Georgia’s Business Community Celebrates Legislative Wins During 2024 Session

ATLANTA – The Georgia General Assembly completed the 2024 Legislative Session in the early morning hours of Friday, March 29, passing several pieces of key legislation that bolster our state’s economy and further solidify Georgia’s designation as the ‘No.1 place for business.’

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and its Government Affairs Council, an advocacy organization comprised of over 500 government affairs professionals from every industry in the state, tracked nearly 800 bills related to business, innovation, education, taxation and economic development over the course of the 2023-2024 biennium session. Georgia’s statewide business community celebrates the passage of several critical policies that will contribute to the continued success of the Peach State’s pro-business environment.

The following bills passed the Georgia General Assembly and are available for consideration by Gov. Brian Kemp:

• House Bill 880 – Military Spousal Licensing 
  HB 880 seeks to strengthen our military families and communities by allowing the spouses of members of the armed forces to use an existing license in good standing from another state to obtain employment in Georgia.

• House Bill 808 – Ad Valorem Tax Exemption Increase  
  HB 808 raises the sales tax exemption threshold of tangible personal property from $7,500 to $20,000.

• House Bill 1015 – Personal Income Tax Rate Reduction  
  HB 1015 accelerates the reduction of the state’s personal income tax by ten basis points to 5.39%, effective for the 2024 tax year.

• House Bill 1019 – Homestead Tax Exemption Increase   
  HB 1019 increases the statewide homestead exemption from $2,000 to $4,000, the first increase since 1978.

• House Bill 1021 – Child Tax Credit Exemption Increase 
  HB 1021 increases the child tax deduction from $3,000 to $4,000 per child.

• House Bill 1023 – Corporate Income Tax Parity  
  HB 1023 aims to reduce the state’s flat corporate income tax rate from 5.75% to match the personal income tax rate.

• Senate Bill 362 – Secret Ballot Election Requirement for Unionization  
  SB 362 aims to incentivize secret ballot elections in union organizing by barring businesses from receiving state economic incentives for new projects that do not utilize this method of unionization.

• House Bill 982 – High-Demand Career List
  HB 982 requires the State Workforce Development Board to develop, approve and annually publish a High-Demand Career List identifying those careers most critical to the state’s current and future workforce needs.

• House Bill 1033 – Utility Worker Protection Act 
  HB 1033 seeks to enhance criminal penalties for assault and battery against utility workers while acting within the course and scope of their employment or performing official duties.

• House Bill 363 – Rural Hospital Tax Credit 
  HB 363 seeks to increase the tax credit limit for contributions by corporate donors and the aggregate limit for contributions to rural hospital organizations. This provision was included in HB 1339 as HB 363 did not receive final passage.

• Senate Bill 83 – Insurance Bad Faith Reform 
  SB 83 clarifies the procedures for automobile collision insurance demands and establishes guidelines for insurers to satisfy to prevent unfounded “bad faith” claims, which allows for recovery beyond the insurers’ policy limits.

• House Bill 926 – Second Chance Workforce Act  
  HB 926 provides for the waiving of fees to reinstate a driver’s license when appropriate and allows for a license suspended due to missing a court date to be reinstated when the court date has been rescheduled.

• Senate Bill 426 – Direct Action Reform  
  SB 426 clarifies that insurers may only be named defendants in motor carrier lawsuits when either the truck driver or trucking company cannot be served with a lawsuit or are found to be insolvent or bankrupt.

• House Bill 617 – Codifying the State Freight Plan 
  HB 617 codifies a plan to increase investment in our rapidly growing freight and logistics infrastructure network by creating the Georgia Freight 2050 Program.

“The Chamber team, our investors and stakeholders across the state worked tirelessly to advocate on behalf of Georgia’s thriving business community,” said David Raynor, chief public affairs officer for the Georgia Chamber. “We join alongside our statewide partners and elected officials in celebrating the legislative victories of the 2024 Session including measures taken for meaningful tort reform, infrastructure investment, updates for occupational licensing and workforce development initiatives – all of which are significant for Georgia’s future prosperity. We thank Gov. Brian Kemp, Lieutenant Gov. Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns and the general assembly for their dedication to advancing a pro-business agenda throughout our state.”

To learn more about the Georgia Chamber’s Government Affairs Council and its advocacy efforts on behalf of Georgia businesses, communities and citizens, visit www.gachamber.com.

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