Georgia drivers could soon see a little relief at the pump after the state House of Representatives on Wednesday signed off on a 60-day timeout for the state’s motor-fuel excise tax. The House voted 163–4 to advance the measure to the Senate, setting up a potential pause on the roughly 33-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax and the 37-cent diesel levy.
House Bill 1199 was tweaked on the floor before passing and now heads across the hall for consideration, according to WABE. Republican Rep. John Carson of Marietta tied the move to recent turmoil overseas, citing “the actions in the Middle East” and casting the suspension as welcome short-term relief for his constituents, per that report.
How the pause would work
Georgia’s motor-fuel excise tax is not tacked on at the register. Instead, it is levied and remitted by licensed fuel distributors, which means even a full legal suspension takes a few days to trickle through the supply chain before drivers notice any change at the pump. The Department of Revenue lists the 2026 state excise rate at $0.333 per gallon for gasoline and $0.373 per gallon for diesel and notes that the tax is remitted by distributors, according to the Department of Revenue.
Legislative records identify the proposal as House Bill 1199 and show the legislation now queued up for Senate action, per the Georgia General Assembly.
Why lawmakers say they're acting
Supporters framed the bill as a rapid response to international disruptions that have recently pushed crude oil and wholesale fuel prices higher. Statewide averages from AAA show regular unleaded in Georgia at about $3.73 per gallon and diesel near $5.15, figures lawmakers cited as evidence of sudden pressure on family budgets. Backers argued the 60-day pause would not solve global energy volatility, but would at least give drivers some immediate breathing room.
Budget trade-offs and history
Of course, suspending the motor-fuel excise tax comes with a bill of its own. The tax revenue is largely dedicated to statewide transportation projects and local road work, so turning off that spigot, even temporarily, means less cash for paving and construction.
The Associated Press reported that earlier gas-tax pauses in 2022–23 drained roughly $1.7 billion from state coffers and noted that Gov. Brian Kemp has previously relied on emergency powers to suspend collections. That track record, and the size of the past hit, loomed over Wednesday’s debate as lawmakers weighed short-term relief against long-term infrastructure needs.
What's next
The bill now awaits action in the state Senate. If senators approve the measure without major changes and Gov. Kemp signs it, the legislation would formally suspend the tax and clear the way for distributors to adjust how they handle motor-fuel payments, according to the Georgia General Assembly.
Because distributors sit between the state and retail stations, it would likely take a few days for the change to ripple through and show up on station price boards, a process outlined by the Department of Revenue. Only after that chain of events would drivers see the 60-day suspension reflected at the pump.
