Gov. Kemp vetos 12 Georgia bills before signing deadline: Here’s what they were

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Twelve pieces of legislation approved by the Georgia House and Senate have been vetoed by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Tuesday was the deadline for the governor to sign bills or veto them before anything that passed through the legislative session this year automatically becomes law.

Those that Kemp chose not to implement include the creation of an official Georgia Music Office, the addition of new tax credits, and revisions to the rules regarding red emergency lights on vehicles.

A spokesperson for the governor’s office said that Kemp had signed all outstanding legislation outside of the 12 vetos.

Here’s a list of everything that didn’t get past the governor’s desk.

Gov. Kemp’s 2026 vetoed legislation
House Bill 14 would have created a Georgia Music Office under the Georgia Department of Economic Development to promote the state’s music industry. Kemp vetoed the bill after arguing that “the costs the bill imposes are unnecessary.”

House Bill 376 would have increased tax credits for historic properties. House Bill 1070 would have increased the tax credit for Class III railroad track maintenance. House Bill 1077 would extend an ending tax ememption for some fine arts performances and museum exhibits. Kemp argued that the General Assembly did not account for the loss of revenue from the credits.

House Bill 519 would have created a tax credit to mirror a potential federal work opportunity tax credit. No such credit has passed Congress yet.

House Bill 1192 would have required funds appropriated to Georgia’s Department of Community Health and Department of Human Services that were designated for specific purposes to be placed in separate accounts and not with other funds. Kemp argued that this requirement “interjects the General Assembly into the operations oversight of executive branch agencies.”

House Bill 1409 would require the Department of Family and Children Services to create an online platform to receive reports of child abuse from mandatory reporters. While Kemp admitted that DFCS “must approve on the present system,” he said the bill would have stopped the agency from being able to competitively find solutions because the requirements in the bill were “so narrowly specified.”

Senate Bill 23 would allow some of Georgia’s public retirement systems to invest up to 10% of their fund assets in real estate and increase the cap for alternative investments. Kemp vetoed it due to an amendment to the bill in the final days of the legislative session, saying the change stopped “investment in ‘any investment vehicle investing in, acquiring, purchasing, owning, renting, managing, or holding single-family homes or residences as a material component of such investment.'”

Senate Bill 59 would increase the cap on the $200 million Reforestation Tax Credit by $50 million. Kemp said that the General Assembly did not account for increasing the credit in its appropriations process.

Senate Bill 204 would strengthen the ability of Georgia gun owners to file lawsuits against local governments that attempt to put limits on the “possession, ownership, transportation, or purchase of firearms” beyond federal and state rules. “This would open the door to lawsuits against law enforcement officers, including in their personal capacity, who do not have a say in enacting the ordinance in question,” Kemp said, arguing that he would prefer the penalties be toward “the leaders who enact such ordinances.”

Senate Bill 478 would increase the amount of sales tax revenue from the purchase of outdoor recreation equipment that would go to the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund. As with the other vetoed tax changes, Kemp argued that the General Assembly did not take into account the loss of revenue.

Senate Bill 569 would require the Department of Public Safety to issue permits for red emergency rights to tow companies that are authorized to perform towing services or clear roadways. Kemp called the language in the bill too broad and said some terms of issuing the permits must be consistent across Georgia.