ATLANTA (AP) — It’s a strange July 1 for new Georgia laws. Friday, the first day of the month, is when most new laws passed by the General Assembly customarily take effect. But this year, many of the most important measures either became law as soon as Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed them, while a few of the General Assembly’s most consequential accomplishments won’t take effect until January or even later.
But there are some notable changes that begin Friday, including a raft of conservative-inspired school legislation, higher lawmaker pensions and an increase in lawmaker pensions.
The immediate start dates were sometimes a nod to the urgency of election-year politics, with Kemp successfully using the laws to build toward a smashing May 24 primary victory over former U.S. Sen. David Perdue and others.
Georgians are already living in a state where state motor fuel taxes are suspended under House Bill 304, and where many households have pocketed $250 or $500 from a $1.1 billion one-time state income tax refund under House Bill 1302. Permits are no longer required to carry concealed handguns in public under Senate Bill 319, and parents can opt students out of school mask mandates through mid-2027 under Senate Bill 514.
Delays are sometimes because a bill is complicated. The earliest parts of a big mental health care overhaul under House Bill 1013 take effect on Jan. 1, with some being phased in later. Senate Bill 226, requiring school districts to respond to challenges of materials that parents consider obscene doesn’t fully begin until Jan. 1, giving districts time to develop policies.