Legislation Assigned to the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee (26)
Use the drop down to the left to select the next 25 bills to display.

Date of Last Recorded Action: 5/7/2024

HB 0118 NeutralFantasy Contests Act Trey Kelley
3/27/2018 Senate Tabled Ways & Means Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Larry Ramsey Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local

This bill would authorize and regulate fantasy sports leagues, including the payment of registration fees by fantasy contest operators to the Department of Revenue. Entry fees for participation in fantasy leagues would be exempt from sales taxes.

HB 0205 SupportFracking Regulations John Meadows
5/8/2018 Effective Date Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/03-Report 2017/02/24 - Report 2017/03/06 - Report 2017/03/17 - Report 2017/03/24 - Report
2018/02/02 Report 2018/03/09 Report Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment Revenue & Finance
Sales Tax-Local Water Quality Water Quantity

This legislation amends the Oil and Gas Deep Drilling Act of 1975. It requires the creation of regulations governing hydraulic fracturing. Counties and cities have the ability to adopt local zoning or land use ordinances limiting the location or timing of fracking activities to protect natural resources, human life and human welfare. A three percent severance tax will be required from the sale price of the gas and oil obtained. Counties, where the fracking occurs, can enact local ordinances or resolutions to levy its own severance tax, which can't exceed nine cents per barrel of oil or two cents per thousand cubic feet of gas.  

HB 0413 InactivePetroleum Pipelines: Regulations and Permitting Don Parsons
5/9/2017 Effective Date Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment
This legislation provides guidelines on the use of eminent domain, siting, permitting and construction of petroleum pipelines in Georgia. New pipeline construction or an expansion requires a permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). This bill also requires notice be placed in the county legal organ where the proposed new or expanded pipeline will be located and requires notice be provided to landowners whose property is located within 1,000 feet of the proposed new or expanded pipeline.
HB 0428 NeutralDowntown Development Authorities - Levying of Assessments Charles Martin
7/1/2017 Effective Date Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development Larry Ramsey
This legislation amends the downtown development authorities law. Such authorities would be authorized to levy an assessment on property located within a project special district only if agreed to by the property owner and taxing authority.
HB 0475 SupportRequirements for Charitable Contributions Receptacles for Donations on Private Property Buddy Harden
7/1/2018 Effective Date Judiciary Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Debra Nesbit Government Immunity Law Enforcement Public Safety and Courts
This legislation allows a property owner to have an unauthorized collection receptacle removed from their property. If the receptacle is not removed, then the owner may request "law enforcement personnel" take possession of, remove and dispose of the collection receptacle and its contents.  The law enforcement personnel has the discretion to honor the request.  The law enforcement personnel will be immune from civil or criminal liability.
HB 0485 InactiveDistilled Spirits: Allow Manufacture in Dry Counties Mike Glanton
5/9/2017 Effective Date Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Alcohol/Tobacco Elections General County Government Todd Edwards
This bill allows counties to authorize the manufacture and distribution of distiled spirits within their jurisdiction via the adoption of an ordinance or resolution.  Counties may determine the location of the distillery.  Under current law distilleries are subject to the same laws governing hard liquor package sales which require the county adopt a resolution, a petition be signed by 35% of all registered voters, and adoption of a public referendum.    
HB 0510 NeutralAlcohol - Alter Distance between Sales and Churches/Schools Calvin Smyre
7/1/2017 Effective Date Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/03/24 - Report Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Land Use/Zoning Population Acts
Public Safety and Courts Todd Edwards
This legislation removes measuring requirements between establishments that sell alcohol and churches and schools in counties with a population between 175,000 and 195,000 in the 1970 census or any future census. Following the 2010 census, Muscogee, Hall and Forsyth counties fall into this population range.  
HB 0757 NeutralTaxicab Regulations Alan Powell
3/27/2018 Senate Tabled Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Airports Business and Occupation Tax Econ. Dev. & Transportation Kathleen Bowen Preemption
Public Safety and Courts Transportation

This legislation clarifyies that if a city of county has a medallion system or “certificate of public necessity and convenience” in place, it is against the law for anyone to operate a taxicab without a medallion. Additonally, taxicab drivers would be required to display within full view of passengers an idientification card that included the name and photo of the operator and the name of company for whom the operator is driving.

This bill also includes the prohibition of the governing authority of any county or city airport from imposing any age limit on vehicles for hire doing business at such airport that is less than eight years measured from the vehicle's year of manufacture, for any vehicle used as a ride share, taxicab, or limousine. Lastly, the bill defines "soft taximeters" and states that that no local government shall have the authority to reject or prohibit the use of soft taximeters.

HB 0833 NeutralProfessional Land Surveyors - Redefine Paulette Rakestraw
2/26/2018 Senate Read and Referred Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2018/02/09 Report 2018/02/16 Report Econ. Dev. & Transportation General County Government Nat. Res. & the Environment
Roads Todd Edwards
This legislation, mirroring SB 425, results from negotiations with ACCG and other stakeholders and changes several provisions relating to professional land surveyors.  Surveyors’ training hours are increased, but they no longer have to take five semester hours of training in hydrology.  Three semester hours of hydrology, and passage of a hydrology exam, are required if a surveyor seeks licensure to design storm water management plans, facilities, water distribution lines, or sanitary sewer collection systems.   Lastly, officers and employees of local governments or authorities engaged in gathering, processing, managing and sharing of geospatial and photogrammetric data for cataloging or mapping purposes are not required to be licensed surveyors.
HB 0887 OpposeWireless Industry Preemption of Local Management of Public Right of Way Jay Powell
3/27/2018 Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute Ways and Means Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2018/02/09 Report 2018/03/16 Report 2018/03/2 Report 2018/03/23 Report Broadband
Business and Occupation Tax Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development Emergency Management/Preparedness Eminent Domain/Condemnation
Franchise Fees General County Government Larry Ramsey Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance
Roads Sales Tax-Local Todd Edwards

While this bill began, constructively, as a rural broadband bill, the Senate Regulated Industries Committee stripped and replaced it with the language of SB 426.  This wireless industry legislation guarantees authorization for wireless providers to construct and place poles (50' high), antennas (up to 6 cubic feet in volume and 10' higher than poles), equipment boxes (up to 25 cubic feet in volume), plus up to 4 cabinets (undefined size) and other infrastructure in county and city right of way (ROW).  Local government management of the above is all but entirely usurped; the grounds by which applications can be denied are few; denials are primed to result in litigation; and then locals are set up to lose.  

ACCG has attempted to work with the wireless providers, legislators and other stakeholders since last year to try to incorporate safeguards into the legislation.  While some of our recommendations were made, most of these "concessions" are so wrought with legal loopholes that their purported purpose has been nullified. 

For ACCG's concerns with (and suggestions for) this bill and SB 426, please click here.  

SB 0017 SupportSunday Brunch Alcohol Sales Renee Unterman
5/8/2018 Act 461 Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2018/02/02 Report 2018/02/09 Report 2018/02/16 Report 2018/03/09 Report 2018/03/16 Report
Alcohol/Tobacco Business and Occupation Tax General County Government Public Safety and Courts Todd Edwards

This bill authorizes cities and counties, in which the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on premises is already lawful on Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, to allow said sale from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 midnight if the county adopts an ordinance or resolution and the voters so approve via a referendum. 

Counties wishing to have this approved by the November 6, 2018 election should pass their ordinances by July 31st in order to provide their elections superintendents to prepare the proper materials ready and distributed to notify the public by August 4, 2018.     

SB 0079 NeutralGambling - Georgia Destination Resort Act Brandon Beach
1/30/2017 Senate Read and Referred -Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/03-Report Alcohol/Tobacco Business and Occupation Tax District Attorneys Econ. Dev. & Transportation
Economic Development Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons Georgia Bureau of Investigation Land Use/Zoning Public Safety and Courts
Todd Edwards Tourism
This legislation, mirroring HB 158, legalizes gambling in Georgia.  Two casino licenses will be granted.  One license will be granted within a county having a population of at least 900,000, will be at least a $2 billion investment, located in a convention district and have a hotel with at least 1000 guest rooms.  The other license will be granted within a county with at least 250,000 people, be at least a $450 million investment, and located near a convention district. Casinos can be open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and will pay a 20-percent tax on gross receipts - 70 percent of proceeds go to the HOPE scholarship and 30 percent will go to a needs-based college scholarship.  .  .          
SB 0085 InactiveBreweries and Distilleries to Sell Directly to Public Rick Jeffares
5/8/2017 Act 178 Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/01/27-Report 2017/02/10 - Report 2017/02/17-Report 2017/03/06 - Report 2017/03/17 - Report
Alcohol/Tobacco General County Government Revenue & Finance Todd Edwards

This legislation authorizes brew pubs and breweries to sell up to 3,000 barrels of their malt beverage annually directly to the public either through consumption on the premises or allowing a patron to purchase and carry off up to 288 ounces (a case) of the beverage a day. The current requirement that tours be offered prior to malt beverage purchase is eliminated. The bill also authorizes a licensed distiller to sell up to 500 barrels of distilled spirits annually directly to the public for consumption on the premises or up to 2,250 milliliters, per person, per day, to be consumed off premises.  The brewer or distiller will remit all state and local sales, use, and excise taxes to the proper tax collecting authority and sales are conditioned on and governed by local alcohol law. The Georgia Department of Revenue is to promulgate rules governing these processes.          

SB 0088 Inactive'Narcotic Treatment Programs Enforcement Act' Jeff Mullis
5/4/2017 Effective Date Health & Human Services Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Debra Nesbit Health and Human Services
This legislation enacts the Narcotic Treament Programs Enforcement Act.
SB 0116 OpposeStorm Water Utility Fees - Water Neutral Properties Frank Ginn
2/7/2017 Senate Read and Referred -Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/03-Report Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment Revenue & Finance Stormwater
Utilities Water Quantity
This legislation prohibits counties and cities from assessing stormwater utility fees on properties certified as a water-neutral site by a professional engineer. The property owner would be responsible for submitting the proof of certification.
SB 0141 SupportRequire Engineering Evaluation for All Carnival Ride Permits Bruce Thompson
7/1/2017 Effective Date Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/10 - Report 2017/03/10 - Report 2017/03/17 - Report Code Enforcement Fire Services
General County Government Kathleen Bowen Public Safety and Courts
This legislation requires the operators the first time they apply for a permit in Georgia to provide an engineering evaluation of carnival rides to the State Fire Marshal prior to the issuance of a permit. 
SB 0222 Inactive9-1-1 Local Government Authority and Increased Revenue for 9-1-1 Centers John Kennedy
5/9/2017 Veto V9 Judiciary Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/24 - Report 2017/03/06 - Report 911 Debra Nesbit Law Enforcement
Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance Sheriff
This legislation creates the Local Government 9-1-1 Authority which will provide coordination, planning, enforcement of statutory requirements for the payment of 9-1-1 fees, auditing, and development of best practices and standards for the operation of 9-1-1 Centers.  This legislation also provides parity for 9-1-1 fees assessed on all devices and plans, all will be $1.50 per month or purchase, and eliminates the ability of telephone servcesuppliersi  to bill local governments for cost recovery.  For a section by section summary click here 
SB 0232 SupportBroadband - Authorize EMCs to Provide Steve Gooch
3/5/2018 House Second Readers Ways and Means Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/24 - Report 2018/03/2 Report Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons
General County Government Land Use/Zoning Preemption Public Safety and Courts Public Works
Revenue & Finance Roads Telecommunications Todd Edwards Utilities

This legislation authorizes EMCs to provide broadband service, VoIP, wireless services and other emerging communications technologies within their service areas and a 5-mile radius thereof.  EMCs would be allowed to accept state, federal and private grants loans to fund this endeavor, but cannot cross-subsidize their broadband services from their electric or natural gas funds. To do this, EMCs must provide nondiscriminatory, competitively neutral and commercially reasonable terms, conditions and access to their utility poles for other communications service providers.      

 

SB 0256 SupportState Properties Commission - Broadband Leases in Certain Counties Blake Tillery
2/27/2017 Senate Read and Referred -Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development General County Government Larry Ramsey Procurement
Telecommunications
This legislation allows the State Properties Commission to enter into leases in Tier 1 (least developed) counties without seeking approval from the General Assembly. Broadband companies could obtain favorable lease terms from the State Properties Commission for purposes of expanding broadband services in those counties.
SB 0310 NeutralNet Neutrality in Georgia Harold Jones
1/24/2018 Senate Read and Referred -Regulated Industries and Utilities -
Broadband Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development General County Government Todd Edwards
This legislation requires Internet providers to disclose accurate information about their network management practices, performance and commercial terms.  It also prohibits providers from blocking legal content, applications, services, non harmful devices, lawful websites, or applications that compete with the provider's voice or video telephone services - subject to reasonable network management.  Furthermore, providers cannot unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic over a consumer's broadband Internet access service.     
SB 0396 WatchTelephone System for Physically Impaired David Shafer
3/12/2018 House Committee Favorably Reported Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Regulated Industries and Utilities -
911 Debra Nesbit Health and Human Services Public Safety and Courts Utilities
SB 0402 SupportBroadband - Georgia Achieving Connectivity Everywhere (ACE) Act Steve Gooch
5/7/2018 Act 423 Ways and Means Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2018/02/09 Report 2018/02/16 Report 2018/02/23 Report 2018/03/16 Report 2018/03/23 Report
Broadband General County Government Revenue & Finance Sales Tax-Local Todd Edwards
The House Ways and Means Committee, chaired by Rep. Jay Powell, combined most of the House and Senate rural broadband initiatives into SB 402, making it the omnibus rural broadband bill of the 2018 legislative session.  Among its many components, the bill authorizes the DOT to use or lease their right of way (ROW) for broadband deployment, establishes a voluntary “broadband ready community” program for local governments that have streamlined their ROW permitting process, and creates a statewide broadband deployment plan.  
 
For a thorough summary of SB 402, please click here.
 
 
SB 0425 NeutralLand Surveyors - Define Practice Steve Gooch
5/7/2018 Act 417 Regulated Industries Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2018/03/16 Report Code Enforcement Econ. Dev. & Transportation General County Government Health and Human Services
Land Use/Zoning Law Enforcement Nat. Res. & the Environment Procurement Public Safety and Courts
Public Works Roads Stormwater Todd Edwards Utilities
Water Quality Water Quantity
This legislation removes the requirement that land surveyors receive at least five hours of course study in hydrology. The bill raises the required semester hours of course study, or the equivalent, in surveying subjects approved by the board from 15 to 18 hours. Moreover, HB 833 grandfathers in those who have already received credit in hydrology coursework so that they may sit for the board approved examination for licensure. In addition, HB 833 adds surveyors to the list of professionals subject to a misdemeanor for practicing as a licensed surveyor if that person has not completed the licensing requirements.
SB 0426 SupportBroadband - EMCs and Rural Telephone Cooperatives Authorized to Provide Steve Gooch
3/29/2018 House Passed/Adopted By Substitute Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2018/02/16 Report 2018/02/23 Report 2018/03/16 Report 2018/03/2 Report 2018/03/23 Report
Broadband Code Enforcement Econ. Dev. & Transportation Economic Development Franchise Fees
General County Government Land Use/Zoning Preemption Revenue & Finance Roads
Telecommunications Todd Edwards Transportation Utilities

Originally, this was the wireless industry's attempt to preempt local management of the public's right of way.  The bill was changed in House Rules Committee to allow EMCs and rural telephone cooperatives to provide broadband service to rural areas under certain conditions.     

 

 

SR 0224 SupportJoint Study Committee on Stormwater Management Fees Frank Ginn
3/16/2017 House Passed/Adopted Natural Resources & Environment Regulated Industries and Utilities -
2017/02/17-Report 2017/03/06 - Report 2017/03/10 - Report 2017/03/17 - Report Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons
Kathleen Bowen Nat. Res. & the Environment Revenue & Finance Stormwater Water Quality
Water Quantity

This legislation creates the Joint Study Committee on Stormwater Management Fees. Local governments would have representation on the study committee that would be tasked with reviewing the existing data and current practices relating to storm-water management fees.

Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.








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