April 5, 2022
Volume 13, Issue 13
2022 Legislative Session Comes to a Close
The 2022 legislative session of the General Assembly came to a close on Monday, April 4. This year proved to be another success for counties under the Gold Dome as ACCG witnessed the passage of several priority items. This edition of the ACCG Legislative Update features information on bills of interest to counties that passed and those that did not. A Preliminary Final Legislative Report, issued prior to the expiration of the Governor's 40-day signature/veto period, will cover these issues in greater detail and will be shared with county officials within the coming weeks.

Now that the legislative session has adjourned, Governor Kemp has received all bills and resolutions passed by the members of the General Assembly. The 40-day period for him to sign bills into law or to exercise his veto authority has begun. County officials can contact the Governor's office to ask for favorable consideration on bills beneficial to counties or request those that are harmful to counties be vetoed.
Photo: ACCG staff reviewing substitute bills and amendments to ensure counties were not negatively impacted.
Georgia Finally has Mental Health Parity

On the final day of the legislative session, Governor Brian Kemp signed into law the long-awaited “Mental Health Parity Act”, House Bill 1013. Mental Health Reform was one of ACCG’s top legislative priorities. ACCG supports this legislation. See a more detailed summary of the bill here.

Photo: Governor Kemp signs HB 1013, the Mental Health Parity Act, into law as state leaders look on.
TSPLOST Legislation Receives Final Passage
 
House Bill 934, legislation that allows Single County TSPLOST to be collected for the full amount of time, received final passage last week. This legislation will not be retroactive but will apply to new TSPLOST referendums starting in November. The as-passed version removes the March election date for odd years and the additional March 2024 election date for Single County TSPLOST that was added by the passage of HB 907. Counties would still have the November election date in odd numbered years to call for a TSPLOST referendum.
Annexation Bill to Revise Dispute Resolution/Arbitration Process Receives Passage

House Bill 1461 by Rep. Victor Anderson, was approved by the House on Sine Die. This legislation, supported by both ACCG and the Georgia Municipal Association, resulted from the 2021 House Study Committee on Annexation and makes many beneficial changes to Georgia’s annexation dispute resolution/arbitration process. 
Reminder: 2023 COLAs/Raises for County Officials Effective January 1, 2023

The General Assembly’s recently approved Amended Budget for FY2022 includes $5,000 raises for most state employees. Whenever state employees receive salary increases of a certain percentage or amount, state law provides that same percentage or amount increase must be applied to the compensation for many county officials: members of boards of commissioners, constitutional officers (sheriffs, superior court clerks, probate judges, and tax commissioners), magistrate judges, and most coroners. The state Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) provided confirmation that $5,000 is the correct amount for purposes of calculating the above county officials’ required salary increases. While the state employees’ raises begin in the near future, the same laws described above say that the related increases for local officials become effective the next January 1st; as a result, the $5,000 increase for these county officials will become effective January 1, 2023.
More from the Gold Dome
GBI Now Authorized to Investigate Election Crimes with SB 441

While several election bills remained in play on Sine Die, the only election legislation to pass this session was Senate Bill 411. Among other non-election measures, this bill authorizes the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to assist in investigating alleged election crimes.  
Building Permitting/Inspection Fee Complications Bill Fails to Pass

House Bill 302, legislation that would have required counties and cities across the state to significantly change their inspection/permitting fee schedules and associated software failed to meet the sine die deadline for this year's session. Had it passed, this bill would have created a costly and burdensome process for counties. 
Photo: The ACCG policy team and General Counsel Larry Ramsey (second from right) at the Capitol on sine die.
Update on Environmental Trust Fund Legislation

House Bill 893 extends the collection sunset date for the state's hazardous waste management fee and the hazardous substance reporting fee to July 1, 2027. These fees contribute to the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund (HWTF); however, they go to the General Fund and are subject to appropriations. While HB 893 reached final passage, the bill's companion, House Bill 1421, failed to reach a compromise in the House and Senate. HB 1421 would have ensured that all fees that contribute to the HWTF are dedicated. On a related note, Senate Bill 516 that made changes to the Solid Waste Trust Fund also failed. 
Constitutional Amendments
Study Committees
House Study Committee on Build-to-Rent Subdivisions

With House Bill 1093 and Senate Bill 494 failing to gain passage this session, House Resolution 1149 establishes a House study committee which is charged with examining affordable housing issues (both for owner-occupied and rental dwellings), including local regulations on corporate build-to-rent subdivisions. The study committee is not charged with looking into the impact which investors increasingly buying up existing and new housing stock has on housing availability or affordability.  
Bills That Passed
Here's a list of other significant bills that passed and are awaiting the Governor's signature.

Bills That Failed to Pass
Here's a list of significant bills that failed to pass.

Virtual Legislative Update Recap
Did you miss today's Virtual Legislative Update? Don't worry. Catch the recap here.
Questions? Email the
ACCG Legislative team:

ACCG is YOUR county association. We are here to advance all Georgia county governments. Please feel free to contact a member of the policy team if they can assist in any way.