The Georgia House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to put a 60-day halt on the state’s gas tax as the war with Iran hits prices at the pump.
The legislature tucked the plan to temporarily suspend the gas tax into a larger tax bill implementing cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill. With the state house passing the bill by a vote of 163 to 4, the Senate will take up the bill in the coming days for a final approval vote.
The move for the tax relief comes as the price for a regular tank of gas is the most expensive it has been since 2023. Americans paid $3.72 per gallon on average this week for regular gas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This is the highest price per gallon the agency has recorded since former President Joe Biden was in office.
TRUMP MAKES RISKY BET TRYING TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC HIGHER OIL PRICES ARE GOOD
“We look forward to delivering this meaningful, timely relief to millions of Georgia drivers and families when and where it’s needed most,” State Rep. Jon Burns, Speaker of the Georgia House, said.
If the Georgia Senate passes the bill, it will head to Gov. Brian Kemp‘s (R-GA) desk for his signature. A spokesperson for Kemp’s office signaled the governor’s support for the bill.
“The Governor is always actively working to find ways to support hardworking Georgians, including this step alongside the legislature to keep more money in their pockets. This follows the passage of a fourth tax refund and builds on multiple previous suspensions of the state gas tax, saving families over $10 billion since 2021,” a spokesperson for Kemp told the Washington Examiner.
In Georgia, the price of gas on Wednesday sat at $3.729 per gallon, which is $0.113 less than the national average of $3.842, according to AAA’s estimates.
Vice President JD Vance addressed rising nationwide gas prices at an event in Michigan on Wednesday, telling the crowd, “It’s not going to last forever.”
“Look, gas prices are up, and we know they’re up, and we know that people are hurting because of it, and we’re doing everything that we can to ensure that they stay lower,” Vance said. “I will say the president said this, and I certainly agree with it. This is a temporary blip.”
Gas prices have been rising since the start of Operation Epic Fury, as the U.S. hits Iran, one of the top oil-producing countries in the world. The regime has fought back by choking off the Strait of Hormuz.
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS VYING TO BE GOVERNOR TAKE ON SOARING GAS PRICES
Energy Secretary Chris Wright told U.S. citizens to expect higher prices for “a few more weeks” as the U.S. military fights the war in the Middle East.
“Americans will feel it for a few more weeks, but at the end, we will have removed the greatest risk to global energy supplies,” Wright said on Sunday.
