Politics & Government
60-Day Gas Tax Suspension Approved By GA House
The proposed gas tax suspension comes as war in Iran increases oil and gas prices and a partial government shutdown affects federal workers.
ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia House on Wednesday approved a measure that would suspend the state gas tax for 60 days.
House Bill 1199 was returned to the Georgia Senate after the House passed the legislation with a vote of 163-4. Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns praised the measure.
“Today’s passage of House Bill 1199 is a direct reflection of the House’s continued leadership in addressing affordability for citizens across the state,” Burns, R-Newington, said in a news release. “By suspending the state motor fuel tax for 60 days, we are delivering meaningful, timely relief to millions of Georgia drivers and families when and where it’s needed most.”
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HB 1199 is sponsored by House Reps. John Carson, Shaw Blackmon, Trey Kelley and Bruce Williamson.
Georgia drivers were paying an average $3.73 for regular gas Wednesday, according to AAA. That's about a dollar increase from this time last month.
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Gov. Brian Kemp, in a statement to WANF-TV, appeared to support HB 1199. The governor is preparing to wrap up his second and final term as leader of Georgia.
“The Governor is always actively working to find ways to support hardworking Georgians, including this step alongside the legislature to keep more money in their pockets. This follows the passage of a fourth tax refund and builds on multiple previous suspensions of the state gas tax, saving families over $10 billion since 2021."
Gov. Brian Kemp's office, per WANF-TV
The proposed suspension comes as federal workers go unpaid due to the current partial government shutdown. According to the White House on Tuesday, more than 100,000 workers continue to go without pay. Previously, the White House stated this is the third time in six months that TSA workers have not received paychecks.
The shutdown is due to a stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, specifically for the Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
If fully passed, the gas tax suspension would also come amid an oil spike due to the war in Iran.
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