August 2025

Summer Policy Committee Meetings Kick off in Colquitt County

There's still time to register for the North and Federal Policy Committee meetings.

Several county officials and staff from across the state traveled to attend the first round of ACCG Policy Committee Meetings in Colquitt County. Attendees heard from state agency representatives, legislators, and the ACCG Governmental Affairs team on various issues ranging from data centers to Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST) reform. After the discussions, each committee proposed Policy Priorities for the Policy Council to consider.

Your involvement in these meetings is essential for shaping policies that can lead to the passage of important legislation. Join this year's meetings to make a meaningful impact for Georgia's counties.



Click here for more information.

2025 Legislative Leadership Conference - Registration Now Open

Registration is now open for the 2025 Legislative Leadership Conference (LLC) taking place October 8-10 at the Jekyll Island Convention Center in Glynn County. Attend the LLC to play a key role in shaping ACCG’s advocacy efforts by voting to approve the 2026 Policy Priorities. In addition, the LLC offers the opportunity to enhance your skills through Lifelong Learning Academy courses, explore timely topics during breakout sessions, and connect with fellow county leaders to share ideas and insights.

Appoint Your County Voting Delegate

Counties are encouraged to appoint their voting delegate before the conference. Voting delegates will cast the final vote on behalf of their county for the 2026 Policy Priorities, which will guide the association’s advocacy efforts before the General Assembly. The business session will take place on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 1:00 p.m. The voting delegate form must be completed by Friday, Aug. 29, and emailed to Stephanie Wright at swright@accg.org. 

ACCG Salary Guide Now Available

The "Computing County Official Salaries for 2026" guidebook is now available. ACCG publishes this guidebook annually to assist counties in calculating salaries (as of Jan. 1, 2025) of certain county officials, as well as state officials who receive supplements to their salaries from the county.

ACCG FLOST Resources

ACCG recently hosted a webinar on the Floating Local Option Sales Tax (FLOST). HB 581 (2024) established a new local option sales tax known as a FLOST, which is linked to a floating homestead exemption or freeze. There is significant interest across the state in exploring the implementation of a FLOST, with a targeted referendum date set for November 2025.

A recording of the webinar and additional resources, including HB 581 and HB 92, are available for access here.

ACCG's Judges' Salary Webinar - Recording Now Available

A recording of the Judges' Salary webinar is now available. Watch the recording to learn more about HB 85, Judicial Compensation Reform, and how it could affect your county budget. This legislation reforms the compensation structure for Superior Court judges and could impact any other county positions tied to the Superior Court judges' salary.

Click here to view the recording.

ACCG Recognizes More Legislative Service Award Recipients

The ACCG Governmental Affairs Team awarded Reps. Victor Anderson and Clint Crowe, along with Sen. Randy Robertson, for their significant contributions to Georgia counties during the legislative session. Rep. Anderson was honored for supporting three key ACCG policy priorities: HB 155 (Annexation Arbitration Process), HB 137 (Public Works Bidding Threshold), and HB 244 (Local Government Audit Compliance). Rep. Clint Crowe was recognized for leading the 2024 House Study Committee on Disaster Mitigation and Resiliency, which secured funding for Next Generation 911, a 2025 ACCG priority. Sen. Robertson was honored for sponsoring SB 298, enabling counties to appeal to the Court of Appeals or Supreme Court when a superior court denies a request to dismiss lawsuits based on immunity grounds.

A full write-up of these award recipients and legislation can be found here.

Rep. Clint Crowe receiving the Legislative Service Award in Henry County.

Rep. Victor Anderson receiving the Legislative Service Award in Habersham County.

Sen. Randy Roberston receiving the Legislative Service Award in Columbus-Muscogee County.

ACCG Meets with DBHDD Commissioner Ahead of 2026 Legislative Session

The ACCG Governmental Affairs Team recently met with Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) Commissioner Kevin Tanner to discuss current and forthcoming behavioral health policies, initiatives, pilot programs, and proposed legislation for the 2026 Legislative Session. The discussion focused on strategies to support counties in securing sustainable funding and enhancing services for individuals experiencing behavioral health challenges. Particular emphasis was placed on initiatives designed to assist counties in managing growth while improving access to care, strengthening local resources, and ensuring more effective, community-based responses to behavioral health needs. 

County Officials Connect with Legislators at County Legislative Forums

The recent County Legislative Forums provided county officials and staff with the opportunity to engage in open discussions with legislators from their region about issues affecting counties and potential solutions to address them. Participants were also able to ask questions regarding issues that arose during the 2025 session and received insights on matters that may come up next year. Several of the ideas shared and recommended will be taken into consideration during the Policy Committee Meetings.

Legislative Panel at the Henry County Legislative Forum. Pictured left to right - Sen. Rick Williams, Rep. Sam Park, Rep. Clint Crowe, Rep. Phil Olaleye and ACCG's Todd Edwards. 

ACCG staff and county officials at the Columbus-Muscogee County Legislative Forum.

Georgia EPD Announces FY26 Grant Cycle Schedule

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has released the FY26 grant cycle dates for two grants available through the Solid Waste Trust Fund (SWTF) Grant Program. The application window for entities to apply for the Recycling and Waste Diversion (RWD) and Tire Products (Tire) Grants opens on Aug. 11 and closes Sept. 30. The grants awarded through the SWTF support projects that reduce waste, abate and recycle scrap tires, and support statewide recycling initiatives.

For questions regarding the grants, email swtf.grant@dnr.ga.gov. Click here to learn more.

House Study Committee on NG911 Funding to Hold First Meeting

The House Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 911 (NG911), established by HR 429, will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 9:00 a.m. A live stream of the meeting will be available on the General Assembly website. This five-member Committee, appointed by the Speaker of the House, will review Georgia’s outdated 911 funding model and examine reforms necessary to support the transition to a modern NG911 system. The Committee is tasked with studying conditions, needs, and potential legislative actions to ensure adequate and sustainable funding for current and future NG911 operations at the local and state level. All approved findings or recommendations will be submitted to the Clerk of the House before the Committee is abolished on Dec. 1, 2025.

More information on the upcoming meeting can be found here.

2025 Georgia Environmental Conference

Registration is open for the 18th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference (GEC). Taking place August 20 - 22 on Jekyll Island, the GEC aims to provide attendees with new, relevant, and diverse educational opportunities that will positively impact them and Georgia's environment. Over the span of three days, environmental professionals will exchange knowledge and share ideas around environmental concerns in Georgia and across the Southeast region.

To register, click here.

FEMA Releases Nearly $1 Billion in Preparedness Grants

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced nearly $1 billion in new grant funding to help states, local governments, tribes, and territories strengthen disaster preparedness. The 15 new grant programs will enable states to manage their preparation for natural disasters, as well as incidents such as terrorist attacks or massive cyber disruptions.

Click here for details.

The Big Beautiful Bill: NACo Analysis of the Local Cost of Federal Cuts

In a new analysis, the National Association of Counties (NACo) research team examines the potential effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and President Trump’s FY 2026 budget request on county governments. Key findings include:

• Big cost shift: Federal efforts to cut spending could shift up to $1 trillion in financial and administrative burdens onto state and local governments over the next decade.
• Three major challenges for counties: Counties face three distinct challenges: increased costs, diminished federal support, and reduced local autonomy. This could severely strain county budgets, risking service delays, workforce cuts, or tax hikes.
• Counties' critical role: Counties invest $743 billion annually in essential services — such as infrastructure, public health, emergency response, and human services — that could all be affected.

Click here to read the full analysis. Learn more about the Big Beautiful Bill and other developments from the White House and Congress by tuning into NACo's biweekly webinars. The next webinar will be held Thursday, Aug. 21. Click here to learn more.

AI County Compass: NACo’s Comprehensive Toolkit for County Governance and Implementation of Artificial Intelligence

NACo's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Exploratory Committee was established in May 2023 and tasked with analyzing the landscape of generative AI as it applies to counties. The Committee has issued its full report, an impact summary for county roles, as well as customized report highlights.

To view the report, click here.