January 27, 2023
Volume 14, Issue 3
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Governor Kemp Delivers State of State Address |
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Gov. Brian Kemp delivered the 2023 State of the State address on Wednesday, January 25. In his address to all Georgians and his esteemed colleagues, the Governor touched on new leadership in the General Assembly and the opportunity it presents to create new and solidify existing partnerships, while building upon the achievements of his first gubernatorial term. Those achievements included economic success as it related to four of the largest economic development projects in the state's history and Georgia being named the top state to do business for the ninth consecutive year.
Of significance to local governments was the mention of the Rural Workforce Housing Fund which will enable the state to partner directly with local governments to develop workforce housing sites throughout Georgia. ACCG has been actively engaged in this issue, working with legislators to ensure counties' concerns are considered and included in proposed bills throughout the legislative process.
The full transcript of the State of the State address can be viewed here.
A recap of the Governor's speech can be watched in its entirety here.
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EMS Reform Bill Could Prove Harmful for County Residents
On Wednesday, January 25, Sen. John Albers introduced Senate Bill 16, also known as the “Georgia EMS Reform Act”. This bill allows local governments to opt-out of their EMS zone established by the Department of Public Health (DPH) and establish a locally designated EMS service area. While this bill argues that it promotes local control, it actually has a greater likelihood of damaging an already strained and delicate EMS system. This bill could cause disparities between the quality of emergency medical services that unincorporated county residents receive compared to their neighbors in the cities.
ACCG agrees that EMS service delivery is an important conversation, however we disagree with this approach toward a solution. Therefore, we oppose this legislation in its current form.
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Click here to review the list of this week's bills. |
Access the Legislative Tracking Database for a compilation of all bills ACCG is following. |
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Legislation Increasing Truck Weights Expected
ACCG expects legislation to be introduced soon in both the House and Senate that will increase truck weight limits for trucks hauling forest products, live poultry, cotton, feed, granite, raw ore, minerals, solid waste, concrete, and poultry waste. ACCG opposes legislation that increases allowable weight limits on local roads and bridges. Increasing truck weights will result in a shorter lifecycle for county roads and bridges, costing county taxpayers more money to maintain and repair this critical infrastructure.
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Bill Prohibits Clerks and Probate Judges from Keeping Passport Fees as Personal Compensation
Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick introduced Senate Bill 19 this week, prohibiting Georgia’s clerks of superior court and probate judges from keeping U.S. passport application fees ($35 per application) as their personal compensation. Many clerks and probates keep these fees, despite using county resources and staff to conduct this task. Under the bill, these officials must disclose the passport processing fees their offices collect on a quarterly basis to the county governing authority. Half of these fees would go into the county’s general fund, and the other half would be retained by the clerk/probate for office operations and maintenance. The fees cannot be used to compensate the clerk, probate, or their employees, nor purchase any non-work-related items.
ACCG has had a long-standing policy position to require these fees be deposited into the county’s general fund. Currently, 81 clerk of court and eight probate judge offices process U.S. passport applications in Georgia. See that list here.
For an Atlanta News First story and video on the bill’s introduction, click here.
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Legislation Exempting Counties with Floating Homestead Exemptions from Taxpayer Bill of Rights
House Bill 90, sponsored by Rep. Ron Stephens, is expected to be introduced in the House and assigned to committee on Monday. This bill will exempt local governments with floating homestead exemptions from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. This exemption from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights will affect county governments, as well as school and city governing authorities. ACCG supports this measure.
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Virtual Legislative Update Replay
Watch the replay of this week's Virtual Legislative Update here. As a reminder, join the ACCG Governmental Affairs team every Friday at 9:00 a.m. during the legislative session. This is a recurring event, so county officials can access the meeting each week through this link.
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Registration for the 2023 Legislative Breakfast is expected to open soon. County officials are encouraged to attend this event to get the latest updates and learn more about trending state issues.
Legislation passed during the 40-day session can have a direct impact on county government operations. For this reason, it is important for county officials to stay involved and engaged. The ACCG Governmental Affairs team does an outstanding job working on behalf of Georgia's county governments, but it is extremely important for state leadership and legislators to see and hear from county officials and staff on issues before the General Assembly. Attend this event to do your part to help advance sound policy for Georgia's counties.
Invited speakers include Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, and Speaker of the House Jon Burns.
*Details such as an event agenda and information about how to invite your legislators will be shared along with registration information.
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Stay Connected and Engaged! |
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Weekly Friday Lobbyist Meeting Returns in Person
The Governmental Affairs team will host in-person meetings periodically on Fridays during the 2023 legislative session. These meetings are for county contract lobbyists, county officials, and county staff who want to strategize and discuss legislation impacting counties in more detail. These in person meetings will occur on February 10, February 24, March 10, and March 24 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. in Room 328 of the Coverdell Legislative Office Building. The building address is 18 Capitol Square, Atlanta, Georgia 30334 – right across the street from the Capitol.
ACCG Administrative and Policy Coordinator Tottianna Davis (tdavis@accg.org) will issue reminders about the meeting, including details such as the location and time. Please email her if you would like to be added to the distribution list to receive details.
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Update Your County's ACCG County Legislative Coordinator (CLC)
Annually, ACCG asks counties to update their county’s designated CLC to ensure the most accurate data is reflected in our records. The CLC’s primary responsibilities are to relay pertinent information about current legislation to county commissioners and county management, to maintain an open line of communication with ACCG to ensure county-specific information is readily available for legislators. ACCG encourages all counties to participate and designate a CLC for the legislative session.
Click here to see your county’s current CLC. To change or appoint your county’s CLC for 2023, please contact Tottianna Davis at tdavis@accg.org or (404) 522-5022.
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Policy Communication Tools
Don't forget about the various communications tools that will help keep you informed and engaged. Click here to read all about them!
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News You Can Use - Articles Related to ACCG Policy Issues
Articles covering some of ACCG's major policy issues are found here. Click the hyperlinked title to begin reading.
Georgia Recorder - January 26, 2023
Atlanta News First- January 26, 2023
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - January 25, 2023
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - January 23, 2023
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Questions? Email the
ACCG Governmental Affairs team:
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ACCG is YOUR county association. We are here to advance all Georgia county governments. Please feel free to contact a member of the Governmental Affairs team if they can assist in any way. |
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