Georgia 2025 legislative session ends with an early exit

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's 2025 legislative session came to an early end Friday, with senators adjourning abruptly and much earlier than usual and House members exiting a short time later.

The early departure meant some high-profile issues didn't make it over the finish line this year to Gov. Brian Kemp's desk.

Lawmakers did agree Friday to grant a new $250 state income tax credit to parents of children age 5 and under. And some top proposals won final passage earlier, including Kemp's effort to limit lawsuits and a school safety bill that came as a response to last year's shooting at Apalachee High School. Lawmakers also already agreed to income tax cuts and rebates.

But the Senate left as the House was debating more changes to a proposal to regulate how automated speed enforcement cameras work in school zones. And it had become increasingly clear as the day went on that some other hot-button issues were languishing, including an effort to ban diversity efforts in public schools and colleges, Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones' push to establish more legislative control over agencies and a bill to change election laws. Measures that don't pass Friday could be considered again next year because 2025 is the first year of a two-year session.

Jones said after the Senate ended business just after 9 p.m. that he and senators had been building toward an early exit.

“We'd already gotten our priorities done,” he told reporters.

House Speaker Jon Burns, a Republican from Newington, though, said he was displeased that the Senate left while the House was still trying to make a few more changes to bills.

“It appears that the Senate has checked all their priorities, all their political priorities, and decided to end their night early instead of finishing their work on behalf of the people we represent,” Burns told House members.

Here's a look at where legislation ended up Friday.

Passed

CHILD TAX CREDIT: Parents of children age 5 and under could claim a $250 state income tax credit under House Bill 136, which also expands the state income tax credit for child care expenses.

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY: State and local governments wouldn't be able to "substantially burden" a person's religious freedom under Senate Bill 36, but opponents say it would enable discrimination. Kemp signed the measure Friday.

INCOME TAXES: An already-planned state income tax cut will be accelerated under House Bill 111, giving the state a flat 5.19% income tax rate retroactive to Jan. 1. And Georgians will get income tax rebates between $250 and $500 under House Bill 112.

HURRICANE AID: House and Senate members agreed to spend more than $850 million on aid after Hurricane Helene did billions of dollars of damage in Georgia in September.

LAWSUIT LIMITS: Senate Bill 68 would make it harder to bring lawsuits and win large verdicts while Senate Bill 69 limits who can finance lawsuits.

SCHOOL CELLPHONES: Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade would be banned from using cellphones during the school day under House Bill 340.

TRANSGENDER RIGHTS: Both Senate Bill 1 would ban transgender girls and women from playing girls' and women's sports, while Senate Bill 185 would ban the state from paying for gender-affirming care for prisoners.

AMERICA FIRST LICENSE PLACE: Senate Bill 291 would create an America First license plate for Georgia vehicles.

Did not pass

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION: Georgia's public schools and colleges would have been banned from having any programs or activities advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion under House Bill 127.

SPEED ZONE CAMERAS: Georgia would have either banned automated speed enforcement cameras in school zones under House Bill 225 or further regulated them under House Bill 651.

REGULATION RESTRICTION: Senate Bill 28 would have given lawmakers more oversight over regulations created by state agencies.

IMMIGRATION: Senate Bill 21 would have removed legal protections and let people sue governments and government officials who don't follow Georgia laws requiring cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

ELECTIONS: Georgia's secretary of state would have been required to leave a bipartisan group letting officials share data to keep voter rolls accurate under House Bill 397 and Senate Bill 175.

PUBLIC RECORDS: A discarded version of Senate Bill 12 would have exempted Georgia state legislators and police departments from some requirements to disclose public records.

LIBRARY CRIMES: Librarians in public libraries, K-12 schools and colleges could have faced prosecution for providing sexually explicit materials to minors under House Bill 483.

GUN TAX BREAKS: House Bill 79 would have offered a four-day sales tax holiday on guns, ammunition and safety devices, while offering income tax credits of up to $300 for paying for gun safety courses.

CLARENCE THOMAS STATUE: The state would have put up a privately financed statue of the U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Georgia native under House Bill 254.

ELECTED OFFICIAL PAY: Lawmakers abandoned a proposal to increase pay for statewide elected officials including paying Gov. Brian Kemp $250,000 a year.

SPORTS BETTING: Georgians would have gotten a chance in 2026 to vote on a state constitutional amendment authorizing sports gambling under House Resolution 450.