Campus guns, Georgia income tax proposals await action in final days
ATLANTA — Legislation affecting Georgia’s college campuses, taxes and fledgling medical marijuana program awaits action as lawmakers enter the session’s final two days.
The General Assembly convenes for 40 legislative days each year, and bills tend to pile up toward the end.
Lawmakers already passed a state budget, the only measure members are constitutionally required to approve each year. But lawmakers have dozens of other priorities that they’re hoping to move to Gov. Nathan Deal’s desk before adjourning for the year on Thursday.
Here’s a look at some of the items expected to dominate the session’s final days: that will eliminate sales taxes on taxi and limousine rides. The proposal was initially designed to increase tax collection from ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft, but senators instead opted to eliminate all taxes on transportation services.
That same committee rejected a proposal from the House to move Georgia to a flat income tax and instead boosted certain tax refunds while cutting the rate for the top tax bracket.
The House has hitched two unrelated topics to a bill that initially dealt with sales taxes in DeKalb County.
The new version also would legalize daily fantasy sports, including the wellknown DraftKings or FanDuel sites, and give a tax break to people paying for repairs on large boats.