Capitol Connection E-Newsletter – September 2020
Facebook ‌ Twitter ‌
ACCG 2021 Policy Recommendations
The ACCG Policy Council has finalized the proposed 2021 Policy Objectives, Guiding Principles and has established a list of potential Legislative Priorities. Please review the recommendations in the documents below. If you have any amendments for the ACCG membership to consider, complete the amendment form which is also included below and submit it to ACCG Legislative Director Clint Mueller at cmueller@accg.org no later than Friday, Sept. 18.

Please click the links below to access the following documents:


ACCG hosted a webinar on Sept. 15 to review and answer questions regarding the Policy Councils recommendations. A recording of that webinar can be found here. The passcode to view the webinar is 3gZTv9$d.

Remember to Designate Your County Voting Delegate
As ACCG is nearing the end of the policy development process, there is an immediate need for all counties to appoint a voting delegate. Each county may only designate one person for this role, and if no designee is identified, the chairman, sole commissioner, chief executive officer or mayor becomes the county’s voting delegate. Voting delegates will cast the final vote on behalf of the county through a virtual process between Sept. 24 – Oct. 1.  ACCG asks that you complete and return the voting delegate form by Sept. 22 so that voting credentials may be distributed in a timely manner.
Constitutional Amendments on the November Ballot
This November, there will be two Constitutional Amendment ballot questions put before Georgia voters that impact county governments. Amendment #1, if approved by voters, would allow the Georgia General Assembly to establish, by statute, true and dedicated trust funds whereby fees collected for a specific purpose must go to that purpose. Amendment #2, if approved by voters, waives state and local government sovereign immunity for non-monetary claims alleging that the government has violated the Constitution or state law or is otherwise acting beyond its authority. Additional Details. 

Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Unveils New Online Absentee Ballot Request Portal
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger recently unveiled a new online portal to make it easier for Georgia voters to request absentee ballots for the November elections. Georgia voters with a driver’s license or state ID card will now be able to request an absentee ballot entirely online. Access the full press release here.

Land and Water Conservation Fund 2020-2021 Grant Cycle
The federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant program helps state and local governments not only acquire and develop recreation lands, but also rehabilitate outdoor recreation facilities. Approximately $9 million will be available for grant awards to local governments during this funding cycle. Pre-applications will be accepted on-line from Sept. 1 - Oct. 31. More details can be found here. Note: Applications will only be accepted via the on-line portal. Paper copies will not be accepted.
NACo Releases Federal Advocacy Toolkit
Between now and the end of the year, members of Congress will likely be back in their home districts for more days than they will be in Washington D.C. This provides a great opportunity for county leaders to communicate with legislators, demonstrate the impact of county programs in your communities, and advocate for the federal programs that help to strengthen local initiatives. To help local leaders advocate for top county priorities, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has developed an online Advocacy Toolkit. 
Questions? Email the
ACCG Policy Team:
Remember to designate your county voting delegate by Sept. 22
Facebook ‌ Twitter ‌