(The Center Square) – The Georgia Senate passed a bill its sponsor said would cut small business red tape but stopped short of comparing it to the federal Department of Government Efficiency.
Sen. Greg Dolezal, the bill’s sponsor, said he previously referred to the bill as “in the spirit” of DOGE, but it was very different. Democrats tied the bill to DOGE and its leader, Elon Musk.
“What this bill recognizes is that if left unchecked, rules tend to layer on top of rules on top of rules and before you know it, you don’t necessarily know what those rules,” Dolezal said in response to a question from Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Decatur. “As you know senator, very often we come back into session and we have bills before us to either absolve things, or change things, deregulates things, this bill places that onus as well on the agency level and requires the agency to look at that every four years and so it gives a mechanism for us to work alongside of these agencies.”
Sen. Josh McLaurin, D-Sandy Springs, agreed with Dolezal that the bill was “in the spirit” of DOGE. He showed a 2013 meme of a Shiba Inu dog that is often referred to as part of the origin of DOGE and Dogecoin owned by Musk.
“If you’re asking why this inscrutable, weird, toothy meme has appeared on your desks this afternoon, I would humbly submit to you because of Elon Musk,” McLaurin said. “That is the reason we are talking about DOGE today, that’s the reason the cameras are here because I don’t think the cameras came, no offense, Mr. President, for Red Tape Rollback.”
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones previously said the bill complements DOGE. In a statement issued Monday, Jones did not reference DOGE but said, “The Red Tape Rollback Act of 2025 is mirroring the great work President Trump is doing in Washington to create efficiency, reduce unnecessary spending and eliminate bureaucratic red tape across state agencies.”
The sweeping bill would allow lawmakers to request a Small Business Impact Analysis on pending legislation.
Also part of the bill is an economic impact analysis of rules that would have a $1 million impact or greater in the first five years. Two-thirds of the General Assembly or a majority vote with the signature of the governor is required for rules that require an economic analysis.
State agencies would have rules reviewed by the constitutional officers every four years to determine if any are outdated or need changes, according to the bill.
Sen. Kim Jackson said the bill would create a “less-efficient, more chaotic process that would only change Georgia’s economy for the worse.”
“Are we going to fire hard-working Georgians who spent years giving back to our state all to send a message?” Jackson asked.
State business groups are backing the legislation.
“Small businesses are under enormous economic pressure and facing an uncertain future,” said Hunter Loggins, state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses. “SB28 would provide clarity and stability by allowing bills introduced in the General Assembly to include a small business impact statement.”
A similar bill passed the General Assembly last year, but the House and Senate could not come up with a version acceptable to both chambers.