HD-47  Community Updates:

2026 Legislative Session: January 12 - April 2

During session, I will continue to respond to House District 47 constituents’ state-related needs and concerns. If you are a constituent, and want assistance navigating a state agency, please contact Emily Beals at 404-656-5072 or Emily.Beals@house.ga.gov. If you want to express your thoughts, support or opposition regarding 2026 legislation, the quickest way to alert me is through email at jan.jones@house.ga.gov, or you may call 404-656-5072.


Priorities of statewide interest that I will be directly working on during the 2026 legislative session:


1.  Extend the public school cell phone ban during school hours through high school to further enable learning, not doom-scrolling on social media


In 2025, I helped with legislation to ban student cell phone use “bell to bell” in public schools from kindergarten through 8th grade. The effective date was January 2026. 


2. Assure students at-risk of dropping out of high school have information about alternative schooling options. These options can help students remain in school, take classes at night and online, and graduate.


3. Expand Pre-K afterschool care opportunities in public schools to help working parents and their children


4.  Increase funding for Pre-K summer program for students in need of extra support prior to attending Pre-K in the fall to better prepare our youngest learners


5. Increase length of maternity leave for state employees to support mothers and newborns. 


6. Create a “Domestic Violence Registry” for persons convicted of certain crimes to help keep women safer.


The overwhelming majority of victims of domestic violence are women. The registry would alert

women and men who want to keep themselves or loved ones safer through greater transparency of those convicted

of previous crimes related to domestic violence. A good comparison is the value of an easily-accessible sex offender registry that exists in most states, including Georgia.


7. Make birth control more easily accessible by expanding the number of providers throughout Georgia and assuring prescriptions can be filled for 12 months at a time.


8.  Increase funding for the existing Georgia visiting nurses program, a state initiative that provides follow up care and support to at-risk new mothers and their newborn babies.



Significant issues I am working on in my leadership role and to help shepherd through the House:


1. Reduce property taxes for all Georgians who own homes


2. Reduce the income tax rate from 5.19% to 4.99% in 2027 and push for further regular rate reductions


3. Continue to reform election laws to assure efficiency, confidence, and reliability in elections


4. Serve as a final decision maker on the state budget as a conferee, including assuring a $250/$500 individual/couple income tax rebate in 2026.

Homestead Exemptions

Fulton County

Effective for the 2026 tax year, voters approved last November new Fulton County Schools homestead exemptions for Fulton County seniors. The exemptions will make retirement more affordable by reducing property taxes due each year.


If you qualify, you will not need to file a new application to receive the benefit. Fulton County already has eligibility information on file for many homeowners with an existing homestead exemption, and the new senior exemptions will be applied automatically for those who meet the requirements.


Even so, it’s important to understand who qualifies and what the exemption covers, so you can confirm the reduction is reflected on your 2026 tax bill.


New Exemptions Allowed:

Age 65 and Over and listed on the deed: 25% reduction of property’s assessed value


Age 70 and Over and listed on the deed: 50% reduction of property’s assessed value


Required:  Must have had basic homestead exemption for last 5 of 6 years on a Fulton County property. It does not have to be the same property for the qualifying years.


For more information on Fulton County Homestead Exemptions, visit: www.fultonassessor.org/exemptions



Cherokee County

Continuing in the 2026 tax year, qualified seniors in Cherokee County will be exempt from all school taxes if they have a homestead exemption for at least the past 5 consecutive years in Cherokee County. Additionally, a senior on the deed must be 62 years of age or older on or before January 1st of the effective tax year.


Effective in 2026, a surviving spouse that qualifies in age, but was not listed on the deed, will be allowed to retain the exemption.


For more information on Cherokee County Homestead Exemptions, visit: www.cherokeecountyga.gov/tax-assessors-office/homestead-exemptions/


Homestead Exemptions

Fulton County

Effective for the 2026 tax year, voters approved last November new senior Fulton County Schools homestead exemptions for Fulton County seniors. The exemptions will make retirement more affordable by reducing property taxes due each year.


Even if you already have other homestead exemptions, you must apply for this new exemption by April 1, 2026.


New Exemptions Allowed:

Age 65 and Over and listed on the deed: 25% reduction of property’s assessed value


Age 70 and Over and listed on the deed: 50% reduction of property’s assessed value


Required:  Must have had basic homestead exemption for last 5 of 6 years on a Fulton County property. It does not have to be the same property for the qualifying years.


For more information on Fulton County Homestead Exemptions, visit: www.fultonassessor.org/exemptions



Cherokee County

Continuing in the 2026 tax year, qualified seniors in Cherokee County will be exempt from all school taxes if they have a homestead exemption for at least the past 5 consecutive years in Cherokee County. Additionally, a senior on the deed must be 62 years of age or older on or before January 1st of the effective tax year.


Effective in 2026, a surviving spouse that qualifies in age, but was not listed on the deed, will be allowed to retain the exemption.


For more information on Cherokee County Homestead Exemptions, visit: www.cherokeecountyga.gov/tax-assessors-office/homestead-exemptions/


Georgia State Route 9 Improvement Project

As your State Representative, I'm actively working with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to address resident and city concerns about the widening of Georgia Highway 9 between the Alpharetta and Forsyth borders. You may have read, unbelievably, a former DOT right-of-way acquisition specialist was involved in a sophisticated falsification of internal documents.  This led GDOT to incorrectly believe land parcels had been acquired in preparation for the widening to proceed. No right-of-way had in actuality been purchased.


Unfortunately for those most impacted, the project will be significantly delayed. However, this development has opened the door for more community engagement to better ensure the road widening reflects community desires and needs. I'm engaged at the highest levels in advocating for our community to balance the need for improved infrastructure, while maintaining the quality of life we enjoy.


Read: Letter to Neighbors

Georgia State Route 9 Improvement Project

As your State Representative, I'm actively working with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) to address resident and city concerns about the widening of Georgia Highway 9 between the Alpharetta and Forsyth borders. You may have read, unbelievably, a former DOT right-of-way acquisition specialist was involved in a sophisticated falsification of internal documents.  This led GDOT to incorrectly believe land parcels had been acquired in preparation for the widening to proceed. No right-of-way had in actuality been purchased.


Unfortunately for those most impacted, the project will be significantly delayed. However, this development has opened the door for more community engagement to better ensure the road widening reflects community desires and needs. I'm engaged at the highest levels in advocating for our community to balance the need for improved infrastructure, while maintaining the quality of life we enjoy.


Read: Letter to Neighbors