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 a party to pay attorneys' fees and court costs if they lose a lawsuit filed against a gas or electric utility to stop or delay the construction of facility.  It also requires the attorney representing the party suing the utility to notify their client that the losing party must pay attorneys' fees and court costs.

 This legislation transfers authority under the Fair Business Practices Act of 1975 from the Governor's Office of Consumer Affairs to the Attorney General. 

Local governments that have different white lining, marking or other utility locate procedures than the state Department of Transportation or Public Service Commission cannot impose fines on those failing to follow the local procedures.  The bill also extends, from 21 to 30 days, the time by which blasting or excavating must commence after providing notice.  

This bill allows property owners, tenants, real estate closing attorneys or potential lenders to request and be provided a statement from the water provider indicating the amount of water charges past due. A response is required from the water supplier within 10 business days of receipt of such request. The failure of a water supplier to provide such statement within 10 business days shall cause any lien for unpaid charges to be extinguished, and, in addition, water suppliers cannot deny water services to the new property owner or tenant.

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.