GA Lawmakers Pause Gas Tax, Kemp Pledges To Sign Bill

ATLANTA, GA — The Georgia Senate on Thursday unanimously approved an amended House Bill 1199 that would suspend the state gas tax for 60 days.

The bill now heads to Gov. Brian Kemp to sign into law.

The passage comes a day after the Georgia House approved the legislation Wednesday, 163-4.

"I applaud the General Assembly for its passage of HB 1199, providing immediate relief for families by suspending the motor fuel tax," Kemp said in a Facebook post published Thursday. "This is great news for all Georgians, and I look forward to signing this tomorrow."

The approval comes as Georgia drivers paid $3.77 at the pumps for regular gas, 4 cents more than the prior day's average.

RELATED: 60-Day Gas Tax Suspension Approved By GA House

As fuel prices rise, State School Superintendent Richard Wood on Wednesday commended the Georgia House of Representatives for approving the gas tax suspension.

“I appreciate the Georgia House of Representatives moving quickly to suspend the state gas tax and provide relief to Georgia families. Rising fuel prices are impacting school districts across our state, with the rising cost of diesel sharply increasing the expense of operating school buses," Wood said in a statement. "At the same time, higher gas prices affect the families bringing their children to school and the teachers and staff members who travel to work each day to serve students."

House Reps. John Carson, Shaw Blackmon, Trey Kelley and Bruce Williamson sponsored HB 1199, which additionally aligns Georgia's tax code with federal law.

"Today, the Senate passed my bill, HB 1199, and it is now waiting for the governor's signature," Carson tweeted Thursday afternoon. "I have received a couple of questions I want to answer. The gas tax suspension applies to both diesel and regular gasoline, saving you about 35 to 37 cents a gallon. The IRS conformity portion allows tax filers to deduct up to $10,000 in state and local taxes on their federal taxes on their federal return."

The proposed suspension comes as federal workers go unpaid due to the current partial government shutdown. According to the White House on Thursday, 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.

The gas tax suspension also comes amid an oil spike due to the war in Iran.