There are only two days left in the 2024 Session of the General Assembly. Please review the following bills that are under consideration and could be voted on today.
Bills ACCG Supports
House Bill 1407– Improve Service Delivery Strategy (SDS) Negotiations – Makes several improvements to the Service Delivery negotiation process and authorizes the use of additional unincorporated revenues to pay for unincorporated services. Ask your Senator to vote in favor of this bill.
House Bill 946– Single County TSPLOST – New method to hold an election with the consent of cities representing a majority of the municipal population instead of having to get 100% of the cities to agree. Ask your Senator to vote in favor of this bill.
House Bill 581 and House Resolution 1022 – Property Tax Reforms – Includes ACCG’s property tax priorities and a statewide floating homestead exemption with an opt-out. Ask your Senator to vote in favor of this bill.
Begin EMS reimbursement at mile zero instead of mile 10. Reach out to House and Senate members and encourage them to keep this item in the budget. The Senate removed this budget line item in their version.
Bills ACCG Opposes
House Bill 1146 – Private Water Permits Without County Approval – Allows private water systems to apply directly to EPD for a permit without consent of the county if the county cannot provide the requested service within 18 months. Ask your Senator to vote against this bill.
House Bill 1019 – Increase in the Statewide Homestead Exemption – Increases the statewide homestead from 2,000 to 10,000 of assessed value. County property taxes would be reduced in 2025 by an amount equal to your county millage rate times 8,000 multiplied by the number of county homestead exemptions. Ask your Senator to vote against this bill.
House Resolution 96 – Reduces taxes on cut timber with a value less than $500,000 by using a 40% assessment factor instead of assessing at 100% of the value. Ask your Senator to vote against this bill.
Bills of Concern
House Bill 976– Election Superintendents Must Unseal and Scan All Ballots Upon Request. Share and concerns you may have with your Senate and House members.
House Bill 301– Removal of Sovereign and Governmental Immunity for Local Governments with Sanctuary Policies or Practices. Contact your legislators about HB 301 and ask them 1) to remove the sovereign and governmental immunity waiver in Section 1 and 2) to remove Section 2, which would allow any state resident to file potentially frivolous complaints with the state Department of Community Affairs to remove local elected officials from office.
ACCG is YOUR county association. We are here to advance all Georgia county governments. Please feel free to contact a member of the Governmental Affairs team if they can assist in any way.
