This legislation authorizes residential and commercial electric customers, including local governments, to install solar technology on their property and utilize such financing mechanisms as leases, private solar energy procurement agreements (whereby payments are based on the output of the system), and authorization for electric companies to finance projects for their customers. Providing solar financing services does not make an entity an electric service provider and the power must be used on site or fed back to the electric utility. The bill does not limit or usurp current local regulatory or land use authority.

For addtional information, please click here.

Similar to SB 36, this legislation permanently prohibits aquifer storage and recovery in the Floridan Aquifer. It applies to the coastal counties of Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Wayne.

This legislation requires counties to include a stipulation in "renovation" contracts that only Georgia forest products may be used if they are available.  That requirement currently exists on contracts for constructing, adding to, and repairing facilities.     

The legislation also requires the state to allow the use of Georgia forest products certified through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the American Tree Farm System and the Forest Stewardship Council whenever "green building standards" (i.e., a system or tool to rate the environmental efficiency and sustainability of the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a building) are applied for new construction, operations, repair or renovation of any state building."

This legislation allows African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris), to be kept as a family pet without having to secure a DNR wild animal license so long as the critter was sexually neutered prior to two months of age.

This legislation moves the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission under the Department of Agriculture for administration purposes. While the Governor still appoints members of said commission, members no longer have to be Conservation District Supervisors.

This legislation allows farmers who are 16 years of age or older to drive all terrain vehicles and personal transportation vehicles (i.e., motorized vehicles with three or more wheels that can travel up to 20 miles per hour) on public roads to transport agricultural products, livestock, farm machinery or supplies to or from a farm. They may also be used on public roads to transport farmers who are 16 years old or older from their residence to the farm where they work. Cities may prohibit or limit the use of such vehicles on public roads within the city if it is determined that the use of the vehicles endangers the safety of the traveling public, however counties do not have the ability to limit use in unincorporated areas. 

This legislation now authorizes the use of fireworks on any day of the year between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (with the exceptions below). Local governments may adopt ordinances allowing or regulating their usage from 9:00 p.m. until midnight.  On July 3, July 4 and Dec. 31, fireworks may be used statewide from 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m., and on Jan. 1 fireworks may be used statewide from midnight to 1:00 a.m. and from 10:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. For a more detailed summary of the legislation, please click  here.

This legislation is the state's supplemental budget for July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. Click here to see full summary.

This legislation is the state's budget for July 1, 2016 until June 30, 2017. Click here to view full summary.