Georgia CommonsGeorgia General Assembly
Meetings on March 6, 2026
Machine-readable: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-03-06.md
House Higher Education Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee approved five measures: HB 1413, covering needs-based scholarships, medical scholarships and lottery reserves; HR 450 and HB 686, concerning online sports betting and education funding; HB 693, expanding access to tuition equalization grants; and HB 206, concerning scholarship eligibility after certain drug convictions. Members questioned scholarship requirements, medical workforce needs and how sports betting revenue could be spent. All five received do-pass recommendations. The vote on HB 686 was tied at seven votes on each side before the chair voted in favor. The committee then adjourned.
House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered eight bills and advanced HB 1322, concerning felony penalties for rioting, after the chair broke a tie against tabling it. The committee rejected HB 464, HB 1395, HB 1175, HB 1248 and HB 496, covering crime-victim immunity, in-person DUI classes, sentencing for theft of essential items, cannabis possession and cannabis-odor searches. Members also voted on HB 894, concerning review of long prison sentences, and HB 804, concerning marijuana pardons. The chair voted against both, but did not explicitly announce their final outcomes. The committee adopted an amendment to HB 496 before rejecting the bill and rejected an amendment to HB 804.
House Ways & Means Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered and approved a substitute to HB 276. The sponsor described tax credits for wood-burning power facilities as a way to restore markets for Georgia timber after mill closures, along with changes to data-center tax incentives. Members asked about utility participation, reopening closed facilities, eligibility, construction costs and limits on the credits. The chair noted that no fiscal note was available for the new income-tax credit and questioned whether the credit limits were clearly written. No amendments were offered. The substitute passed by voice vote, with no vote count stated.
Senate floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, part 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons: On Crossover Day, the Senate read incoming legislation and committee reports, then voted on bills covering utilities, elections, public safety, education, licensing and insurance. The Senate passed SB 410, which the sponsor said would end new data-center tax exemptions and require utility contract protections. Members disputed whether those protections would keep costs off household bills. The Senate also passed measures addressing clergy sexual abuse, AI safety, animal cruelty records, human trafficking and prosecutor oversight. SR 838, a proposed constitutional amendment on citizenship and photo identification for voting, failed to receive the required two-thirds vote. SB 573, concerning nonpartisan elections in certain counties, failed, and the sponsor requested reconsideration. No reconsideration vote appears in this transcript. The session paused for dinner after passing SB 593.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard requests to bring bills before the House on crossover day, covering education, health, taxes, elections, courts, local government and other subjects. Members questioned proposals on development moratoriums, monument removal and lottery reserves for scholarships. Several bills had recently left other committees, and members said copies were missing from their materials. The chair said copies would be provided and that the committee expected to meet again later to set a supplemental calendar. No votes or calendar selections were recorded before adjournment.
Senate floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, part 2)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The Senate passed bills on home inspector licensing, gold and silver payments, cancer care, school funding and consolidation petitions, firearm silencers, veterans’ park fees, military retirement credit, and notices in civil lawsuits. Proposed constitutional amendments on data center property taxes and statewide grand juries failed to receive the required two-thirds support. A bill changing voting equipment and election procedures also failed. The Senate tabled a monument protection bill after two amendments were presented. A senator gave notice of plans to seek consideration of House changes to SB 179 on the next legislative day. The Senate adjourned until 1 p.m. Monday, March 9.
House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, AM)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The House passed HB 717, regulating ketamine clinics, and four education and workforce measures: HB 1293, HB 1114, HB 1328 and HB 1345. Members debated HB 1446, which would move emergency medical services oversight to a new council. It failed 52 to 114, but the House then voted 107 to 62 to reconsider it. No second passage vote appears before the lunch recess. The House also returned HB 812 and HB 1116 to the Rules Committee, heard first and second readings and committee reports, and recognized visitors and public service. The session recessed until 2:15 p.m.
House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, PM, part 1)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The House passed measures on cash-payment rounding, family justice centers, conservation land, property-tax notices and privacy, electric-utility inventory tax exemptions, income-tax reductions, artery-disease screening, massage-business hours, airport airspace and sickle cell treatment reviews. Members debated whether the income-tax changes would provide affordable relief or weaken funding for public services, then passed HB 880 by 102-69. A proposal to repeal Georgia's silencer restrictions, HB 1324, failed to receive the required majority, with 87 voting yes and 76 voting no. The House also adopted a road-naming resolution, a proposed constitutional amendment providing timber-tax relief, and a group of recognition resolutions. The session recessed for dinner until 6:45 p.m.
House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, PM, part 2)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The House passed 18 bills covering property taxes, housing, health coverage, utility disconnections, service dogs, criminal law, education aid and court procedures. Extended debate focused on HB 1116, a property-tax and local sales-tax package that passed 98-68, and HB 947, changes to SNAP administration that passed 95-66. Members also approved HB 1413, establishing need-based college scholarships, 165-2. A proposed constitutional amendment to allow voters to decide on sports betting, HR 450, failed 63-98 after debate over addiction, regulation and the use of revenue. The House adopted a group of recognition and memorial resolutions, then adjourned until March 9 at 1 p.m.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee heard presentations on a domestic violence registry, charter school changes, automatic contract renewals and temporary fireworks stands. It also discussed and approved a substitute for HB 812, concerning housing, permits and zoning, after questions about exceptions for certain local governments. The committee then placed 11 measures on a supplemental floor calendar for that day, including HB 812. That bill drew objections during both substitute approval and calendar placement, but both motions passed. The other calendar placements passed without stated opposition. No further action was recorded on the four bills presented earlier.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: After a printing delay, the committee set a supplemental House floor calendar. Members approved revised versions of HB 1276 on Medicaid eligibility checks, HB 1413 on scholarships, HB 1116 on local taxes and property-tax limits, and HB 1390 on forfeiture of vehicles used in reckless stunt driving. Questions focused on federal Medicaid requirements, scholarship work requirements, and whether vehicle forfeiture changes could affect existing enforcement tools. The committee then placed these and other measures on the calendar. Several calendar motions passed by voice vote after objections, with no vote counts stated. The committee later moved HB 1116 to the structured portion of the calendar.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed seven bills on a supplemental calendar for the day. Six were added without objection. A committee member objected to adding HB 1265, prompting a voice vote. The chair declared that the ayes carried, and that bill was also added. No bill presentations or debate on the bills’ contents occurred.