Peach Tree Times

House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration and House Majority Whip James Burchett have expressed their approval following the passage of House Bill 223. The bill aims to provide tax relief to agricultural and timber communities in Georgia affected by Hurricane Helene.

Majority Leader Chuck Efstration commented, “Like all Georgians, my heart went out to the victims of Hurricane Helene in the aftermath of a generational storm. Agribusiness is our state’s number one industry, and I am proud of the action the House took on HB 223 to help our state’s hardworking farm families recover from this storm’s horrific damage.”

Majority Whip James Burchett highlighted the immediate response from his colleagues: “In the hours and days after Hurricane Helene tore its destructive path across Georgia, leaving billions of dollars in damage across communities from Valdosta to Augusta, many of my House and Senate colleagues were some of the first Georgians to show up – bringing supplies from home and rolling up their sleeves to pitch in at a time of immediate need.”

The bill was passed by the House on February 18, 2025, with unanimous support (173-0). It was introduced by Whip Burchett and co-signed by Majority Leader Efstration along with Governor Kemp’s House Floor Leaders: State Representatives Lauren McDonald, Soo Hong, Matthew Gambill, and Will Wade. The legislation is similar to measures enacted after Hurricane Michael in 2018 and seeks to extend tax benefits that enhance federal aid and crop insurance for rebuilding efforts.

Whip Burchett added his gratitude for gubernatorial support: “I am thankful for Governor Brian Kemp’s leadership on this important legislation. With its passage, the House begins the process of bringing taxpayer resources to bear to help rebuild our communities.”