Georgia House bill by author Rep. Barrett on cash purchase rounding passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Carter Barrett aims to standardize in-person cash transaction rounding to the nearest five cents and bar taxation on rounding-related gains or losses, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Thursday, April 2, clearing the House by a vote of 163-4 and the Senate by a vote of 50-0.

The bill, introduced as HB1112 on Thursday, Jan. 29 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Commerce and trade; rounding of total price of sale of goods or services when using legal tender; provide’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill requires merchants in Georgia that conduct in-person, face-to-face sales and are paid in U.S. coins or currency to round the final total of a purchase, after discounts and taxes, to the nearest 5 cents. Totals ending in 1, 2, 6 or 7 cents must be rounded down, and totals ending in 3, 4, 8 or 9 cents must be rounded up. The rounding rule does not apply to transactions of 4 cents or less or to payments made by check, electronic transfer, money order, credit card, debit card or similar instruments. The bill also bars state and local taxes on any gains or losses created by this rounding.

In the House, 71 Democrats and 92 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while two Democrats and two Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 19 Democrats and 31 Republicans voted in favor, with no opposing votes.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Shaw Blackmon (Republican-146th), Rep. Johnny Chastain (Republican-7th), and Rep. Brent Cox (Republican-28th), along with three other co-sponsors.

Barrett graduated from the University of Georgia with a BBA.

Barrett, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2023 to represent the state’s 24th House District, replacing previous state representative Sheri Gilligan.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Monday, May 11.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State House. The source data can be found here.