ATLANTA (May 11, 2026) — Senate President Pro Tempore Larry Walker III (R–Perry) today commended Governor Brian P. Kemp’s signature of Senate Bill 33, the Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization (HOME) Act of 2026; House Bill 463, the Georgia Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2026; and Senate Bill 556, which establishes the new DREAMS Scholarship Program and expands education savings opportunities for Georgia families.
“Throughout the 2026 legislative session, our primary focus in the Senate was to help make life more affordable for hardworking Georgians,” shared Sen. Walker. “We took meaningful action to reduce income taxes, cap property tax increases, and create new opportunities for students to pursue higher education without taking on crushing student loan debt. These bills reflect our deep commitment to protecting families, strengthening our workforce and keeping the American Dream within reach here in Georgia. I want to thank Gov. Kemp for signing these measures into law and for his continued partnership in advancing policies that put Georgians first.”
Senate Bill 33 builds upon property tax relief efforts approved overwhelmingly by Georgia voters in 2024 by capping annual increases in homestead property assessments at the rate of inflation for all counties, cities, consolidated governments and local school districts beginning in 2027. The legislation closes loopholes that previously allowed local governments to opt out of taxpayer protections and establishes a new Local Homestead Option Sales Tax (LHOST), giving communities another tool to reduce or eliminate property taxes for homeowners.
House Bill 463 lowers the state income tax rate from 5.19% to 4.99%, effective in 2026, and creates a path to bring personal income tax rates down to 3.99% over time. It also raises the standard deduction and increases the caregiver deduction per dependent from $4,000 to $5,000 in 2026, and up to $6,000 over time. Additionally, this legislation and makes tips and overtime tax-free up to $1,750 for hourly employees, and protects retirees by increasing tax-free retirement income from $65,000 to $70,000 for eligible taxpayers.
Senate Bill 556 creates one of the largest expansions of need-based college aid in Georgia’s history by establishing the Dedicating Resources to Educationally Advance More Students (DREAMS) Scholarship Program. The State of Georgia has appropriated $325 millionfor the DREAMS Scholarship program that supports Georgia students with unmet financial needsat eligible public colleges and universities starting this Fall. Senate Bill 556 also allows advanced fine arts courses to be counted in the GPA calculation for HOPE Scholarship eligibility and increases Georgia’s 529 savings plan limits.
All three measures are part of the Senate’s broader effort to address rising costs and invest in long-term prosperity for communities across the state. You can read more about these measures here.
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Sen. Larry Walker III serves as President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Pulaski, Treutlen and Wilcox counties, as well as a portion of Houston County. He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
