Gas prices in the Peach State are set to rise beginning Thursday after the emergency suspension of the state's gas tax expired. The focus now turns to the Georgia legislature for further action.

Gov. Brian Kemp (R-GA) began the suspension of the gas tax in September, placing the blame for high gas prices on "Bidenomics," and he extended it twice leading into Georgia's current legislative special session.

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"Thanks to our responsible approach to budgeting, we're able to deliver relief to families fighting through the disastrous effects of Bidenomics,” Kemp said in a statement when extending the suspension earlier this month. "I'm also grateful for the partnership of the General Assembly as it prepares to enter a special session where legislators will be called on to ratify this measure."

State law allows the governor to suspend "the collection of taxes, or any part thereof, due to the state" until the next legislative session but not beyond that. The special session opened on Wednesday, and the gas tax suspension expired at 11:59 p.m. EST that same day.

The resumption of the gas tax means Georgians will be paying 31.2 cents more per gallon on gas and 35 cents more per gallon on diesel fuel. Despite the end of the gas tax suspension, Georgia still has gas prices lower than the national average, according to AAA, which says the average price of gas per gallon in Georgia was $2.793 on Thursday, compared to $3.246 per gallon nationally.

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In Kemp's declaration calling the special session, he asked the legislature to ratify his emergency declarations, but a spokesperson for the governor told the Associated Press he does not plan to ask lawmakers to pass legislation on the matter.

Further steps for the gas tax in the Peach State could include the legislature acting or Kemp declaring another state of emergency suspending the tax following this session and lasting until the regular legislative session in January. The spokesman told the outlet that the governor has been discussing the "next steps after this session and before the next session" with state lawmakers.