The General Assembly is over halfway through the 2024 legislative session. As of today, the legislature has completed 22 of their 40 days, and "crossover day" is February 29th. The GMA Governmental Relations team has been busy representing Georgia's cities and look forward to more busy weeks ahead.

Rep. Spencer Frye (D-Athens) advocating for the CHOICE Act at the Community Development Policy Committee Meeting as part of GMA's 2024 Cities United Summit.

Comprehensive Housing Legislation, A Product of the Housing Access and Affordability Task Force

House Bill 1266, also known as the CHOICE Act by Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon) is a legislative package that provides state-based incentives for localized zoning updates and other deregulatory actions. Participation is voluntary by municipal governments.

The CHOICE Act incentivizes cities to adopt local ordinances, policies, and procedures that support the development of more housing options in their communities by awarding housing and infrastructure funding grants or loans.

Built into the CHOICE Act is a menu of reforms, de-regulatory actions, and policies local governments may enact, which in theory would decrease the cost per unit of new development. The focal point of the CHOICE Act is on denser development.

At present, 32 'options' exist within the CHOICE Act, which vary greatly in scope and impact; such as

setting a minimum square footage requirement of 1,200 for 50% of your zoned residential space,
up zoning single family residential parcels to allow for du, tri, and quadplexes, to smaller choices such as
creating an online permitting system and
chartering a local land bank.

Incentives garnered for participation in the CHOICE Act are layered so that the more options your local government choses to enact, the more your government could receive in funding from existing and new sources.

Incentives would be based on the following designations: Workforce Housing Ready Community – Ten policies, Workforce Housing Ready Expert - Fifteen policies, and finally the Workforce and Homeownership Leader – Twenty policies.

Local governments who choose not to participate, or who do not enact at least 10 policies, would be considered not in compliance, and of the lowest priority in the awarding of citied funding opportunities.

Incentive funding sources include: grant funds under the federal recreational trails program managed by GA DNR, Local Maintenance and Improvement Grants from GA DOT, and Georgia Environmental Finance Authority grants and loans.

Certifications of status within the CHOICE Act program will be administered by the Department of Community Affairs.

HB 1266 has been assigned to House Governmental Affairs Committee.

GMA and ACCG Directors of Governmental Relations, Jim Thornton and Clint Mueller, respectively, presenting on SDS to the Joint Study Committee on Service Delivery Strategy on September 18, 2023.

Service Delivery Strategy Task Force, Study Committee Result in Legislation
Senate Bill 499, introduced by Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville), would substantially revise the process by which cities and counties negotiate and finalize a service delivery agreement. During the summer and fall of 2023, GMA and ACCG worked jointly to develop revisions to the Service Delivery Strategy Act and formed a task force with three GMA and three ACCG members. That task force worked in tandem with the Joint (House and Senate) Study Committee on Service Delivery Strategy. SB 499 is not exactly what the GMA/ACCG task force recommended, but it is substantially the same as their recommendations.

The bill requires mapping and assignment of service areas, requires the written exchange of information during negotiations, provides alternative dispute resolution processes, and imposes strict sanctions upon failure to submit an approved strategy. The bill also provides an amendment process when less than all governments who are party to the strategy are interested in modification.

The bill has been assigned to the Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee, which is chaired by Senator Ginn. We anticipate a first hearing next week and are continuing to work with the author and ACCG to improve the bill.

"We are here to support local control and accountability" - City of Rowell Fire Chief Joe Pennino, testifying in favor of SB 16 before the Senate Health & Human Services Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 12. Chief Pennino also serves as Chair of the North Fulton Fire Chiefs Association.

Georgia EMS Reform Act Receives Strong Support from First Responders

Senate Bill 16 by Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell) referred to as the “Georgia EMS Reform Act” would allow local governing authorities to establish EMS service areas through contract or memorandum of understanding, thus granting more local authority to negotiate with EMS providers. This bill also seeks to establish an electronic state-wide reporting system through the Department of Public Health to track response times of each service area. This is a priority for GMA as we aim to address the critical need for efficient EMS response times.

SB 16 received a hearing in Senate Health and Human Services Committee Meeting on Monday, Feb. 12, and is now pending in Health and Human Services Committee.

Bills to Watch

Community Development

House Bill 514 by Rep. Dale Washburn (R-Macon) would create a six-month limitation on local zoning moratoriums.
Status: Remains in conference committee; GMA is monitoring the status of the final conference committee report
GMA Position: Neutral

House Bill 1121 by Rep. Bethany Ballard (R-Warner Robins) limits the ability of cities to prohibit short-term rentals that are in existence prior to any prohibition and provides a statutory process for cities to address violations by short-term rental operators.
Status: Pending in House Governmental Affairs Committee.
GMA Position: Working with author

Senate Bill 435 by Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville), which is subject to approval of a constitutional amendment called for by SR 533, would create the statutory framework for Community Development Districts to build and maintain public infrastructure and to levy ad valorem taxes to bond and to pay for such infrastructure.
Status: Pending in Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee
GMA Position: Evaluating

Environment and Natural Resources

House Bill 1146 by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) would require the Georgia EPD to issue consumptive water permits to private companies without the consent of the relevant local government if said local government is unable to provide the water service within 18 months of the permit request.
Status: Passed House Natural Resources and Environment Subcommittee on Resource Management on Thursday, Feb. 15 and is pending in full House Natural Resources and Environment Committee
GMA Position: Oppose

Municipal Government

House Bill 461 by Rep. Brad Thomas (R-Holly Springs) would make revisions concerning a city's calculation of regulatory fees, specifically building inspection fees.
Status: Passed House on Monday, Feb. 12 and was assigned to Senate Finance Committee
GMA Position: Neutral

House Bill 905 by Rep. Matt Reeves (R-Duluth) would clarify provisions of the Zoning Procedures Law relative to the role of quasi-judicial boards and agencies and the appeal process from their decisions.
Status: Pending in Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee
GMA Position: Support

House Bill 1044 by Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) raises the dollar amount of the public works bidding exemption from $100,000 to $250,000.
Status: Passed House on Monday, Feb. 12 and is pending in Government Oversight
GMA Position: Support

House Bill 1228 by Tyler Paul Smith (R-Bremen) would change how some local governments procure engineering services as it would require all local governments in the state to utilize QBS as their sole procurement process.
Status: Assigned to the House Governmental Affairs Committee
GMA Position: Neutral

House Bill 1253 by Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia) would revise the process of election of regional commission councils, including the process of election of municipal elected officials on such councils.
Status: Pending in House Governmental Affairs Committee
GMA Position: Working with author

Public Safety

House Bill 348 by Sen. J Collins (R-Villa Rica) would revise the regulations for speed cameras in school zones. GMA is monitoring this bill closely for expected changes prior to committee action.
Status: Pending in Senate Public Safety Committee
GMA Position: Working with author

House Bill 447 by Rep. Ken Vance (R-Milledgeville) provides that a person driving without insurance or with invalid vehicle registration may be subject to citation via electronic image (camera). The camera, affixed to an officer vehicle, will notify the officer of the violation, and the officer will then have the option to automatically issue a civil citation rather than initiate a traffic stop.
Status: pending in House Rules Committee
GMA Position: Support

House Bill 935 by Rep. Ken Vance (R-Milledgeville) and Senate Bill 94 by Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula) would both require the governing body of local law enforcement agencies to apply for and secure a permit from the GA Department of Transportation prior to placing a speed detection device within a school zone, as opposed to the school applying.
Status: HB 935 is pending in House Motor Vehicles Committee; SB 94 is pending in Senate Public Safety Committee
GMA Position: Support

Revenue and Finance

Senate Bill 349 by Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R-Rome) would improve the notice requirements for tax assessments and millage rate adjustments to be more transparent, but would also allow for a statewide floating homestead exemption with a cap of 3 percent.
Status: Passed the Senate Chamber on Thursday, Feb. 15 and is pending committee assignment in the House.
GMA Position: Neutral

House Bill 946 by Rep. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville) and Senate Bill 383 by Sen. Shelly Echols (R-Gainesville) would both allow for a referendum on a single-county T-SPLOST without the requirement of unanimous approval of the agreement by all local jurisdictions and provides protection for those jurisdictions that are not party to the agreement.
Status: HB 946 passed House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Feb. 8 and is pending in House Rules Committee; SB 383 is pending in Senate Finance Committee
GMA Position: Support

House Bill 1031 by Rep. Shaw Blackmon (R-Bonaire) would require mandatory reappraisal of parcels at least once every three years and would require the estimated roll-back rate to be included on the annual notice of current assessment.
Status: Passed House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, Feb. 8 and is pending in House Rules Committee
GMA Position: Support

House Bill 1115 by Rep. Noel Williams (R-Cordele) would raise the limit on local sales tax to 3 percent, allow for a HOST and a LOST to be levied simultaneously, and create a new local option sales tax which would be referred to as a flexible penny local option sales tax which could be used for either property tax relief or capital outlay projects.
Status: Hearing in House Ways and Means Sales Tax Subcommittee on Thursday, Feb. 15.
GMA Position: Working with author

House Bill 1185 and House Resolution 1022 by Rep. Beth Camp (R-Concord) are companion bills consisting of enabling legislation and a constitutional amendment that would allow for a statewide floating homestead exemption, tied to the inflationary rate, that local governments could opt in to via an ordinance or resolution.
Status: HB 1185 remains in House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Ad Valorem Tax; HR 1022 Passed House Ways & Means Subcommittee on Ad Valorem Tax on Thursday, Feb. 15 and is pending in full committee
GMA Position: Neutral

House Bill 1225 by Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta) would amend the required parties for a LOST distribution certificate, allowing parties with 50 percent of the county population to levy the LOST. Parties left off the certificate would be guaranteed a minimum distribution based on their population as a percentage of the total county population.
Status: Heard in House Ways and Means Committee Sales Tax Subcommittee on Thursday, Feb. 15.
GMA Position: Support

Register for the Friday Focus calls
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every Friday at 9 a.m. via Zoom

When advocating on behalf of Georgia’s cities, GMA’s greatest asset is an informed and engaged membership, and this is especially true when the policy issue or piece of legislation is particularly complex or consequential.

The Friday Focus calls are an opportunity for you, our members, to deepen your understanding of the issues being addressed by the General Assembly this session and feel more empowered to advocate on behalf of your city.

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For additional assistance please reach out to Kendall Daniels, kdaniels@gacities.com