|
Next Week’s Committee Meetings Will Include Key County Issues As week three of the 2016 legislative session comes to a close, many key county issues are slated for discussion during next week’s committee hearings. Some of the items counties can anticipate include townships and truck weight limits. The House and Senate have drafted companion legislation on the topic of townships. House Bill 785 and Senate Bill 272 allow for the creation of townships through local legislation with land use, zoning, subdivision, building permit and code enforcement powers if voters first approve a statewide referendum approving a constitutional amendment. The companion resolutions, House Resolution 1051 and Senate Resolution 724 will call for the statewide referendum to amend the constitution to allow townships to have zoning powers. House Bill 411 is the 2016 truck weight limit bill that seeks to increase the weight for trucks hauling unprocessed wood to 84,000 lbs with a 5 percent variance on state and local roads. Furthermore, the bill would expand the radius from 100 to 150 miles. It was amended in committee to require a $250 permit in order for the trucks to run at the higher weight. ACCG will update county officials on any significant modifications to the aforementioned legislation. Please be sure to monitor for notifications from the policy staff for further information. House Passes Amended FY 2016 Budget The House passed the Amended FY 2016 Budget that included funding increases for counties in the areas of the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund ($3 million) and $15 million for the Forestland Protection Grant among others. Click here to obtain the budget highlights. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Speaker David Ralston Confirmed for 2016 District Days at the Capitol County officials are encouraged to register for the 2016 District Days at the Capitol. Introduced by ACCG in 2015, the District Days at the Capitol will allow Georgia’s county officials to hear an update on the legislative session from these two key notes speakers and the ACCG policy staff. In addition, this event allows county officials to network with their respective delegations during the critical 40 days of the legislative session. The 2016 District Days will convene on February 17 with the last day taking place on March 2. Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the February 24 District Day while House Speaker David Ralston will be featured on March 2. Though each district is scheduled to attend a particular day, counties are more than welcome and encouraged to attend a day of their choice. Click here for more event details and for registration information. Follow ACCG on Social Media for the Latest County News Be sure to follow ACCG on social media for the latest news about Georgia’s counties and the association’s conferences and events. Follow ACCG @GACounty and like Georgia’s county association on Facebook – ACCG.
|