ATLANTA – House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration (R-Mulberry) and House Majority Whip James Burchett (R-Waycross) applaud the recent passage of House Bill 223 yesterday, which would provide tax relief to agricultural and timber communities in areas of the state impacted by Hurricane Helene.
“Like all Georgians, my heart went out to the victims of Hurricane Helene in the aftermath of a generational storm,” said Majority Leader Chuck Efstration. “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.”
“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,” said Majority Whip James Burchett.
On February 18, 2025, the House of Representatives passed HB 223 by a vote of 173 – 0. This legislation was introduced by Majority Whip James Burchett and co-signed by Majority Leader Chuck Efstration and Governor Kemp’s House Floor Leaders State Representatives Lauren McDonald (R-Cumming), Soo Hong (R-Lawrenceville), Matthew Gambill (R-Cartersville) and Will Wade (R-Dawsonville). It mirrors legislation passed in the wake of 2018’s Hurricane Michael and would provide tax benefits to allow federal aid and crop insurance dollars to go further in rebuilding impacted Georgia communities.
Whip Burchett continued, “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.”
The full text of HB 223 may be found here.
Representative Chuck Efstration represents the citizens of District 104, which includes portions of Barrow and Gwinnett counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2013 and currently serves as the House Majority Leader. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Judicial, Ethics, Insurance, Judiciary, Judiciary Non-Civil, Judiciary Juvenile, Reapportionment and Redistricting and Ways & Means committees, as well as an Ex-Officio member of the Rules committee.
Representative James Burchett represents the citizens of District 176, which includes Lanier County, as well as portions of Coffee, Atkinson, Lowndes and Ware counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2019 and currently serves as the House Majority Whip. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Judicial, Ethics, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Judiciary Non-Civil, Public & Community Health, Rural Development, State Properties and Transportation committees, as well as an Ex-Officio member of the Rules Committee.
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