Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has extended Georgia’s suspension of the state motor fuel tax through Nov. 5, and his state of emergency order now also waives penalties for dyed diesel. His office announced both changes Oct. 6, saying he amended the order in consultation with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones (R), House Speaker Jon Burns (R) and Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper (R).
Kemp suspended the tax on Sept. 28 for 30 days, from 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 29 through Oct. 29 [1]. Georgia’s motor fuel excise tax is 33.3 cents a gallon for gasoline and 37.3 cents for diesel. The same order suspends state weight limits on commercial vehicles.
For the length of the emergency, no state penalties will be incurred for selling, delivering or using dyed fuel oil, the diesel normally kept for off-road use, in on-road vehicles [2]. Kemp’s office describes the change as relief for truckers and farmers.
Citing AAA, the office said the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Georgia had fallen by roughly 33 cents since the suspension began. It said diesel had fallen by more than 42 cents in the same period and that Georgia’s average price for regular was 51 cents below the national average.
“With our farmers and truckers under heavy pressure, we’re leaving no stone unturned when it comes to giving them relief,” Kemp said in the release.
Updated Oct. 24: This story was trimmed for clarity. Some details were shortened, and no fact was corrected.
