These new Georgia laws go into effect on January 1st

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Besides hosting the nation’s most intensely watched midterm elections, a host of new Georgia laws will also go into effect next year, many on Jan. 1, 2026.

Here are some of the most notable:

MONEY, INSURANCE AND WARRANTIES

Georgia’s flat state income tax will again decrease as part of an effort to lower it to 4.99% by January 2027.

Who it impacts:

• Individual taxpayers
• Employers, payroll/reporting agents

Every Georgia taxpayer is now allowed to create one catastrophe savings account.

Who it impacts:

• Individual taxpayers who want to save for disaster-related losses
• Financial institutions and insurers

The Georgia Health Insurance Affordability and Consumer Protection Act requires the state insurance commissioner to create an “insurance affordability program in Georgia.” If Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) premium tax credits are reduced or expire, many consumers would face higher premiums. The law is designed to provide the state with a mechanism to offer state-run affordability assistance and consumer protections.

Who it impacts:

• Consumers who buy Marketplace plans, or would without federal subsidies
• OCI and Georgia Access users
• Insurers

Insurance companies are now required to give policyholders a 60-day notice before their policies are terminated, instead of 30 days.

Who it impacts:

• Homeowners and policyholders, who may now have more time to shop for replacement coverage or seek reviews
• Property insurers, who must update their cancellation and nonrenewal procedures

WHAT’S THAT SMELL?

Want to build a landfill? Georgia’s Board of Natural Resources now requires anyone wishing to build or alter a solid waste facility to prove the project meets zoning and land use rules.

Who it impacts:

• Waste‑facility developers, landfill/operators and composting/recycling facility operators
• Local governments and zoning authorities
• Members of the public who participate in those meetings

A new Georgia law now allows certain HVAC manufacturer warranties to automatically transfer to a new homeowner when a house is sold. It also prohibits HVAC conditioning warranties on product registration, requires certain information to be included on warranty and registration cards and forms and makes the warranty term run from the date of installation when installed by a licensed contractor, for any applicable systems.

Who it impacts:

• Consumers and homebuyers
• HVAC manufacturers, distributors, and retailers
• HVAC contractors and installers
• Real estate professionals and home sellers
• Repair shops and service providers

POLITICS

Just before one of the nation’s sure-to-be most contentious midterms in history, the State Ethics Commission will no longer accept complaints made about candidates or their campaigns within 60 days of an election.

• Local officials are now required to send campaign and finance reports to the commission
• Candidates for county offices or school boards must prove they have completed all required training before running
• Political action committees must register, keep a bank account and give more detailed reports about their finances

Who it impacts:

• Candidates for elected office
• Current officeholders and candidates who are also officeholders
• The State Ethics Commission
• Lobbyists
• Campaign finance filers, political committees and registrants
• Watchdogs and public‑interest groups
• Lawyers

Georgia’s film/gaming/video/digital production tax‑credit law has been updated. If a production company sues over a denied certification and the denial is upheld by the courts, the company must pay court costs.

Who it impacts:

• Production companies seeking Georgia production tax credits

MENTAL HEALTH AND DRUG ABUSE

Drug abuse treatment programs now fall under the authority of the state Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. Previously, the state Department of Community Health implemented those programs.

Who it impacts:

• Licensed providers of affected programs, such as outpatient drug abuse treatment and education programs, narcotic treatment programs, community living arrangements, adult residential mental‑health programs and similar facilities
• People receiving services in the affected programs
• Medicaid, managed care plans and insurers
• State grants, philanthropic organizations
• Organizations that accredit treatment programs
• Staff members of affected programs, such as clinicians, clinical supervisors and administrators

DOCTORS, LAWYERS AND CPAs

New rules go into effect for the practice of teledentistry.

Who it impacts:

• Licensed dentists, who can now deliver care remotely
• Dental hygienists
• Patients
• Insurers and payers
• Telehealth and software vendors

Insurance companies are now required to have a website scheduling or callback system for doctors.

Who it impacts:

• Physicians, clinics and hospitals
• Health insurers
• Patients

Some court hearings are now allowed to be recorded digitally instead of through an in-person court recorder.

Who it impacts:

• Trial courts and judges
• Court clerks and court administrators
• Court reporters and stenographers
• Litigants
• Courts’ IT teams and vendors
• The public and the press

The Public Accountancy Act of 2025 establishes new ways to become a certified CPA in the state.

Who it impacts:

• CPA candidates and students
• Licensed CPAs from other states and multi‑state firms
• Accounting firms

DRIVING

Georgia’s rules for temporary operating permits have been updated.

Private property owners can also now boot trespassing vehicles, as long as the local jurisdiction allows it. The owners are required to post warnings.

“America First” license plates are now available.

Who it impacts:

• New and used vehicle dealers
• Private property owners and booting operators
• Vehicle owners

Watch On the Record With Atlanta News First every Sunday at 11 a.m. on Atlanta News First and its streaming platforms.

And coming July 1, 2026 ...

• All public K–8 schools must ban personal internet-connected devices, such as smartphones, smartwatches and headphones, during school hours, although school-issued devices are permitted at the district’s discretion.
• Public school athletic programs must designate teams and competitions as male, female or coeducational. The new law bans biological males from participating in female sports and receiving women’s athletic scholarships.

Atlanta News First and Atlanta News First+ provide you with the latest news, headlines and insights as Georgia continues its role at the forefront of the nation’s political scene. Download our Atlanta News First app for the latest political news and information.

Atlanta News First podcasts are available now on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | YouTube