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Georgia House Republicans pushed through a new proposal to address fast-rising property tax bills just ahead of the Friday deadline to move legislation between the House and Senate

House Bill 1116 has been evolving constantly, having started the year as a vehicle to eliminate property taxes.

The new version would merely aim to restrain rather than eliminate property taxes. It would cap annual increases at the greater of 3% or the rate of inflation under the federal Consumer Price Index.

Rep. Shaw Blackmon, R-Bonaire, has been re-writing the bill at a feverish pace, converting it to a measure that he said would not require a constitutional amendment. A companion measure that would have placed a referendum to change the constitution on the ballot failed on the House floor Tuesday.

Republicans characterized the new HB 1116 as a way to address runaway housing prices.

“This is a pragmatic, level-headed solution to the problem,” said Rep. Chas Cannon, R-Moultrie.

Democrats didn’t think so. The bill passed over their objections 98-68.

“All of my cities are telling me it’s going to gut their operations,” said Rep. Shea Roberts, D-Atlanta. “This is insane.”

She said it would rip more than $50 million out of the budget of Sandy Springs, reducing money available for core services like public safety. She called it a “defund the police” bill.

 The measure would also allow local governments to use a penny sales tax to offset property taxes.