Media release from the Office of Governor Brian Kemp:
Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, members of the Georgia General Assembly, and state and local leaders signed legislation on Tuesday at a ceremony in Cobb County delivering more than $1 billion in significant tax relief to hardworking Georgians through an acceleration of the largest tax cut in state history and a third, one-time tax refund.
“Here in Georgia, we safeguard every dollar of taxpayer money, because we know it belongs to the people, not the government,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “While other states are running up budget deficits and raising taxes on their citizens, we’re investing in the priorities of our state while further cutting taxes and returning more than a billion dollars to hardworking Georgians! That’s on top of the tax relief we’ve given in prior years and is a direct result of our conservative budgeting. “As families fight through the impacts of high prices over the last several years, I want to thank our partners in the legislature for helping to make this possible and for supporting their fellow Georgians in this way.”
Governor Kemp signed the following two bills today. HB 111 – sponsored by Representative Soo Hong, co-sponsored by Representatives Matthew Gambill, Lauren McDonald III, Will Wade, Bruce Williamson, and Shaw Blackmon, and carried in the Senate by Senator Bo Hatchett – accelerates the largest state income tax cut in Georgia history initiated by the signing of HB 1437 in 2022. HB 112 – sponsored by Representative Lauren McDonald III, co-sponsored by Representatives Soo Hong, Matthew Gambill, Will Wade, Alan Powell, and Shaw Blackmon, and carried in the Senate by Senator Drew Echols – authorizes the delivery of $1 billion in one-time special tax refunds of up to $500 per Georgia tax-payer household.
With the governor’s signature, HB 111 doubles down on the efforts of prior years to reduce the tax burden on Georgians and job creators. With this second acceleration cutting the state income tax rate by another 20 basis points, the total income tax rate will now be down to just 5.19 percent – a decrease of 56 basis points from the original rate of 5.75 percent. This expedited cut will save Georgians another 880 million dollars on their tax returns next year.
“Putting money back in taxpayer pockets and delivering on our promise to further cut the state income tax is a priority I am glad we all can agree on,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “With Governor Kemp’s leadership, Georgia continues to serve as an example for the rest of the nation on how to reduce taxes and give more than a billion dollars back to our citizens, while having a healthy reserve and fiscally sound budget. These bills becoming law today bring us one step closer to eliminating the state income tax, a priority I have always been a proponent of. We are able to do this because we are focused on a stable and prosperous future for all Georgians, while making financial choices that will ensure Georgia’s ongoing viability and financial stability. We will continue to make this a priority, and I look forward to seeing more of this great work in the future.”
After today, through a one-time special tax refund, Georgians who file jointly will receive $500, single filers will receive $250, and heads of household will get $375.
“The Georgia House was proud to champion HB 111 and HB 112 that further reduce the tax burden on hardworking Georgians and put over $1 billion back in the pockets of our state’s taxpayers,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “These historic measures reiterate our commitment to providing much-needed financial relief to families across the state and delivering on the policies that matter most to our citizens.”
Governor Kemp also made note of the General Assembly’s ratification of his suspension of the state gas tax in the days following Hurricane Helene to provide direct relief to families, farmers, and businesses as they began to recover from the devastating storm. He is thankful to Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, OPB Director Rick Dunn, and the members of the General Assembly who worked to pass these important pieces of legislation.
Click here for more information on the one-time special tax refund.
