NEWS

The 2026 legislative session has entered its second half, and momentum at the Georgia State Capitol continues to build.

This week, the Georgia House and Senate passed the FY2026 supplemental budget, which includes Governor Brian Kemp’s proposed one-time $50 million investment to address homelessness statewide through a new Homelessness Response Grant program. The supplemental budget also allocates $10 million to establish a robotics academy at the Savannah campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology, more than $432,000 to support a psychiatry fellowship program at Gateway Behavioral Health, and $5 million for Riverwalk repairs at the Savannah Convention Center.

Lawmakers are advancing major policy proposals through committee while increased attention is being given to the FY2027 state budget ahead of Crossover Day — the critical deadline for legislation to pass its originating chamber.

As the deadline approaches, legislative priorities are becoming clearer across Georgia. Fiscal policy and economic competitiveness remain central themes, with ongoing discussions on incentives for data center investment and broader evaluations of Georgia’s income and property tax frameworks.

Efforts focused on workforce development and education are also progressing. Lawmakers are considering measures to create additional pathways for retired educators to return to the classroom, strengthen advanced mathematics instruction, and support the House’s comprehensive literacy strategy.

Pro-business initiatives continue to move forward, including proposals to address portable benefits, allow small businesses to offer tax-advantaged healthcare stipends, and further improve the state’s business court structure.

As Crossover Day draws nearer, the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce is actively monitoring and advocating on legislation that impacts the regional business community.

Additionally, the Savannah Area Chamber Board of Directors voted to add two items to the 2026 State Legislative Agenda:

• Support extending the state sales tax exemption for tickets and fees to fine-arts performances or exhibitions held by qualifying nonprofit organizations or museums of cultural significance whose missions advance arts, education, and cultural programming.

• Support the Georgia Early Literacy Act of 2026, which invests in K–3 education by funding a school-based literacy coach in every public school serving K–3 students, providing first-grade readiness assessments, and requiring kindergarten attendance prior to first-grade enrollment.

To view the Savannah Area Chamber’s full State Legislative Agenda, click here.