(The Center Square) – The Georgia Senate voted 53 to 1 on Monday to exempt military retirement income from the state income tax.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Greg Dolezal, R-Cumming, passed with no debate or questions.
The fiscal note on the bill says the average amount returned to veterans is $40 million. The low end is $22 million to $23 million and the high end is $53 million to $68 million, Dolezal said in a committee hearing last week.
More than 102,500 retired veterans live in Georgia, and more than 92,000 receive military retirement benefits, according to 2022 statistics from the Department of Defense, which are included in the bill’s fiscal note.
Georgia is currently one of 12 states that still levies an income tax on military retirement.
“None of our neighboring states do,” Dolezal said. “We are they only state in the Southeast.”
Sen. David Lucas, D-Macon, cast the only “no” vote.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.
Lawmakers in both chambers are scrambling to get their bills in the hopper and passed by Thursday, which is crossover day. If a bill doesn’t pass out of its respective chamber, it is considered dead for the session.
