Georgia 2023-2024 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SB256 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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11 23 LC 47 2292
22 S. B. 256
33 - 1 -
44 Senate Bill 256
55 By: Senator Mallow of the 2nd
66 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
77 AN ACT
88 To amend Chapter 60 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
99 1
1010 general provisions applicable to counties and municipal corporations, so as to authorize2
1111 counties and municipalities to enter into certain long-term leases relating to affordable3
1212 workforce housing projects or undertakings; to provide for related matters; to repeal4
1313 conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
1414 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
1515 SECTION 1.7
1616 Chapter 60 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general8
1717 provisions applicable to counties and municipal corporations, is amended by revising Code9
1818 Section 36-60-13, relating to multiyear lease, purchase, or lease-purchase contracts, as10
1919 follows:11
2020 "36-60-13.12
2121 (a) Each county or municipality in this state shall be authorized to enter into multiyear13
2222 lease, purchase, or lease-purchase contracts of all kinds for the acquisition of goods,14
2323 materials, real and personal property, services, and supplies, provided that any such15
2424 contract shall contain provisions for the following:16 23 LC 47 2292
2525 S. B. 256
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2727 (1) The contract shall terminate absolutely and without further obligation on the part of
2828 17
2929 the county or municipality at the close of the calendar or fiscal year in which it was18
3030 executed and at the close of each succeeding calendar or fiscal year for which it may be19
3131 renewed as provided in this Code section;20
3232 (2) The contract may provide for automatic renewal unless positive action is taken by the21
3333 county or municipality to terminate such contract, and the nature of such action shall be22
3434 determined by the county or municipality and specified in the contract;23
3535 (3) The contract shall state the total obligation of the county or municipality for the24
3636 calendar or fiscal year of execution and shall further state the total obligation which will25
3737 be incurred in each calendar or fiscal year renewal term, if renewed; and26
3838 (4) The contract shall provide that title to any supplies, materials, equipment, or other27
3939 personal property shall remain in the vendor until fully paid for by the county or28
4040 municipality.29
4141 (b) In addition to the provisions enumerated in subsection (a) of this Code section, any30
4242 contract authorized by this Code section may include:31
4343 (1) A provision which requires that the contract will terminate immediately and32
4444 absolutely at such time as appropriated and otherwise unobligated funds are no longer33
4545 available to satisfy the obligations of the county or municipality under the contract; or34
4646 (2) Any other provision reasonably necessary to protect the interests of the county or35
4747 municipality.36
4848 (c) Any contract developed under this Code section containing the provisions enumerated37
4949 in subsection (a) of this Code section shall be deemed to obligate the county or38
5050 municipality only for those sums payable during the calendar or fiscal year of execution39
5151 or, in the event of a renewal by the county or municipality, for those sums payable in the40
5252 individual calendar or fiscal year renewal term.41
5353 (d) No contract developed and executed pursuant to this Code section shall be deemed to42
5454 create a debt of the county or municipality for the payment of any sum beyond the calendar43 23 LC 47 2292
5555 S. B. 256
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5757 or fiscal year of execution or, in the event of a renewal, beyond the calendar or fiscal year
5858 44
5959 of such renewal.45
6060 (e) No contract developed and executed pursuant to this Code section may be delivered46
6161 if the principal portion of such contract, when added to the amount of debt incurred by any47
6262 county or municipality pursuant to Article IX, Section V, Paragraph I of the Constitution48
6363 of Georgia, exceeds 10 percent of the assessed value of all taxable property within such49
6464 county or municipality.50
6565 (f) No contract developed and executed pursuant to this Code section may be delivered if51
6666 the real or personal property being so financed has been the subject of a referendum which52
6767 failed to receive the approval of the voters of the county or municipality within the53
6868 immediately preceding four calendar years, unless such real or personal property is54
6969 required to be financed pursuant to a federal or state court order, or imminent threat55
7070 thereof, as certified by the governing authority of the county or municipality.56
7171 (g) No contract developed and executed pursuant to this Code section with respect to the57
7272 acquisition of real property may be delivered unless a public hearing has been held by the58
7373 county or municipality after two weeks' notice published in a newspaper of general59
7474 circulation within the county or municipality.60
7575 (h)(1) On or after July 1, 2000, no contract developed and executed or renewed,61
7676 refinanced, or restructured pursuant to this Code section with respect to real property may62
7777 be delivered if the lesser of either of the following is exceeded:63
7878 (A) The average annual payments on the aggregate of all such outstanding contracts64
7979 exceed 7.5 percent of the governmental fund revenues of the county or municipality for65
8080 the calendar year preceding the delivery of such contract plus any available special66
8181 county 1 percent sales and use tax proceeds collected pursuant to Code67
8282 Section 48-8-111; or68
8383 (B) The outstanding principal balance on the aggregate of all such outstanding69
8484 contracts exceeds $25 million; provided, however, that with respect to any county or70 23 LC 47 2292
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8787 municipality in which, prior to July 1, 2000, the outstanding principal balance on the
8888 71
8989 aggregate of outstanding contracts exceeds $25 million, such outstanding contracts may72
9090 be renewed, refinanced, or restructured, but no new contracts shall be developed and73
9191 executed until the outstanding principal balance on such outstanding contracts has been74
9292 reduced so that the $25 million limitation of this subparagraph, or the limitation in75
9393 subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, whichever is lower, is not exceeded.76
9494 (2) Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to contracts developed and executed77
9595 or renewed, refinanced, or restructured pursuant to this Code section which are for78
9696 projects or facilities:79
9797 (A) For the housing of court services, where any other state law or laws authorize the80
9898 project or facility to be financed and paid for from the collection of fines rather than81
9999 from tax revenues; or82
100100 (B) Which have been previously approved in the most recent referendum calling for83
101101 the levy of a special county 1 percent sales and use tax pursuant to Part 1 of Article 384
102102 of Chapter 8 of Title 48.85
103103 (i) Any such contract may provide for the payment by the county or municipality of86
104104 interest or the allocation of a portion of the contract payment to interest, provided that the87
105105 contract is in compliance with this Code section.88
106106 (j) Nothing in this Code section shall restrict counties or municipalities from executing89
107107 reasonable contracts arising out of their proprietary functions.90
108108 (k) Each county or municipality in this state shall be authorized to enter into multiyear
109109 91
110110 lease, purchase, or lease-purchase contracts pursuant to the provisions of this Code section92
111111 for the purpose of providing or supporting affordable workforce housing projects or93
112112 undertakings, as deemed appropriate by the governing authority of such county or94
113113 municipality, provided that the term of such agreement does not exceed 45 years."95 23 LC 47 2292
114114 S. B. 256
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116116 SECTION 2.
117117 96
118118 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.97