HB 0136 |
Oppose | Animal Shelters - Must Post Picture of Impounded Animal on Website |
Demetrius Douglas |
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2/7/2019 |
House Second Readers |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- | - |
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| Current law requires county animal shelters which impound an animal to notify the owner immediately upon impoundment, then go through certain steps if the owner cannot be reached. This bill additionally requires animal shelters to immediately post a photograph of the animal, along with the animal's breed, on the animal shelter's website. ACCG believes there is indeed good intent behind this legislation; however, there are many counties that simply lack the resources to do this and there are too many variables and challenges which make this infeasible. |
HB 0213 |
Neutral | Georgia Hemp Farming Act |
John Corbett |
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5/10/2019 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This legislation allows for the farming of industrial hemp. The bill authorizes the Georgia Department of Agriculture to issue hemp growers licenses and hemp processors permits as well as requires the Department to create a plan to regulate hemp production. Colleges and universities within the University System of Georgia would be allowed to conduct research on the cultivation and uses of hemp.
Hemp growers and producers would have to get a criminal background check conducted by local law enforcement. In addition, they would be required to give the GBI, Dept of Agriculture and state and local law enforcement access to where hemp is being processed, handled, cultivated or harvested to conduct inspections.
This legislation is in response to a 2018 House Study Committee on Industrial Hemp Production. The study committee meeting details and the final committee report can be found here. |
HB 0302 |
Oppose | Local Design Standards Preempted |
Vance Smith |
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4/2/2019 |
House Withdrawn, Recommitted |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- | - |
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| Similar to SB 172, this mammoth preemption legislation prohibits cities and counties from regulating "building design elements" in single or double family dwellings. Local governments could no longer enact standards on: - exterior building color, - type or style of exterior cladding material, - style or materials of roof structures or porches, - exterior nonstructural architectural ornamentation, - location or architectural styling of windows and doors, including garage doors, - the number and types of rooms, - the interior layout of rooms, and - types of foundation structures approved under state minimum standard codes. In short, if a house meets state minimum standard building codes, it can be built. The legislation would not apply to state or federal historic districts, mobile homes and homes governed by a neighborhood association or covenant. If applicable, please share examples of how this would impact any local design standards that your county has adopted with Todd Edwards (tedwards@accg.org). |
HB 0545 |
Neutral | Limitations On Nuisance Claims Against Agriculture Facilities and Operations |
Tom McCall |
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6/18/2020 |
Senate - Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This legislation prohibits a property owner, whether residential or commercial, from bringing a nuisance action against any kind of agricultural facility or operation unless they are within 5 miles of the source of the alleged nuisance activity. The lawsuit is allowed to be filed within two years after the nuisance occurs.
This legislation keeps in place the ability to file a nuisance action when a nuisance results from the negligent, improper, or illegal operation of any agricultural facility or operation. |
HB 0690 |
Oppose | Building Permits - Locals Can't Charge More than $500 for Inspecting "Agricultural Structures" |
James Burchett |
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3/13/2020 |
Senate Read and Referred |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Assignments |
- |
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| This legislation prohibits cities and counties from charging a fee of more than $500 for permitting "agricultural structures", which includes buildings and structures used for the commercial production of crops, livestock, animals, poultry, honeybees, livestock, timber, forest products, products used for commercial aquaculture or farm labor camps for migrant workers. ACCG feels that fees for permitting agricultural should approximate whatever the cost is for administering the permitting service. If it cost the county more than $500 to conduct an inspection, other taxpayers will have to pick up the cost, thus subsidizing the service. |
HB 0777 |
Neutral | State Building Code - Add "Mass Timber" as a Construction Material |
John Corbett |
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7/1/2020 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This bill amends the state minimum building standards code to authorize the use of "tall mass timber" as a construction material - provided the Department of Community Affairs approves this addition in their rule making process. |
HB 0886 |
Neutral | Animals - Vets Must Scan for Microchip to Verify Proper Owner |
Andrew Welch |
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3/13/2020 |
Senate Read and Referred |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Assignments |
- |
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| This bill requires veterinarians and veterinary technicians to scan the animals they are treating for microchips to ensure that the animal's owner is the same person presenting the animal for treatment. If not, the veterinarian must notify law enforcement. |
HB 0897 |
Support | Timber Harvesting: Changes to County Ordinance & New Notification Website |
James Burchett |
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7/22/2020 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This legislation establishes a framework for a statewide timber harvest notification webpage housed by the Georgia Forestry Commission, increases the fine for harvesters who fail to notify the county that they are operating, and increases the bond amount due by harvesters who have previously been found to cause damage to county roads/rights of way. In addition, the legislation narrows the scope of when the bond can be used and creates a timeline for when and how a county can utilize a bond.
For additional details, including background information, click here. |
HB 0937 |
Oppose | Design Standards - Another Shot at State Preemption |
Vance Smith |
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2/26/2020 |
House Committee Favorably Reported |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- | - |
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| This preemption legislation, following on the heels of HB 302 and SB 172, prohibits cities and counties from regulating any building material, product or construction practice for single-family homes if these are approved in the state minimum standard codes - unless permission is granted from an advisory committee at DCA through a lengthy building code amendment process. Residential building design standards for aesthetic purposes would not be allowed (even with the DCA committee's permission) since the only local building code amendments allowed under state law must be based solely on local climatic, geologic, topographic, or public safety factors. ACCG opposes state preemption of local land use decisions, to include design standards, believing these decisions are best made at the local level by county commissioners elected by, and accountable to, the communities they serve. To view ACCG and GMA's talking points on HB 937, please click here. |
HB 1008 |
Neutral | Residential Industrial Buildings - Allow to Have Permanent Metal Chassis |
Joe Campbell |
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1/1/2021 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Economic Development and Tourism |
- |
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| Current law prohibits "factory built buildings and dwelling units" from having permanent metal chassis. This bill allows these homes to have permanent metal chassis; however, these homes must still be affixed to a permanent load-bearing foundation. Please contact Todd Edwards (tedwards@accg.org) if you have any concerns with this bill. |
HB 1093 |
Neutral | Agricultural Commodity Commission for Wine and Grapes |
Steven Meeks |
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8/3/2020 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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This legislation creates a Agricultural Commodity Commission for Wine and Grapes. |
HR 0591 |
Neutral | Preempt Local Design Standards - House Study Committee on Workforce Housing |
Vance Smith |
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3/29/2019 |
House Passed/Adopted |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- | - |
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| Following the failure of HB 302 (prohibit local government design standards) Rep. Vance Smith has introduced HR 591. This resolution creates a House study committee (made up of five House members) on "workforce housing". Noting that local design mandates infringe on private property rights, consumer choice of building products, increase costs, and prohibit thousands of Georgians from owning new homes, this study committee will make recommendations on legislation to curtail local design standards to be considered next legislative session. |
SB 0338 |
Support | Animal Dealers - Change License Requirements |
Kay Kirkpatrick |
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3/13/2020 |
House Second Readers |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This legislation reduces, from 30 to 20, the amount of animals that can be sold by a pet dealer each year before they are required to be a licensed pet dealer. It also doubles, from $400 to $800, the fee for a license; requires dealers to provide a surety bond; and sets the conditions by which that surety may be called and a dealer may have their license revoked. |
SB 0362 |
Support | Livestock Running at Large - Change Fees for Impounding |
John Wilkinson |
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7/29/2020 |
Effective Date |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| Current law allows counties to charge a maximum $10 fee for impounding livestock running at large. This bill changes the fee amount to the "actual cost of impounding" each animal. The actual cost can also be charged for transporting, posting notice of, disposition of and selling the animal. The cost to feed the animal cannot exceed $25 per day. |
SB 0468 |
Neutral | Disabled Vets May Register Service Dogs with Animal Shelters |
Renee Unterman |
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3/13/2020 |
House Second Readers |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
- |
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| This legislation authorizes disabled veterans to register their service dog with the local animal shelter. That registration will help reunite an owner with their service dog should the two be separated. |
SB 0476 |
Watch | Pets - Require Microchips |
Kay Kirkpatrick |
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6/15/2020 |
House Second Readers |
Agriculture and Consumer Affairs |
Science and Technology |
- |
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| This bill requires pet dealers and pet adoption operations to microchip each dog and cat being sold or put up for adoption. |