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.

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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 requires all deeds under power to be recorded within 90 days of a foreclosure sale or the holder is required to pay a late filing penalty of $500 to the superior court clerk. The clerk remits these fees to counties for properties in the unincorporated areas and to cities for properties therein. All monies collected must be used for code enforcement, public safety, and community development purposes. Cities must pay the county a 5 percent administrative fee for the clerk collecting and remitting this money.

 This legislation authorizes the Building Officials Association of Georgia to certify building inspectors. 

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, similar to SB 272, would allow for the creation of townships via local legislation with land use, zoning, subdivision, building permit and code enforcement powers, if the voters first approve a statewide referendum approving a constitutional amendment. Companion resolutions, HR 1051 and SR 724, if passed, will call for the statewide referendum to amend the constitution allowing townships to have zoning powers. Townships could levy up to a .5 mill property tax, annex and transition to cityhood. Though counties would have no say in the above decisions, counties must continue to provide all services and infrastructure to the area as they would any unincorporated area. Counties would have an opportunity to comment on township decisions, but nothing is binding or mediated.

 This legislation amends the laws regarding the regulation of taxi cabs, limousines and rides-share services.  ACCG is negotiating on how to calculate the tax and how to share it with the municipalities.

This legislation allows school boards to impose development impact fees if the voters approve an amendment to the Georgia Constitution proposed by HR 864. Counties and cities are required to collect the educational development impact fees for school boards imposing the fees. Counties and cities may keep 3 percent of what is collected to offset the cost of collection.

This legislation allows a $100 fine per day to be levied against the owner of property (other than a property owner who has filed for homestead exemption) who fails to correct a code violation within 48 days of a notice to correct being sent. In the case of foreclosed properties, the code violation must be sent to the address contained on the postforeclosure registry maintained by the superior court clerk's office. The fine constitutes a lien that can be created and foreclosed in the same manner as a tax lien.  

This bill also requires the superior court clerk to establish and maintain a postforeclosure registry to maintain information about the purchases of real property at a foreclosure sale.  Within ten business days after a property is purchased at a foreclosure sale, the buyer must provide the superior court clerk with his or her contact information.  The new owner must notify the superior court clerk's office of any change in address within five business days of a change in contact information. Purchasers of foreclosed property that do not comply with this legislation or with ordinances related to the property may be required to pay treble damages plus attorneys' fees if they are sued and lose. 

This legislation, similar to HB 785, would allow for the creation of townships via local legislation with land use, zoning, subdivision, building permit and code enforcement powers, if Georgia voters first approve a statewide referendum approving a constitutional amendment. Companion resolutions, SR 724 and HR 1051, if passed, will call for the statewide referendum to amend the constitution allowing townships to have zoning powers. Townships could levy up to a .5 mill property tax, annex and transition to cityhood. Though counties would have no say in the above decisions, counties must continue to provide all services and infrastructure to the area as they would any unincorporated area. Counties would have an opportunity to comment on township decisions, but nothing is binding or mediated.

This legislation requires local governments to comply with the Georgia Personal Data Security Act. Because counties maintain electronic and physical copies of personal information, they must provide individuals with notice of any breach of security of the system that houses the personal information as soon as possible after the breach is discovered, but in no case later than 45 days. If the county uses a third party to store the personal information, the third party must notify the county within 72 hours of any data breach, so that the county can meet its notification requirements. If law enforcement determines that notification would impair an ongoing criminal investigation, notification can be delayed. If the county, after investigation and consultation with relevant federal, state or local law enforcement, determines that the breach was not likely to result in identify theft or financial harm to an individual, notification will not be necessary. The county will be required to provide a written certification within 30 days to the attorney general and to maintain a copy of the written certification for at least five years.