The Holland Report - 2026, Week 8 - Crossover Edition!

Sara Fuchs

Friday was Legislative Day 28, also known as Crossover Day, the last day for bills to be voted out of their home chamber and cross over for consideration in the other. When I left the Capitol at 1:15 am on Friday, I found myself more hopeful than in years past. The House had managed to defeat one very bad gun bill and pass a very good higher education bill. Several bills had been flagged with concerns on the Rules Calendar, but very few of them ever made it to the floor for a vote. I'm immensely grateful to colleagues who asked tough questions and gave compelling floor speeches to ensure that good bills crossed the finish line and bad bills were left behind.

Now, those House bills that passed make their way to the Senate to be assigned to committee and start their journey all over again. Likewise, House committees will start to hear Senate bills this week.

Crossover Day lasted until 1 am, and so did my son, Alex, serving as a page for the House!

What Happened on Crossover Day

The Good

Let’s start with two wins: We passed a bill supporting needs-based financial aid and stopped a bill that would have repealed restrictions on silencers.

HB 1413Georgia Student Finance Authority; establish a needs based scholarship program for students at eligible public and private postsecondary institutions

Georgia is one of only two states that does not offer need-based financial aid. The DREAMS scholarship provides up to $3,000 per year to undergraduate students at state universities or technical colleges who have unmet financial needs after other aid is applied. To keep this scholarship, students must maintain a 2.0 GPA, complete a financial literacy course, and participate in part-time work, such as a paid job, internship, military service or volunteer position (part-time work is not a requirement for either HOPE or Zell). I voted yes on this bill.

HB 1324Crimes and offenses; possessing a silencer; repeal prohibition

This bill would repeal a previous ban on silencers for guns and declassify them as dangerous weapons, meaning they could be legally owned in the state of Georgia. Silencers make it harder to find killers because they lower the sound, making it harder for school children who need to hide or flee a shooter and harder for law enforcement to make an arrest. I voted no and this bill did not pass.

The Bad

It wouldn’t be Crossover Day without a few bad bills sneaking their way across the House floor.

HB 1116 Homeownership Opportunity and Market Equalization Act of 2026; enactWhen HR 1114, a constitutional amendment to lower property taxes, failed to receive the necessary 2/3 votes required, HB 1116 was hastily brought to the floor, as it requires a simple majority. This bill expands the General Assembly’s authority over local property taxes and school funding by placing limits and restrictions on how local governments regulate homestead exemptions, and otherwise seeks to interfere with local governments ability to levy taxes. This bill would create a large hole in revenue for local governments leaving only two paths forward: a shift towards sales tax (which effects everyday Georgians), OR cuts in services like parks, fire, police, and most importantly, schools. I voted no and this bill passed.

HB 880Income tax; reduce tax rate that may be reached under certain conditions

This bill lowers state income taxes by a tenth of a percent annually until it reaches 3.99%. It would also increase the standard deduction for dependents by $200 a year. Overall, the top 1% of earners and out of state corporations would benefit from $1.6 billion in tax cuts, significantly more than the cumulative total in tax reductions for the first 60% of Georgians who earn low-to-middle incomes. The bill passed the House with my no vote.

Sports Betting

If it feels like we vote on sports betting often, it's true! It hasn't made it to the finish line yet and this year is no different. It's the rare bill where we see true cross-party debate in the House, with Democrats and Republicans lining up on both sides.

HR 450General Assembly; authorize sports betting in Georgia; provide by law - CA

This resolution is a proposal that would amend the Georgia Constitution to legalize and regulate sports betting within the state. While most forms of gambling are currently prohibited, this resolution would allow the General Assembly to establish laws for sports betting and create a dedicated "Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund" to manage the revenue. The majority of the tax proceeds—85% of the first $150 million annually and all revenue exceeding that amount—would be directed toward educational programs, specifically voluntary pre-kindergarten and college scholarships like the HOPE scholarship. Additionally, 15% of the initial $150 million would be set aside for gambling addiction prevention and treatment services. The resolution would also put the decision of whether to approve this measure up to a vote by Georgia citizens. I voted yes, but the resolution failed in a rather spectacular manner, 63 - 98. 120 votes were needed to pass.The Near Misses

These bills were on the rules calendar but were never called for a vote.

HB 467 State flag, seal, and other symbols; protection of government statues and monuments; revise provisions
This bill protects Confederate monuments and places an unnecessary burden on our local governments, where locally elected officials can make responsible, electorally accountable decisions regarding monuments on their own land.

HB 1089 Controlled substances; ivermectin as an over-the-counter medication; provideI was prepared to speak in depth on why ivermectin should not be an over-the-counter medicine but honestly, it's probably best that we did not get a chance to vote on this bill.

HB 1223Local government; provide exemption from disclosing audio and video recordings captured by law enforcement when such recordings depict a person's death

This bill would prevent the public from accessing law enforcement audio and video recording that show a person's death. First Amendment advocates say the change could unnecessarily restrict both journalists and the public from accessing evidence of potential police misconduct and reduce internal incentives for police to hold themselves accountable.HB 1137MARTA; authority of local governing bodies to collect a 1 percent retail sales and use tax; extend sunset

House Bill 1137 would extend the sunset date for local governments to collect a 1% sales tax for MARTA from 2057 to 2067.

Join Me for a Pre–Sine Die Listening Session!

Join me as I predict which bills we'll hear on the last day of session! I’ll also be there to listen to your concerns, answer questions, and hear what matters most to you.

Pre-register for the Zoom link here:
March 29th, 4 - 5 pm

If you haven’t already, please browse my website, betsyforgeorgia.com.

As your Representative, your concerns are important to me. Please contact me at betsy.holland@house.ga.gov or 404-656-0116 with questions, concerns, or solutions you may have regarding legislation or other happenings in District 54.

To stay updated, follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and follow the Georgia House of Representatives @GAHouseHub on Twitter. Additionally, in-depth information regarding current bills, Georgia's annual and supplemental budgets, committee meetings, and livestreams from the General Assembly can be accessed via www.legis.ga.gov.

I encourage you and your family to visit our State Capitol and my office, where all constituents are welcome. I look forward to connecting with you!

My office is located at:
18 Capitol Square, SW
409-B Coverdell Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Thank you for allowing me to serve as your representative.