This legislation changes Georgia's Utility Facility Protection Act (GUFPA, or "Call Before You Dig" Law).  It revises the definition of large projects and procedures for addressing unlocatable utilities; reinforces that sewer laterals are not owned by local governments; clarifyies that routine road maintenance is not "excavating" for the purposes of the GUFPA Act; and alters the makeup of the GUFPA advisory committee.  This bill does not expand penalties for local governments found in violation of the law, nor does it expand the Public Service Commission's regulatory reach over local governments or water authorities.

 

For a summary of this legislation and proposed GUFPA provisions, please click here.     

This legislation authorizes the Commissioner of Economic Development to designate areas as opportunity zones except for areas where one or more census tracts adjacent to a federal military installation where pervasive poverty is evidenced by a 15% poverty rate or greater as reflected in the most recent decennial census.