ATLANTA (AP) - The Georgia Senate has made significant changes to a transportation bill approved by House lawmakers.
The Senate Transportation Committee on Tuesday approved the Senate's version of the bill, which would convert Georgia's mix of taxes on gasoline to a 24 cent per gallon excise tax instead of the 29.2 cents per gallon tax in the House plan. The Senate plan also creates a $5 fee on rental cars, a $25 "highway user" fee and takes $250 million annually from the state's general fund to pay off debt service owed by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
The new bill also would end Georgia's sales tax holiday for back-to-school purchases.
Experts have said Georgia needs at least $1 billion more annually to maintain roads and bridges. The legislative session ends April 2.
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