ATLANTA (November 13, 2025) — On Monday, November 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., the Senate Study Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, chaired by Sen. Blake Tillery, (R–Vidalia), will hold its fourth hearing.
Continue readingMEDIA ADVISORY: Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax to Hold Second Meeting
ATLANTA (September 10, 2025) — On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., the Senate Study Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, chaired by Sen. Blake Tillery, (R–Vidalia), will hold its second hearing.
EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
- Time: 1:00 p.m.
- Location: Georgia State Capitol, Room 341, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
- This event is open to the public and will be streamed via the Senate website here.
ABOUT THE MEETING:
The Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, created by Lt. Governor Burt Jones pursuant to Senate Rules, will deliver on the Lt. Governor’s commitment to chart a path for the state to eliminate the income tax and provide meaningful relief to all Georgians. This bipartisan committee will work with experts, parents, citizens, businesses, policymakers, and other leaders to explore effective, research-backed strategies to reform Georgia’s tax code while maintaining strong fiscal soundness.
Additional Senators appointed to the special committee include Senators Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas), Greg Dolezal (R–Cumming), Ed Harbison (D–Columbus), Chuck Hufstetler (R–Rome), Steve Gooch (R–Dahlonega), John F. Kennedy (R–Macon), Nan Orrock (D–Atlanta), Michael “Doc” Rhett (D–Marietta), Larry Walker III (R–Perry) and Sam Watson (R–Moultrie).
SPEAKERS FOR THIS MEETING:
- Ben Watkins, Director of the Florida Bond Finance Office, State of Florida
- Tom Sands, former State Representative and Ways and Means Chair, State of Iowa
- Tony Niknejad, former Policy Director to Governor Bill Lee, State of Tennessee
- Sarah Hicks, former Senior Advisor & Budget Director to Governor Greg Abbott, State of Texas
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
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Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler counties, as well as a portion of Coffee County. He can be reached at (404) 656-5038 or by email at Blake.Tillery@senate.ga.gov.
Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax to Hold First Meeting
ATLANTA (August 12, 2025) — On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Study Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, chaired by Sen. Blake Tillery, (R–Vidalia), will hold its first hearing.
EVENT DETAILS:
- Date: Tuesday, August 19, 2025
- Time: 10:00 a.m.
- Location: Georgia State Capitol, Room 450, 206 Washington St SW, Atlanta, GA, 30334
- This event is open to the public.
ABOUT THE MEETING:
The Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax, created by Lt. Governor Burt Jones pursuant to Senate Rules, will deliver on the Lt. Governor’s commitment to chart a path for the state to eliminate the income tax and provide meaningful relief to all Georgians. This bipartisan committee will work with experts, parents, citizens, businesses, policymakers, and other leaders to explore effective, research-backed strategies to reform Georgia’s tax code while maintaining strong fiscal soundness.
Additional Senators appointed to the special committee include Senators Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas), Greg Dolezal (R–Cumming), Ed Harbison (D–Columbus), Chuck Hufstetler (R–Rome), Steve Gooch (R–Dahlonega), John F. Kennedy (R–Macon), Nan Orrock (D–Atlanta), Michael “Doc” Rhett (D–Marietta), Larry Walker III (R–Perry) and Sam Watson (R–Moultrie).
SPEAKERS FOR THIS MEETING:
Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform
Patrick Gleason, Vice President of State Affairs, Americans for Tax Reform
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:
We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Zach Pishock at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.
# # # #
Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler counties, as well as a portion of Coffee County. He can be reached at (404) 656-5038 or by email at Blake.Tillery@senate.ga.gov.
Sen. Billy Hickman to Serve as Chairman of Senate Committee on Education and Youth
ATLANTA (January 15, 2025) — On Monday, Sen. Billy Hickman (R–Statesboro) was appointed by Lt. Governor Burt Jones to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education and Youth.
Continue reading “Sen. Billy Hickman to Serve as Chairman of Senate Committee on Education and Youth”Sen. Blake Tillery – A Look at This Year’s Proposed Constitutional Amendments on Georgia’s Ballot
ATLANTA, GA (October 21, 2024) —As folks in our area fight to restore power, fix our homes, and return to some sort of business as normal, I know you will also be heading to the polls to state your opinion on the direction of our country. Like many of you, I know how I’m voting on the Presidential, state, and local levels. But what often goes overlooked—and can have just as much effect on our everyday lives—are the Georgia Constitutional Amendment Questions. These amendments are literally changing our state constitution, and only the voters of Georgia can make that happen. It’s an extremely powerful responsibility, one that can have a significant impact on our future.
Despite their importance, many voters don’t even read these questions until they’re in the voting booth; some skip them altogether. If you’re one of those people, keep reading, and I’ll give you a breakdown of what’s on the ballot this year.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 1 (H.R. 1022 and H.B. 581)
This amendment would cap how much your home’s assessed value can increase each year, tied to inflation. It also introduces a local sales tax option, subject to a vote, which would be used specifically for property tax relief and further shift the tax burden from property taxes to sales taxes. This could really help protect homeowners from steep property tax hikes as their home values rise.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 2 (H.R. 598 and H.B. 1267)
This amendment would establish a new court, the Georgia Tax Court, to handle tax-related cases. Currently, the Georgia Tax Tribunal, an administrative court, handles tax disputes. If this amendment passes, the Tax Tribunal would transition to the judicial branch, and the new Georgia Tax Court would have the authority to hear appeals and other tax-related issues. I am not convinced of the need for another court system.
Statewide Referendum Question (H.B. 808)
This question asks if the personal property tax exemption should be increased from $7,500 to $20,000. In simpler terms, this would allow businesses and individuals to exclude up to $20,000 worth of tangible personal property from being taxed. This could be a big benefit, especially for small businesses and individuals who own equipment, furniture, and machinery for their work. The only thing better than increasing this exemption, in my opinion, would be eliminating this tax altogether.
Though these amendments might not be the flashiest part of the ballot, they directly impact your taxes, property, and the overall structure of our state’s judicial system. Georgia’s Constitution isn’t something we amend lightly—so make sure your voice is heard on these important issues.
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Sen. Blake Tillery serves as Chairman for the Senate Committee on Appropriations. He represents the 19th Senate District, which includes Appling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne, and Wheeler counties and a portion of Coffee County. He can be reached by email at blake.tillery@senate.ga.gov.
For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.