Bill to suspend gas tax passes Georgia Senate, heads to governor to sign

ATLANTA — The Georgia Legislature voted Thursday to suspend the state’s gas tax, and Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to sign the bill on Friday.

The average price for regular gas is currently $4.28 per gallon in Georgia.

Temporarily suspending the fuel tax is expected to bring that price down below $4.

Both Republicans and Democrats in the Georgia Senate supported the bill, which passed by a vote of 55-0. But before the vote, both sides spent nearly an hour blaming the other side for the high gas prices.

The tax would save Georgians about 30 cents per gallon for gas and 33 cents for diesel.

“I also filled up today, and it cost me about $100,” state Sen. Michael “Doc” Rhett, D-Marietta, said.

The suspension would run through the end of May and could cost the state between $300 million and $400 million in revenue.

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That revenue the state expects to make up with the rainy day fund.

But even though both sides wanted this bill, they didn’t miss the opportunity to snipe at each other over how we got here.

“This response is in large part if not most part due to fiscal policy and energy policy, both of which are being driven by the radical left,” said state Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming.

“What was supposed to be a non-partisan bill really turned into the radical right trying to make and score political points with something that we all want to participate in,” said state Sen. Emmanuel Jones, D-Decatur.

Republican Chuck Hufstetler, R-Rome, carried the bill after trying to score some political points himself. He also agreed that this bill should have non-partisan support.

“I also believe we should come together during a war and leave politics out because it weakens our United States,” Hufstetler said.

Gov. Kemp is expected to sign the bill on Friday, and it will take effect immediately — though you will probably have to wait a bit before you start to see the effects.

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