This bill prohibits local agencies from entering into non-disclosure agreements. According to the bill, all agencies shall fully disclose without delay, any communications regarding any terms and conditions of any agreement, incentive or offer made or entered into by the agency, directing the Attorney General to sanction any individual, on behalf of an agency, who enters into a non-disclosure agreement in violation of this proposed law. Furthermore, it allows any citizen, in addition to the Attorney General, to initiate civil action to compel the disclosure of any matters covered in a non-disclosure. 

Calls for the conversion of the sales tax on motor fuel, currently at 4% to an excise tax, adjusted annual to keep pace with fuel efficiency of vehicles to 24 cents-per-gallon, down from the House's 29.2 cents-per-gallon proposal.

Changes adopted on the Senate floor include:

• Removal of the $25/50 per year Highway Impact Fee that was in the As-Passed Senate Committee version;
• Reduction in the Electric Vehicle Fee per year to $95 for non-commercial use and $195 for commercial use (down from $200 and $300 respectively);
• Creation of the Special Joint Committee on Georgia Revenue Structure, which is charged with introducing and considering one or more bills or resolutions relating to tax reform during the 2016 Legislative Session and if recommended, at the discretion of the Speaker shall received an up or down vote without any amendments and sent to the Senate and at the discretion of the Senate President shall be sent directly to the floor of the Senate for consideration for an up or down vote without amendments.
• Include in the GDOT annual report to the General Assembly (required in Section 32-5-27.1) to bring forward all efficiencies found within the bureaucracy of the GDOT and how those funds have been redirected to road construction. 

Highlights of the changes to the Senate Substitute for House Bill 170 include:

• A 24 cents-per-gallon state excise tax on gasoline and diesel, down from the House's 29.2 cents-per-gallon proposal;
• A $5 per day rental car fee charged to all rentals, regardless of rental purpose;
• A $250 million annual payment toward debt service for the state Department of Transportation, to allow the department to free up a matching amount toward its motor fuel fund to pay for projects statewide; 
• An ability for local cities and counties to collect sales tax on motor fuel up to $3.39 per gallon for initiative including special option local sales taxes, optional education sales taxes and local option sales taxes; 
• Repeals the $5,000 tax credit for the purchase of electric vehicles.
• Expands the definition of transportation purposes to include roads, bridges, public transit, rails, airports, buses, seaports, and all related infrastructure and services necessary to provide access to transportation facilities.
• Removes the Governor's ability to suspend collection of motor fuel and aviation fuel taxes, except when a state of emergency is declared.

This legislation revises terminology within the Urban Redevelopment Law. Specifically, the outdated terms "Slum Area" and "Slum Clearance and Redevelopment" are replaced with  "Pocket of Blight" and "Pocket of Blight Clearance and Redevelopment" respectively. It also eliminates the definition of slum area and adds new definitions to the new terms.  The latest version of this bill strikes the originally proposed definitions for 'sponsoring local government' and 'surface transportation project.'

Council Position: Support

• Cuts the income tax burden on Georgia families by over $2.5 billion
• Households making $29,500 or more will see an increase in take home pay
• Households bringing in $48,000 (the median Georgia household income) will keep $400 extra annually
• Reduces income tax rate to 4% over a period of three years (2016: 4.5%, 2017: 4.25%, 2018: 4.0%)
• Keeps itemized deductions and personal tax exemptions
• Raises general state sales tax by 1% on January 1, 2017, which will raise the current tax of 4% to 5%
• Phases in a grocery state sales tax over a four year period (2016: 0%, 2017: 3%, 2018: 4%, 2019: 5%) with each 1% contributing $130 million to the state budget.  Food stamp purchases will be exempt from the grocery tax.
• Implements a flat communications service tax beginning on January 1, 2016: state telecom: 5%, state cable: 5%, state direct broadcast satellite (DBS): 7%, local telecom: 1.25%, school telecom: 0.75%, local cable: 2%
• Increase the current cigarette excise tax over three years (2017: $0.45, 2018: $0.55, 2019: $0.65)

Council Position: Evaluating

The bill amends Georgia law to allow for public agencies to engage with private-sector parties in public-private partnerships to meet current and future needs for government facilities and infrastructure. This would allow private firms to submit unsolicited proposals for projects that have been identified as a public needs.  Further, the latest version of this bill adopted an amendment stating that multiyear leases which are not terminable at the end of each fiscal year shall be considered a debt and counted against any debt limitations in place. 

Additionally, another adopted amendment allows for anyone with a "security interest" in the project to participate in condemnation proceeds, not just those providing financing toward the capital investment.

To view a summary of the legislation by the Senate Research Office, Click HERE
 Council Position: Support

Senate Bill 85: Development Authorities

Sponsor: Senator Brandon Beach (R)

Senate Committee: Economic Development & Tourism

House Committee: Governmental Affairs

Status: Senate Passed/Adopted on 3/3/15; House Second Readers

This bill is intended to rectify an internal inconsistency within the definition of "Project" in the Development Authorities Law (the "Law").  This definition in the current version of the Law contains both a lengthy listing of categories of allowable projects, as well as a broad discretionary provision, which was included as a subsequent addition to the law in order for this definition to mirror the comparable provision in the Downtown Development Authorities Law.  

By deleting the older, specific, definitional provisions, while retaining the general discretionary provision already in the law, this bill would eliminate unnecessary confusion and debate, without seeking to change past practices or expand or reduce any development authority powers.  

For further analysis, click HERE.

Council Position: Support

Sponsor: Senator Ben Watson (R)

Senate Committe: Natural Resources and the Environment

House Committee: Natural Resources & Environment

Status: Senate Passed/Adopted by Substitute on 3/2/15; House Committee Favorably Reported on 3/13/15

The bill provides for a buffer against coastal marshlands within which certain land-disturbing activities are prohibited. The buffer would be measured in the same way the 25-foot buffer is laid out in the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act, with a few exceptions established.

Council Position: Support

This bill would allow the state to continue to toll drivers even after construction costs have been recouped.  This stands to affect the to massive toll projects, costing over $1 billion to construct, currently underway along I-75/I-575 in Cobb and Cherokee counties and along I-75 in Henry and Clayton counties.

To view a summary of the legislation by the Senate Research Office, Click  HERE

This bill creates a charter for the proposed City of South Fulton, which would be subject to voter approval in a local election.

Sponsor: Senator Brandon Beach (R)

Senate Committee: Transportation

Status: Senate Read and Referred; Heard in Committee on 3/4/15 -- No Vote

Sponsor:  Senator John Albers (R)

Senate Committee: Finance

Status: Senate Read Second Time

This bill creates a Study Committee to examine the current state tax exemptions and the impact on the Georgia economy, in order to understand the value and assess which exemptions help stimulate the state's economy and benefit all Georgians through job creation.

Council Position: Support