December 2025

2026 Legislative Session Convenes January 12

Review the Legislative Toolkit to Prepare

The Georgia General Assembly is set to convene on Monday, Jan. 12. County officials are encouraged to review the 2026 Legislative Toolkit and share it with their legislative delegation ahead of the 2026 session. The Toolkit includes policy briefs on ACCG's Top Three Policy Priorities as well as the association's Guiding Principles and additional Policy Priorities. The Top Three Policy Priorities for 2026 include Implementation of Next Generation 911, Long-Term Transportation Funding Mechanisms, and Electric Franchise Fees: Parity for Unincorporated Areas.

Questions regarding any issues outlined in the Toolkit should be directed to a member of the Governmental Affairs Staff.

Save the Date: 2026 Capitol Connection Conference

Mark your calendars for the 2026 Capitol Connection Conference. Join the ACCG Governmental Affairs staff, state leaders, and fellow county officials on March 4-5 at The American Hotel in Atlanta/Fulton County. This conference will provide the latest policy updates, insights into trending state issues, and opportunities to connect with your legislative delegation while they are in session. Registration will open soon.



Data Centers, Your Community, and You: Equipping Counties with Information & Resources

Join ACCG on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026, at 10 a.m., for a webinar focusing on data centers. This webinar will cover the many implications that county officials must consider when determining if a data center is fit for their community. Takeaways will help officials either build or strengthen their toolkit with the necessary information and resources to make the best-informed decision on behalf of their communities. Key topics include environmental impacts such as increased energy and water usage, zoning and land use, infrastructure costs, mitigations for noise and light pollution, tax incentives, site selection, and educating the community.

Click here to register. 

Ethics Webinar Recording and Resources Now Available

ACCG, in partnership with the State Ethics Commission (SEC), facilitated a webinar on upcoming filing changes, as directed by SB 199 from the 2024 legislative session. Beginning January 2027, all local filers will file directly with the state via PeachFile and will no longer file any documents or reports to their local filing officer. 

A resource page devoted to this policy change, including the recorded webinar and a helpful guide, can be found here. For questions or further information, please contact the SEC at gaethics@ethics.ga.gov. 

ACCG-GMA Sovereign Immunity Talking Points Available  

During the 2025 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly introduced several bills that would waive local governments' sovereign and/or official immunity. This legislation is still alive for the 2026 session and is of great concern to both ACCG and the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA), as sovereign immunity protects the public purse (taxpayer dollars) against an onslaught of litigation that may come from impacted parties. ACCG and GMA have jointly developed talking points for county and city officials to be more familiar with these immunity issues and discuss them with their Georgia House and Senate members. 

To view the ACCG/GMA Talking Points, click here.    

To view the pending sovereign and official immunity waiver bills of concern, click here.

ACCG Presents at Gwinnett County Legislative Delegation Breakfast

On Wednesday, Dec. 3, ACCG Director of Governmental Affairs Todd Edwards presented to Gwinnett County commissioners, legislators, and other county officials at Gwinnett’s Annual Delegation Breakfast. Todd discussed ACCG’s 2026 Policy Priorities, as well as other hot topics impacting counties that are expected to be addressed during the next legislative session, including anticipated property tax reforms. 

ACCG Remains Engaged with Legislative Committees Over the Interim  

On Monday, Nov. 17, the ACCG Governmental Affairs staff attended the fourth meeting of the Senate Special Committee on Eliminating Georgia’s Income Tax. The committee heard expert testimony with a variety of policy proposals, including abolishing the income tax, offsetting lost revenues by decreasing current sales tax credits and increasing the services that are subject to sales tax, and cutting local property taxes. This special committee has not yet issued its final report and recommendations.    

On Tuesday, Nov. 18, ACCG Governmental Affairs Associate Kaylon Day testified alongside GMA Senior Governmental Relations Associate Noah Roenitz and Cherokee County Director of Development Projects Katie Parker before the Governmental Affairs State & Local Government Subcommittee to share joint concerns regarding HB 812, namely its impact on local control. While filed last session, this is the bill's first hearing, which was marked by numerous homebuilding stakeholders challenging the current local issuing authority permitting processes.

The committee hearing for HB 812 can be viewed here. Full bill analysis can be found here. For further questions or to submit your thoughts on this legislation to the Governmental Affairs team, please contact jtruss@accg.org.

On Friday, Nov. 21, ACCG’s General Counsel Larry Ramsey and Director of Governmental Affairs Todd Edwards testified before the Senate Study Committee on Recovery Residences. As many previous presenters called for statewide zoning preemptions, Larry explained county zoning authority in Georgia, as well as counties’ requirement to abide by the federal Fair Housing Act in accommodating recovery residences, particularly in single-family neighborhoods. These residences are most often used for recovering alcoholics and substance abusers. Todd and Larry’s testimony begins at the 1:14:10 time stamp here. The study committee’s final report and recommendations can be found here.       

ACCG Executive Director Dave Wills also testified before the House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Insurance Rates. Dave addressed county concerns with reducing or eliminating local government insurance premium taxes, noting that these revenues make up a significant portion of counties’ budgets that would otherwise have to be paid through increased property taxes, at a time when the House is focused on reducing property taxes. The study committee has not yet issued its final report and recommendations. Dave’s testimony begins at the 5:35:52 time stamp here. 

Other Study Committees

The Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism has released its final report and recommendations, which can be found here. At the time of publication, the following study committees of importance to Georgia counties have not issued their final reports and recommendations:

• House Blue-Ribbon Study Committee on Election Procedures
• House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1
• House Study Committee on the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers   

ACCG General Counsel Larry Ramsey and Director of Governmental Affairs Todd Edwards

ACCG Executive Director Dave Wills

DCA Adopts State Building Codes for 2026 



The Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Board, upon recommendation of the State Codes Advisory Committee (SCAC), voted to adopt the mandatory state building codes, with an effective Date of Jan. 1, 2026. DCA recommends that all city and county governments with local amendments to the code review those amendments with regard to the newly adopted 2024 State Minimum Standard Codes and associated Georgia Amendments.

To review the adopted codes, please click here.  



FY 2026 LMIG Deadline Approaching

The deadline for FY 2026 Local Maintenance & Improvement Grant (LMIG) program applications is Feb. 1, 2026. Grants are processed electronically through the Georgia Department of Transportation’s GRANTS (LMIG) Application System. The GRANTS (LMIG) website provides a link to the LMIG application, an LMIG application tutorial (manual), and the general guidelines. 

Click here to access the GRANTS (LMIG) website and for your GDOT District State Aid Coordinator’s contact information.

DRI, Annexation Arbitration Process & SDS Rule Revisions Approved by DCA

On Thursday, Dec. 20, the Board of the Department of Community Affairs met to approve multiple rules regarding Service Delivery Strategies, the Annexation Arbitration process, and the Developments of Regional Impact process. Links to the full reading of the rules are below:

Annexation Arbitration Process Rule

These rules were promulgated to reflect changes made by HB 155, ACCG’s General County Government priority legislation, signed into law this year.

Synopsis of Revised Code Sections

Effective 1/1/2026

Service Delivery Strategy Rule

These rules were promulgated to reflect code revisions in HB 1407 from the 2023-2024 legislative session.

Synopsis of Revised Code Sections

Effective 1/1/2026

Developments of Regional Impact Adopted Rules - Applicable to counties outside of the Atlanta Regional Commission's jurisdiction

Synopsis of Revised Code Sections

Effective 12/15/2025

Developments of Regional Impact Adopted Rules - Applicable to counties within the ARC's jurisdiction

Synopsis of Revised Code Sections

Effective 12/15/2025

Both rules revise the threshold for triggering the DRI process, particularly for truck stops, technology facilities (data centers), and solar power generation facilities. 

Immigration Report Due on Dec. 31

Since 2011, counties have been required to submit an annual immigration report to the Department of Audits and Accounts (DOAA). This report has six sections and covers the reporting period of Dec. 1, 2024, through Nov. 30, 2025. All reports must be submitted through the DOAA portal by Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2025. Failure to submit the report by Dec. 31 may jeopardize your county’s ability to receive state funding for grants and loans. Further, DOAA is required to prepare a report on all entities that did not submit and those entities that are not in compliance with state immigration law. This noncompliance report will be distributed to members of the General Assembly.  

On Tuesday, Dec. 2, DOAA held a webinar on the reporting system and the reporting requirements. Click here to learn more about the reporting requirements and to access the webinar recording.

Final Month to Apply for GEFA Water Projects Financing

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority's (GEFA) 2026 Water Financing Call for Projects period is open for the following funding sources:

• Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)
• Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF)
• Georgia Fund
• Hurricane Helene Resilience Funding

To be eligible for funding, submit a pre-application by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Click here for more information on each fund. To submit pre-applications, access the portal here. For more information, please call 404-584-1000 or email waterresources@gefa.ga.gov. 

Register for NACo's 2026 Legislative Conference

Registration is now open for the 2026 NACo Legislative Conference. The conference will take place February 21- 24 in Washington, D.C. Attendees have the opportunity to engage in policy and educational sessions, interact with federal officials, and participate in congressional briefings and meetings.

Click here for more information.

REMINDER: WRDA Project Solicitation 

As Congress begins drafting the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026), Senators Warnock and Ossoff are reaching out to solicit projects and priorities from communities and stakeholders across Georgia. If you have items that you would like Senators Warnock and Ossoff to consider, please fill out this joint request form no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. 

As a reminder, WRDA is legislation that authorizes the programs, studies, and projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) Civil Works program. Click here to view the WRDA 2024. Many of the studies and projects are cost-shared with non-federal partners such as a state, municipal government, flood control district, port authority, etc. WRDA also serves as a legislative tool for implementing policy changes within the Corps’ civil works program. 

NACo Update on the End of Government Shutdown

The government shutdown ended through a Continuing Resolution (CR) funding package that funds most agencies through Jan. 30, 2026. Several outstanding key provisions for counties were passed.

Key provisions for counties: 

• Extends State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program 
• Prevents Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) and Promoting Safe and Stable Families sequestration cuts 
• $107B in SNAP funding through Sept 2026, $8.2B for WIC, restores contingency funds used during the shutdown
• Framework for reimbursing counties that funded federal programs during the shutdown 
• Extends the 2018 Farm Bill through FY 2026
• Rural development programs: 
• Provides $1.8 billion for rural business development programs.
• Includes $50 million for the Rural eConnectivity (ReConnect) Program, which provides grant funding to deliver broadband infrastructure funding at 100 Mbps / 20 Mbps.
• Includes $17 million for the Community Connect Grant Program, a county-eligible grant program to support economic development goals through the construction of high-speed broadband networks.
• One of NACo’s top priorities for 2026 will be Surface Transportation Reauthorization. The current authorization, which allocated $1.2 trillion to essential transportation and infrastructure programs and projects, is set to expire on Sept. 30, 2026. Improving county access to formula transportation dollars, reforming the grant process, and streamlining permitting without cutting local governments out of the picture will be critical leading into the midterm elections.