ACCG Federal Policy Committee Meeting Takes Place This Week!
Join this week's discussion on federal issues important to Georgia’s counties by registering to attend the ACCG Federal Policy Committee meeting. The meeting will take place virtually on Wednesday, August 24 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 pm. Attendees will receive tips on how to successfully advocate at the federal level and a legislative update from the National Association of Counties (NACo). To register, click here.
ACCG 2023 Policy Recommendations
Policy committee members have been working all summer to draft their policy platforms and recommend policy objectives for the 2023 ACCG Policy Agenda. Six of ACCG's policy committees have finalized their recommended policy objectives for consideration by the ACCG Policy Council. Click here review the recommendations. A more detailed description of each recommendation can be found on the approved draft platforms.
* The Federal recommended policy objectives will be available for review after the committee meeting.
ACCG to Host Webinar on 2022 Mental Health Legislation
ACCG is hosting an informational webinar on Tuesday, August 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. to discuss key mental health legislation that passed during the 2022 legislative session. This webinar will offer an overview of this legislation from the perspective of on-the-ground practitioners (e.g., a mental health judge, a sheriff, etc.). We will also discuss gaps in the legislation and the challenges that remain. Click here to register for the webinar.
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ACCG Welcomes New Policy Team Member |
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Please join us in welcoming Dante Handel to the ACCG Policy Team. Dante will be responsible for the revenue and finance policy areas. He has experience in government affairs from his previous position as Legislative Affairs Associate with the Department of Revenue and as an aide to Georgia State Senator Chuck Hufstetler, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee.
Dante is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and has a strong background in legislative tracking, bill analysis, and relationship building. Dante grew up as a Yankees fan but is now a converted Atlanta Brave!!
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ACCG Presents Two More 2022 Legislative Service Awards |
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On Tuesday, August 2, ACCG’s Kathleen Bowen presented Sen. Jason Anavitarte a 2022 Legislative Service Award at the Haralson County Board of Commissioners meeting. Sen. Anavitarte was honored for serving as the Senate legislative sponsor for HB 934, a bill that maximizes the collection time for the Single County Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (TSPLOST). This legislation was an ACCG priority for the 2022 legislative session. A news article on Senator Anavitarte’s Legislative Service Award can be found here.
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Also on August 2, Todd Edwards presented Sen. Larry Walker a 2022 Legislative Service Award at the Houston County Board of Commissioners meeting. Sen. Walker was recognized for advocating for counties during the session and speaking against bills that were harmful to local governments. He served as the Senate sponsor for ACCG’s insurance bill, clarifying that current accounting practices could continue being used and saving county dollars; amended the Freedom to Farm bill upon ACCG’s request; and sponsored the L.E.S.S. Crime Act, establishing a tax credit program for those contributing to local law enforcement agencies. Please click here for a local news article on Senator Walker’s Legislative Service Award.
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Get Ready for the 2022 Legislative Leadership Conference
ACCG's 2022 Legislative Leadership Conference will take place September 28-30 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center in Glynn County. During the association’s fall policy conference, county leaders will hear firsthand from state legislators about hot topics and have the opportunity to voice county positions during the business session when they vote on the 2023 Proposed Policy Agenda and Legislative Priorities.
The Business Session will be held on Thursday, September 29 at 1:30 p.m. Details about voting credentials pickup are forthcoming, so be sure to watch for updates from ACCG. Please be sure to appoint your county voting delegate by next Friday, August 26, to ensure your county is represented during this important session.
Access the voting delegate form here. All forms should be scanned as an email attachment and sent to Tottianna Davis (tdavis@accg.org) or faxed to (678) 626 -9642 and addressed to Tottianna Davis.
Regularly monitor the ACCG website as more conference details become available.
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County Officials Testify at House Special Subcommittee on Service Delivery |
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On Wednesday, July 20 and Thursday, July 21, the House Special Subcommittee on Local Service Delivery held hearings on local government service delivery and other challenges facing Georgia’s counties. Chaired by Rep. Darlene Taylor, Chair of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, this subcommittee heard from county consultant Doug Eaves, Georgetown-Quitman Chairman Carvel Lewis, Worth County administrator Carl Rowland, Forsyth County Manager Kevin Tanner, and ACCG’s Todd Edwards and Bill Twomey, among others. Topics included county service delivery history and current challenges, constitutional officer and coroner salaries (and raises), the issues involved in creating new cities and much more. The subcommittee is scheduled to meet again on August 9.
For a video of the July 20 testimony, please click here.
For a video of the July 21 testimony please click here and here.
Senate Study Committee on Unsheltered Homelessness
On Thursday, August 4, the Senate Study Committee on Unsheltered Homelessness held a hearing to discuss recent data trends on unsheltered homeless populations in Georgia and its capital city, Atlanta. This committee, chaired by Senator Carden Summers, heard from state agencies like the Department of Community Affairs and DBHDD, non-profits, and think tanks. They also took public testimony. View the meeting’s archived video recording here. Public testimony can be heard here.
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Senate Study Committee on Development Authorities
The Senate Study Committee on Development Authorities and Downtown Development Authorities, chaired by Sen. Max Burns, met for the first time on July 22. The Georgia Department of Community Affairs made a presentation, found here, and the committee discussed plans for future meetings. Click here to view the meeting’s archived video recording and here to access an article on the need for more accountability from development authorities.
State ARPA Grant Opportunities
The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) is the prime recipient of the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery fund and other funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act. Below are two grant opportunities that are currently listed on OPB’s website:
Application Period: September 6 – October 7, 2022
Application Period: August 15, 2022 – September 9, 2022
Recycling, Waste Reduction, and Diversion (RWD) Grant
The application window for the RWD Grant is now open. The grant was created to provide financial support to projects in Georgia to reduce solid waste, recover valuable materials, support manufacturing, and encourage innovation. Access the application and webinar links here.
Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program Funding Cycle Now Open
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently opened the pre-application window for the 2022-2023 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP). Program funds will be dispersed for the purpose of providing stewardship to state parks; state lands and wildlife management areas; to support local parks and trails; and to protect critical conservation lands. The deadline to submit pre-applications is October 14. Click here for more details.
DOR to Host Training on Georgia’s Statewide Alcohol Licensing Portal
The Georgia Department of Revenue’s Centralized Alcohol Licensing Portal (ALP) is expanding to include renewals for local jurisdictions beginning on September 6, 2022. This enhancement allows Georgia applicants to renew their state and local retail alcohol licenses simultaneously using the Georgia Tax Center (GTC). Taxpayers will submit a renewal application including documents and other information required by the local licensing authority, similar to the process for submitting initial alcohol license applications.
New features include the local jurisdiction’s option to include additional questions, request subsequent documents and/or add other renewal licensing requirements. Local jurisdictions will provide their beginning and ending renewal dates, including any applicable grace periods. Additionally, on September 6, 2022, the ALP website will receive visual enhancements as part of our system upgrade.
Local jurisdictions are encouraged to log into their ALP profile and update their licensing requirements for renewal applications prior to September 6, 2022. Please check the Department of Revenue’s website for additional information and guidance related to updating your profile.
Virtual training will be held on the following dates:
August 23, 2022, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
August 25, 2022, from 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Please send an email confirming your attendance to Ryan.Hallock@DOR.GA.GOV. Include your name, jurisdiction, training date(s), and location (virtual).
Local jurisdictions may contact the Department of Revenue with any questions via email at ATDIV@DOR.GA.GOV.
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USDOT: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Reconnecting Communities Program
The Reconnecting Communities Notice of Funding Opportunity announced today can be found here. Information on Reconnecting Communities technical assistance and other resources can be found here. Applications are due by October 13. Awards are expected to be announced in early 2023. The new DOT Navigator can be accessed here and information on the Thriving Communities program can be found here.
Congratulations to the Georgia County Officials in NACo Leadership Roles
- Helen Stone (Chatham County), Chair of Health
- Liz Hausmann (Fulton County), Vice-Chair of Transportation
- Hope Harmon (Ben Hill County), Vice-Chair of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
- Demond Mason (Newton County), Vice-Chair of Community, Economic and Workforce Development
- John Mateliski (DeKalb County), Vice-Chair of Telecommunications and Technology
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Questions? Email the
ACCG Legislative team:
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Register today for the Federal Policy Committee Meeting! |
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ACCG is YOUR county association. We are here to advance all 159 Georgia county governments. Please feel free to contact a member of the policy team if they can assist in any way.
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