at $10 million.
• Subsection (c) requires taxpayers to apply for preapproval, with the Department of Revenue processing applications within 30 days in the order received until funds run out.
• Subsection (d) requires taxpayers to keep receipts for three years for review by the commissioner.
• Subsection (e) bars carrying unused credit forward or applying it to past tax years, and limits it to no more than the taxpayer's tax liability.
• Subsection (f) prohibits creating lists or databases of applicants or recipients except for administering the credit.
• Subsection (h) sets automatic repeal of the credit on December 31, 2031; Section 3 sets the effective date as January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senado)
2. 2026-03-31Senate Engrossed (Senado)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
4. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senado)
5. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
6. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2025-03-06House Third Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
8. 2025-02-26House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Cámara de Representantes)

• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-011)Patrocinador principal
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Noel Williams (R, HD-148)
• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes6 de marzo de 2025

   170 a favor, 3 en contra (2 sin votar, 5 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #219

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado31 de marzo de 2026

   33 a favor, 15 en contra (2 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Motion To Engross: Hb 52, Hb 248, Hb 963, Hb 964, Hb 1001, Hb 1077, Hb 1116, Hb 1129, Hb 1132, Hb 1209: Senate Vote #876

3. AprobadaVotación: Senado31 de marzo de 2026

   39 a favor, 10 en contra (2 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• income tax credits
• gun safety
• firearm storage
• state budget caps