Gold Dome Update, February 12, 2021

IN THIS UPDATE

This week the General Assembly was in session for four days. The legislature will reconvene on Tuesday, February 16 for Legislative Day 17. Click here for the rest of the General Assembly schedule.

This week's update includes a new bill city officials need to be aware of with significant revenue impacts for municipalities.

Before visiting the State Capitol, be aware of the COVID-19 protocols for the building.

REVENUE AND FINANCE

These two bills are pending in the House Ways and Means Committee and will likely be heard in the following days.

GMA needs your help to review these bills and reply with comments on how this proposed legislation would impact your municipal revenues.

House Bill 352 - State Limitation on Property Revenues
by Rep. Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas), Pending in House Ways & Means
This legislation would create a statewide base value or floating homestead exemption which would limit increases in property value assessments to the value in a base year plus half of the percentage increase in the consumer price index. This exemption would supersede any base year assessed value or adjusted base year assessed value of a homestead exemption provided by a local Act but would be in addition to all other homestead exemptions.

This bill would also make several other changes concerning property tax, including: increasing the time to appeal a property tax assessment, increasing the time limit to claim refunds from negligently incorrect assessments, requiring acceptance of private appraisals, and providing for the election of a county Chief Tax Appraiser.
GMA is evaluating this bill.

House Bill 302 - Regulatory Fee Restrictions
by Rep. Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas), Pending in House Ways & Means
This legislation would make several changes concerning local government collection of regulatory fees. It would remove the ability of a local government to set a regulatory fee based on the number of square feet of a new construction project or the cost of all other construction projects. Also, this bill would require that the proceeds of the regulatory fee be used to fund the regulatory activity but would not require the local government to establish a separate account for the funds.
GMA is evaluating this bill.

MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

Click to hear from GMA Governmental Relations Associate Ryan Bowersox testify in support of HB 317 (Lodging Facilitator) to the House Ways & Means Committee.

House Bill 248 - Speed Enforcement in School Zones
by Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), Pending in House Public Safety and Homeland Security
This legislation would allow a municipal government, instead of a school, to apply to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) for a permit to use an automated traffic enforcement device within a school zone where local law enforcement enforces the speed limit. GMA supports this bill.

House Bill 273 - Alcohol: Local Package Sales Referenda
by Rep. Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton), Pending in House Regulated Industries
This legislation would allow cities and counties to call for a ballot question on liquor package sales by resolution or ordinance. Additionally, it would provide uniformity to the referendum process by referencing the Georgia elections code. GMA supports this bill.

House Bill 317 - Lodging Facilitator
by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), Pending in House Ways & Means
This legislation would require all marketplace innkeepers, including online lodging facilitators such as Airbnb and VRBO, to collect and remit local hotel-motel taxes if the total charges across their platform in Georgia are at least $100,000 in the previous or current year. GMA supports this bill.

Senate Bill 76 - Next-Gen 911
by Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell), Pending in Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities
This legislation would provide for a framework of moving Georgia's E911 systems towards Next Generation 911 Systems (Next-Gen E911). Next-Gen E911 expands current E911 features and enables the public to transmit digital information to E911 operators. GMA supports this bill.

Senate Bill 145 - Alcohol: Local Package Sales Referenda
by Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan), Pending in Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities
This legislation would allow cities and counties to call for a ballot question on liquor package sales by resolution or ordinance. GMA supports this bill.

GMA thanks these legislators for sponsoring municipal policy initiatives.

LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST

Senate Bill 118 - Timber Truck Weight Limit Increase
by Sen. Tyler Harper (R-Ocilla), Pending in Senate Transportation
This legislation would allow for the purchase of a $200 annual state permit allowing log trucks to operate up to 100,000 pounds on city streets, county roads and state routes. GMA opposes this bill.

House Bill 243 - Annexation: Changing Contiguous Areas Calculation
by Rep. Brad Thomas (R-Holly Springs), Pending in House Governmental Affairs
This legislation would require each parcel in an 100% annexation to have at least one-eighth of its aggregate external boundary or 50 feet of the parcel, whichever is less, directly abut the city. GMA opposes this bill.

House Bill 286 - Prohibition of Police Department Budget Cuts
by Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens), Pending in House Governmental Affairs
This legislation would restrict a city or consolidated government with a police department from reducing annual appropriations for the police force by more than 5% of the previous fiscal year's appropriations. GMA opposes this bill.

OPEN MEETINGS / OPEN RECORDS

House Bill 98 - Virtual Public Hearings
by Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), Passed House Governmental Affairs, Pending in House Rules
This legislation would explicitly grant local governments the authority to hold virtual public hearings, such as budget or zoning proceedings, in emergency situations. GMA supports this bill.

House Bill 134 - Cybersecurity Discussions
by Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia), Passed the House, Pending in Senate Science and Technology
This legislation would create an exemption under the Open Meetings/Open Records Act for cybersecurity discussions and for cybersecurity documents or plans in executive sessions, where no decision made in the executive session would be binding until voted on in an open meeting, and where the details of the contract would not be subject to open records. GMA supports this bill.

Senate Bill 32 - Exclude Cell Phone Numbers From Open Records
by Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan), Passed the Senate, Pending House Committee Assignment
This legislation would add unlisted telephone numbers and personal mobile or wireless telephone numbers to the list of types of information not subject to disclosure pursuant to an open records request. GMA supports this bill.

HONORING A FORMER MAYOR

The Georgia House of Representatives adopted a resolution honoring the life and memory of former Tallapoosa Mayor William “Pete” Bridges, recognizing him as the longest serving mayor in the history of Tallapoosa, lauding his work with the Georgia Municipal Association and praising him for being an “inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern for his fellow citizens.” Click to read the entire resolution.

LEGISLATOR SPOTLIGHT

Click to hear from Rep. Jan Tankersley (R-Brooklet), Chair of the Intragovernmental Coordination Committee to learn more about the process for local legislation.

STAY CONNECTED

Local Legislation Update: If you are interested in seeing if local legislation has been introduced that impacts your city, or surrounding local governments, and subscribe to GMA's Local Legislation Alert to receive an email when any local legislation has been introduced and assigned to a committee.

Visit GMA's Legislative Tracking Site for more information on the bills GMA's Advocacy Team is following.