Sen. Jaha Howard Introduces Legislation to Press Pause on Data Centers

ATLANTA (February 9, 2026) - Recently, Sen. Jaha Howard (D-Smyrna) introduced Senate Bill 436, aimed at curbing the growth of data centers by suspending the issuance of any new sales and use tax exemptions starting July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027. The bill would also prohibit local governments and political subdivisions from entering into nondisclosure agreements regarding electricity usage or water usage of data center projects or other entities.

Sen. Howard spoke on his measure, stating, "I'm proud to introduce my first piece of legislation, which places a one-year pause on the expansion of data center tax exemptions so the General Assembly has adequate time to listen and respond to our constituents impacted the most. We welcome investment from technology companies, but our constituents need peace of mind on the short and long-term impacts of these projects on their communities. Affordability is at the core of the issues we hear from our constituents, and the rapid growth of data centers is increasingly driving up costs for families across the state."

"This temporary pause gives lawmakers the space to fully evaluate the impact of these facilities and develop long-term, responsible policies that protect our resources while keeping Georgia affordable. If we are serious about addressing the cost pressures facing families, then our voices need to be loud and united enough to make big tech companies listen."

SB 436 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Finance, where it awaits further deliberation.

More information on SB 436 can be found here.

# # # #

Sen. Jaha Howard represents the 35^th Senate District, which includes portions of Cobb and Fulton counties. He may be reached by phone at (404) 657-2099 or by email at [email protected].

For all media inquiries, please reach out to [email protected].