This legislation amends the Transit Authority Act. It broadens the definition of "metropolitan area" to include any city, regardless of population, and the suburban area around it. It also requires an intergovernmental agreement when a new transit authority is created in an area where another transit authority or county public transit provider is already in operation.

This legislation expands the statewide homestead exemption for 100% disabled veterans by including veterans that may be less than 100% disabled but are compensated by the Veterans Administration at the 100% level due to the individual's unemployability because of their disability.  This change will also apply to the exemption from vehicle ad valorem tax for a disabled veterans and the vehicle exemption is expanded to include an unmarried surviving spouse or minor child in the event of the death of the disabled veteran.  According to the tax commissioner's association, this bill should have little to no fiscal impact on the county governments.

This legislation amends the law prohibiting counties from removing certain monuments from county property. Pursuant to this legislation, counties could relocate monuments honoring or recounting military service when necessary to build or expand buildings, roads and edifices.  If possible, any relocation must be to a site of similar prominence, honor, visibility, availability and access within the county where the monument was originally located. Monuments may not be relocated to a museum, cemetery or mausoleum unless the monument was originally placed in such a location.

Any person or entity "adversely affected" by a violation of this legislation may notify the county, which has 120 to rectify the violation or the person can seek injunctive relief through the courts.  

This legislation allows injunctions and declaratory judgment actions to be brought against the county (i.e., it waives sovereign immunity) when the county causes injury to a person by acting in violation of the Georgia Constitution or state law.  This waiver of sovereign immunity does not allow the person bringing the lawsuit to obtain monetary damages, attorney's fees or litigation costs.  HB 59 does not allow inmates or institutionalized individuals to bring injunctions or declaratory judgment actions against counties.  

This legislation transfers the Division of Aging Services from the Department of Human Services to a newly created agency called the Georgia Adult and Aging Services Agency.  

This legislation extends the date for adoption of drug free commercial zones by local ordinance to July of 2015.

This legislation requires law enforcement agencies to destroy all data captured by automatic license plate readers after one year. This bill also makes it clear that license plate reader data is not subject to open records disclosure.

This legislation allows funds in the Local Government Investment Pool to be invested in a separate trust fund to be administered by the state treasurer.  This change is needed for auditing purposes and should not have any impact on county funds invested in the LGIP.

This legislation rewrites the Georgia Code of Military Justice to be more in line with the Federal Code of Military Justice.