Gold Dome Update: February 26, 2021

IN THIS UPDATE

This week, the General Assembly was in session all five days. The legislature will reconvene on Monday, March 1 for Legislative Day 25 and will set a new calendar for the week and Crossover Day 2021.

Before visiting the state capitol, be aware of the COVID-19 protocols for the building.

REVENUE AND FINANCE

This week HB 302 passed House Ways & Means and is currently pending in House Rules. HB 352 is pending a hearing in House Ways & Means.

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 Tax 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 opposes this bill.

House Bill 302 - Regulatory Fee Restrictions
by Rep. Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas), Pending in House Rules
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 opposes this bill.

LEGISLATOR SPOTLIGHT

Click to hear from Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan) on why he is sponsoring Senate Bill 145, allowing cities to call for a ballot question on liquor package sales by local ordinance. This bill passed committee this week and is pending in Senate Rules.

MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

House Bill 248 - Speed Enforcement in School Zones
by Rep. Alan Powell (R-Hartwell), Pending in House Rules
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 a speed detection camera 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 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.

House Bill 317 - Lodging Facilitator
by Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), Pending in House Rules
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.

House Bill 471 - Municipal Regulation of Bows & Arrows
by Rep. Josh McLaurin (D-Sandy Springs), Pending in House Game, Fish and Parks
This legislation would allow cities to regulate the transport, carry, and use of bows and arrows. However, property owners or those in legal control of property would be able to use or allow the use of bows and arrows on their property. GMA supports this bill.

House Bill 479 - Repeal of Citizens Arrest Law
by Rep. Bert Reeves (R-Marietta), Pending in House Judiciary
This legislation would repeal the Citizens Arrest Law, removing the provision in current law that allows for a private citizen to detain another private citizen on the basis of reasonable suspicion a criminal activity occurred. GMA supports this bill.

GMA thanks these legislators for sponsoring municipal policy initiatives.

CITY OFFICIALS SPOTLIGHT

GMA thanks Brookhaven City Attorney Chris Balch and Sandy Springs Police Chief Ken DeSimone for testifying this morning to the House Governmental Affairs Committee on House Bill 465, a bill that would preempt any city with an ordinance that fines alarm system monitoring companies when false alarms occur and public safety is notified but there is not an emergency situation. This bill is pending in the House Governmental Affairs Committee.

LEGISLATIVE WATCHLIST

House Bill 66 - Tax Abatements Transparency Among Local Governments
by Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur), Pending in House Governmental Affairs
This legislation would require a local government to share a written notice of the estimated direct financial impacts from proposed tax abatements or incentives with other affected local governments at least seven days prior to granting a tax abatement or financial incentive. GMA is neutral on this bill.

House Bill 286 - Prohibition of Police Department Budget Cuts
by Rep. Houston Gaines (R-Athens), Passed House, Pending in Senate Government Oversight
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.

House Bill 328 - Reduction of Municipal Rights-of-Way Fees (ROW)
by Rep. Martin Momtahan (R-Dallas), Pending in House Rules
This legislation would reduce the rates owed to municipalities for the usage of the public rights-of-way for laying linear miles of fiber. GMA opposes this bill.

Click to hear from GMA Governmental Relations Director Tom Gehl testifying to the Senate Transportation Committee on Senate Bill 118, legislation to allow for increased truck weights. House Bill 496 is a similar proposal, pending in the House Transportation Committee. GMA opposes these bills.

STUDY COMMITTEES

House Resolution 172 - Georgia Utility Facilities Protection Act (GUFPA) Study Committee
by Rep. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), Pending in House Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
This resolution would create a study committee entitled the House Study Committee on Georgia Utility Facility Safety Improvements to review current exemptions for traffic control devices and traffic management systems under the Georgia Utility Facilities Protection Act (GUFPA).

House Resolution 185 - House Rural Development Council Reauthorization (RDC)
by Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge), Pending in House Rules
This resolution would reauthorize the Rural Development Council to study issues of importance for 2021 and 2022.

House Resolution 222 - House Study Committee on Annexations
by Rep. Victor Anderson (R-Cornelia), Pending in House Governmental Affairs
This resolution would create a House study committee to examine the current laws for annexation, with a focus on the annexation dispute resolution process.

OPEN MEETINGS / OPEN RECORDS

House Bill 98 - Virtual Public Hearings
by Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), Passed the House, Pending in Senate Science and Technology
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 Rules
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 95 - Virtual Public Hearings
by Sen. Frank Ginn (R-Danielsville), Pending in Senate 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.

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.