Crossover Day Update: Momentum Is Building
Written by Marqus Cole, GIPL Organizing Director
The 2026 legislative session is approaching Crossover Day, and the Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL) community has already made a measurable impact on our priority issues.
You have sent letters, made calls, shown up at the ropes, and met directly with lawmakers. That presence matters. It changes vote counts, shapes bill language, and ensures that decisions about Georgia’s energy and environmental future are not made without accountability.
On data centers, the shift from last year could not be clearer.
In 2025, policymakers insisted no legislation was needed. This year, multiple bills have been introduced in response to growing public concern about energy demand and cost exposure for billpayers. We have focused on SB 34 to protect Georgia billpayers from bearing the cost of data center expansion. When industry-backed amendments weakened the bill, our community helped generate enough support for stronger language to return. Rather than move forward under those conditions, the Senate sent the bill back to committee ahead of Crossover Day.
While we would have welcomed final passage, this moment demonstrates something important: organized constituents can change the legislative calculus in real time.
That same momentum is visible in our other priorities. The Forever Chemical Transparency Act, SB538, moved from conversation last year to a formal hearing this session, thanks in large part to sustained advocacy. And while the Okefenokee protection bills, HB561 and HB562, are not expected to reach the floor before Crossover Day, support for protecting the Okefenokee Swamp and preventing mining on Trail Ridge continues to grow.
Committee bottlenecks do not reflect a lack of support; they reflect the weight of the issue.
As we head into the second half of the session, we remain committed to protecting Georgia billpayers, advancing transparency on PFAS contamination, and safeguarding our shared Sacred Home. We will be back after crossover day with more opportunities to stay engaged.
