Each year in the week leading up to the start of the legislative session, Republican House Speaker Jon Burns lays out his legislative priorities for the year in a press conference before the media. Yesterday was the 2026 version of the presser, as the Speaker outlined four key Georgia House issues that he says will be key priorities for his chamber (or at least the Republican majority of his chamber) during the session ahead.
Per Burns:
2026 Georgia House Priorities
● Property Tax Reform: The House will put forward a plan enabling the elimination of the homestead property tax statewide, ensuring homeowners are not priced out of their homes by rising valuations.
● Homeownership: The House will address housing affordability by focusing on cutting through government red tape and reducing regulatory barriers that drive up housing costs.
● Healthcare Access: The House will continue working to increase access to quality, affordable healthcare by expanding medical education opportunities and growing Georgia’s healthcare workforce.
● Literacy: The House will continue its efforts to strengthen literacy outcomes for Georgia’s children by putting forward a plan to place a literacy coach in every elementary school across the state and increasing resources for birth-to-five education.
With the midterm elections rapidly approaching, most observers think the 2026 session will be relatively light on majorly controversial legislation, such as last year’s tort reform laws that narrowly passed the House and Senate under the intense backing of Gov. Brian Kemp and his allies. With so many legislators running for higher office, the idea is that they’ll want to attach their names to legislative wins that carry broad approval from both sides of the aisle – hence issues like lowering property taxes, housing affordability, and healthcare access, topics everyone (or nearly everyone) can agree on.
“This year, the House is not taking our eyes off of what Georgians across the state have told us matters most, and we’re laser-focused on making life more affordable for our fellow Georgians,” said Burns. “From property taxes and housing costs to healthcare and education, the House is committed to championing commonsense solutions that keep more money in the pockets of hardworking Georgians and create a better, brighter future for each of our neighbors across the state.”
