State Rep. Al Williams (D-Midway) participated in a roundtable in Warner Robins last week with Gov. Brian Kemp as they announced the introduction of a bill that would eliminate the state income tax for military retirees in Georgia.

“This is very possibly the biggest military news that has been announced in many years here in Georgia,” Williams said. “It will affect literally thousands of retired veterans. We have 700,000 retired veterans here in Georgia.”

Williams said several surrounding states already provide this tax break, and by implementing the new law, it will make it easier for veterans to stay in Georgia when they retire.

Williams said the bill is on a fast track to be passed, and he said he hopes it will be signed and effective by July of this year.

Williams, who is a Vietnam veteran, said the law will mean people will have more money on hand and will likely spend that money locally as more opportunities and jobs come into the state.

“We’ve worked on this bill for several years now,” Williams said, adding that the veterans he’s spoken to are overjoyed with the measure. “The cash that this will put in the pockets of retired people who have defended this country, gave their all for this country … and I think this is just a small thankyou for their service.”

Kemp first announced the proposed bill Jan. 12 during the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs and Issues legislative preview event.

The Governor announced his administration’s plans to provide a $1.6 billion tax refund to all Georgia taxpayers, introduce legislation to exempt retirement income for veterans residing in the Peach State, and ensure at least 90% of tuition for HOPE Scholarship recipients at all public post-secondary education institutions is covered by the scholarship program.

On fulfilling his commitment to exempting military retirement income from state income tax, Kemp said: “These men and women deserve more than our words of appreciation, even though we have many to give. They deserve action that shows our gratitude. One of the key points of my platform has been to enact a retirement- income exclusion for retired military. And thanks to the hard work of leaders under the Gold Dome these last few years — work that put our state in a position to invest in our citizens — I’m proud to announce that my team will introduce legislation this session to make this tax exclusion a reality for Georgia’s retired military.”

On his administration’s plan to provide a $250 refund to single tax filers and $500 to those filing jointly, Kemp said: “At the state level, that success has meant record revenues, and as Governor, I believe we should continue to fund our priorities as a state — education, healthcare, and public safety … but also be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. Last fiscal year, because we kept Georgia open and fought alongside you all in this room to keep businesses and communities afloat, the state collected a record budget surplus.

“I believe that when government takes in more money than it needs, surplus funds should be sent back to the hardworking men and women who keep our state moving forward, because that is your money, not the government’s. That is why my Amended FY22 budget proposal authorizes the Department of Revenue to provide $1.6 billion in refunds to every taxpayer in Georgia. Under my plan, every citizen filing their income taxes this April will receive a refund credit ranging from $250 for single filers to $500 for joint filers. As Georgians seek to recover from the economic impact of a global pandemic, we as state leaders should do everything, we can to empower families to keep more of their money in their own wallets.”