GA
Georgia House Bill HB495

Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB495 Compare Versions

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2-House Bill 495 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
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2+House Bill 495 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
33 By: Representatives Dickey of the 134
44 th
55 , Burns of the 159
66 th
77 , Meeks of the 178
88 th
99 , Hagan of the
1010 156
1111 th
1212 , Greene of the 154
1313 th
1414 , and others
1515 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1616 AN ACT
1717 To amend Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, so as to
1818 1
1919 repeal Chapter 18, relating to the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation; to amend2
2020 Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to agriculture, so as to transfer the3
2121 Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation to the Department of Agriculture; to provide for4
2222 a director; to provide for the Georgia Rural Development Council; to provide for duties and5
2323 satellite offices; to provide for reporting and approval of plans of work; to provide for related6
2424 matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7
2525 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
2626 SECTION 1.9
2727 Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended by10
2828 repealing Chapter 18, relating to the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation, in its11
2929 entirety.12
3030 SECTION 2.13
3131 Title 2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to agriculture, is amended by14
3232 adding a new chapter to read as follows:15
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3535 "CHAPTER 2416
3636 2-24-1.17
3737 (a) Effective July 1, 2025, the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation shall be18
3838 transferred from the University System of Georgia to the department and shall be located19
3939 within an appropriate facility.20
4040 (b)(1) The director of the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation shall be appointed21
4141 by the Commissioner, provided that such appointment shall be subject to approval by a22
4242 majority vote of the Georgia Rural Development Council. The director shall continue to23
4343 serve in such position until his or her resignation or until the appointment of a new24
4444 director by the Commissioner, provided that such appointment is approved by a majority25
4545 vote of such council.26
4646 (2) Subject to appropriations, the director shall be authorized to employ such personnel27
4747 as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter.28
4848 2-24-2.29
4949 (a) The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation shall include a council, to be known30
5050 and designated as the Georgia Rural Development Council, that shall offer guidance to the31
5151 Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.32
5252 (b) The Georgia Rural Development Council shall be composed of 12 members who shall33
5353 be appointed as follows:34
5454 (1) Six members shall be appointed by the Governor which six members, by majority35
5555 vote, shall appoint one of such members to serve as the chairperson of the council. Each36
5656 of the six shall be selected to represent one of the following areas:37
5757 (A) Leadership management;38
5858 (B) Business development and entrepreneurship;39
5959 (C) Finance and taxes;40
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6262 (D) Logistics of rural industries;41
6363 (E) Healthcare; and42
6464 (F) Education;43
6565 (2) Three members who live in different geographic areas of this state from each other44
6666 shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and45
6767 (3) Three members who live in different geographic areas of this state from each other46
6868 shall be appointed by the President of the Senate.47
6969 (c)(1) Legislative members who are appointed to the council shall serve for two-year48
7070 terms. Nonlegislative members shall serve for four-year terms, provided that three of the49
7171 initial six members to be appointed by the Governor shall serve initial terms of two years,50
7272 and thereafter such appointments shall be for four-year terms.51
7373 (2) Members may serve consecutive terms without limit.52
7474 (d) The council shall study the conditions, needs, issues, and problems affecting rural53
7575 economic development and shall examine related policy areas as it may deem necessary54
7676 and appropriate, including, but not limited to, population studies, access to healthcare,55
7777 infrastructure, education, unemployment, and economic growth incentives.56
7878 (e) The chairperson shall call all meetings of the council. The council shall meet at least57
7979 once per quarter and each such meeting shall be at a different location within this state,58
8080 particularly in rural areas of this state, for the purpose of interacting with local government59
8181 officials, educational leaders, healthcare providers, business leaders, civic groups, and all60
8282 other citizens who desire to offer input, so as to enable the council to exercise fully and61
8383 effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of62
8484 this chapter.63
8585 (f)(1) Legislative members of the council shall receive the allowances provided for in64
8686 Code Section 28-1-8.65
8787 (2) Members of the council who are state officials, other than legislative members, or66
8888 state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the council, but they67
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9191 may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as68
9292 members of the council in the same manner as they are reimbursed for expenses in their69
9393 capacities as state officials or employees.70
9494 (3) Citizen members of the council shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount71
9595 the same as that specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21, as well as the72
9696 mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state employees.73
9797 (4) The allowances and expenses authorized by this subsection shall not be received by74
9898 the chairperson for more than 15 days and any other member of the council for more than75
9999 ten days per year. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Code section shall76
100100 come from appropriated funds; provided, however, that funds for the reimbursement of77
101101 the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and state employees shall78
102102 come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.79
103103 2-24-3.80
104104 (a) It shall be the duty of the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation to provide a81
105105 central information and research hub for rural matters and best practices which may82
106106 include:83
107107 (1) Community planning models for proactively identifying value added gaps or84
108108 strengths; and85
109109 (2) Industry-specific assistance.86
110110 (b) The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation may establish such satellite offices as87
111111 are necessary to accomplish its mission.88
112112 2-24-4.89
113113 (a) The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation shall annually prepare and submit to90
114114 the General Assembly, for review by the House of Representatives' and the Senate's91
115115 standing committees on agriculture and economic development, a plan of work that92
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118118 outlines the use of the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation's resources for the93
119119 upcoming fiscal years.94
120120 (b) Said committees may, by majority vote, approve the plan and submit recommendations95
121121 to the Senate Appropriations Committee and the House Committee on Appropriations for96
122122 their consideration in developing the budget."97
123123 SECTION 3.98
124124 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.99
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