This legislation started off helping the Atlanta Beltline finance itself by allowing for contracts between local governments and the private sector. Language which would have required local governments to pay for the relocation of utilities located in the public rights-of-way was removed in the conference committee report that passed. ACCG commends conference committee members who worked to address counties' concerns.

This legislation creates the Partnership for Public Facilities and Infrastructure Act which creates a framework by which local governments have the option to use for public-private partnership (P3) projects on buildings as well as for accepting and processing unsolicited bids for such projects.

County Impact:  This legislation provides a tool for local governments who wish to accept unsolicited bids for certain projects including a process for charging to review such bids and giving the option to deny the bid for any reason. It also establishes a framework for using public-private partnerships on vertical construction projects.

This legislation requires local governments to appoint only U.S. citizens or 'lawful permanent residents'. Either must also be a resident of the State of Georgia or reside in a county of another state that abuts Georgia or own a business in Georgia.  Active members of the U.S. Armed Forces are exempted, as are their immediate family members. Non-U.S. individuals may serve, but only in an ex-officio, nonvoting capacity. 

This legislation prohibits the state and local governments from publicizing any financial, operational, or consumption data related to a person's use of public utilities in any way which identifies the person's use of the utilities without the person's express consent.  This does not prohibit disclosure of such data under an open records request.    

This legislation allows documents of a proposed economic development project held by the county or the development authority to be confidential until the project is secured by a binding commitment.