This bill reduces the fine for state agencies and their contractors that violate the Georgia Water Quality Control Act.  It also gives them 30 days to cure any violations before being subject to the fine.  Further, the bill expands the authority of the Erosion and Sediment Control Overview Council to include the mediation of disputes over the issuance of orders or levying of fines by EPD.

This GDOT bill previously required counties to remove asbestos pipes in the state right-of-way. The bill was amended to now only require the county to notify GDOT when abandoning asbestos pipe and to retain ownership, similar to the abandonment of a county road. 

HB 179 addresses removal or maintenance of trees and vegetation near billboards on the state road system. Billboard owners would have to get a vegetation removal permit through the Department of Transportation. The law includes protection for trees that are considered historic or landmarks. For signs taller than 75 feet, in order to get a vegetation maintenance permit from the DOT, the owner would have to agree to reduce the height of the sign to 75 feet unless lowering the sign is precluded by a county code or regulation. If the height reduction involves a new support mechanism, like a new pole, then the owner is required to get a written footer inspection from the county. The Department of Transportation may refuse to grant a vegetation maintenance permit for any signs with material that is considered "obscene" in accordance with state or local law.

This bill expands the special interest groups that receive a variance from weight limit laws to include the transport of organic poultry waste and tree bark. It provides special treatment to chicken waste by doubling the current variance allowed for other industries to 10% or 8,000 extra pounds (4 tons).  Almost every year the General Assembly passes a new exemption to weight limits, which in turn increases the wear and tear on local roads and the costs of maintaining them for local taxpayers. Please let your legislator know you oppose this bill.

This bill allows GDOT to issue multi-trip permits to overloaded trucks and reduces the amount of information required to be provided.

HB 793 would eliminate any length or width limitations (on all public roads) on vehicles used in an emergency tow of a wrecked commercial vehicle so long as the vehicle is not being towed more than 100 miles.  

This is DOT's annual cleanup bill. Among other provisions, it increases, from $100,000 to $250,000, the amount that DOT is allowed to contract for - without having to go out to bid; allows posting a bid on their website to satisfy the public bid requirement and suffice for having read the bid; and sets out conditions on when, and under what conditions, DOT can close or limit access to state highways. Additionally, counties will no longer be required to get the DOT Commissioner's permission to designate local truck routes so long as they notify DOT of said designation within 90 days of doing so.

This bill allows for a 5 percent weight variance for tow trucks carrying disabled, damaged or wrecked commercial vehicles within 100 miles of the initial emergency tow pick up location. Said variance would require the purchase of a $500 annual permit from the DOT. Tow trucks could not exceed a single axle weight of 21,000 pounds, a load on any tandem axle exceeding 40,000 pounds, or a total load length exceeding 125 feet.

SB 54 grants a 5% weight limit variance for poultry waste. It expands the current 100-mile limit for exceeding the variance in place for other industries to 250-miles for poultry waste. The bill also allows GDOT to issue multi-trip permits for overweight vehicles.

This resolution by the full General Assembly follows the recent snow storms that paralyzed significant parts of Georgia for a week. GDOT is urged to develop a list of qualified and responsible contractors willing to assist in weather or other emergencies and to develop and implement a procedure to preauthorize local governments to clear snow and ice from state routes during an emergency. SR 31 is an identical resolution except it is only by the Senate.