| 3 | 3 | | By: Representative DeLoach of the 167 |
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| 4 | 4 | | th |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | To amend Code Section 12-6A-12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1 |
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| 10 | 10 | | annual grant when state owns property and calculations, so as to revise provisions related to2 |
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| 11 | 11 | | certain counties claiming such grant while also claiming similar grants in Chapter 14 of3 |
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| 12 | 12 | | Title 48, relating to grants and special revenue disbursements; to amend Code4 |
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| 13 | 13 | | Section 48-14-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annual grant to5 |
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| 14 | 14 | | counties with 20,000 or more acres of unimproved real estate owned by Department of6 |
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| 15 | 15 | | Natural Resources, so as to revise provisions related to counties claiming such grant while7 |
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| 16 | 16 | | also claiming similar grants; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and8 |
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| 17 | 17 | | for other purposes.9 |
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| 18 | 18 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 1.11 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Code Section 12-6A-12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annual grant12 |
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| 21 | 21 | | when state owns property and calculations, is amended by revising said Code section as13 |
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| 22 | 22 | | follows:14 |
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| 25 | 25 | | "12-6A-12. |
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| 26 | 26 | | 15 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) Each county in which is located 20,000 acres or more of unimproved real property16 |
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| 28 | 28 | | belonging to the state and under the custody or control of the department, in which such17 |
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| 29 | 29 | | state-owned property exceeds 10 percent of the taxable real property in the county, and in18 |
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| 30 | 30 | | which such property represents 10 percent or more of the assessed tax digest of the county19 |
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| 31 | 31 | | may receive from the department an annual grant as provided in this Code section.20 |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) For each county eligible to receive a grant pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code21 |
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| 33 | 33 | | section, the department shall calculate the approximate value of public services which the22 |
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| 34 | 34 | | county provides the department each year; provided, however, that such sum shall not23 |
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| 35 | 35 | | exceed the amount the county would charge any other landowner for such services. The24 |
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| 36 | 36 | | department shall request funds in its annual operating budget each year to reimburse all25 |
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| 37 | 37 | | eligible counties for the provision of such services. In the event the amount appropriated26 |
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| 38 | 38 | | in any year is less than the amount requested, each eligible county shall receive a pro rata27 |
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| 39 | 39 | | share based on the estimated value of services provided.28 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) The department is directed to make an annual calculation of the amount of unimproved29 |
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| 41 | 41 | | state-owned real property under its custody or control and determine which counties are30 |
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| 42 | 42 | | eligible for a grant pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section. The first such31 |
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| 43 | 43 | | determination shall be completed not later than December 31, 2020, and each subsequent32 |
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| 44 | 44 | | determination shall be made not later than December 31 of each year. The department is33 |
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| 45 | 45 | | further directed to calculate the approximate value of public services provided by each34 |
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| 46 | 46 | | eligible county as provided in subsection (a) of |
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| 47 | 47 | | this Code section.35 |
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| 48 | 48 | | (d) Only land acquired with Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund moneys shall be used in the36 |
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| 49 | 49 | | calculation of this grant.37 |
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| 50 | 50 | | (e) No more than 10 percent of Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund moneys shall be allocated38 |
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| 51 | 51 | | to grants to offset local taxes during any fiscal year.39 |
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| 52 | 52 | | (f) No county shall be authorized to receive a grant of funds pursuant to both this Code40 |
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| 53 | 53 | | section and Code Section 48-14-1."41 |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 2. |
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| 57 | 57 | | 42 |
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| 58 | 58 | | Code Section 48-14-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annual grant to43 |
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| 59 | 59 | | counties with 20,000 or more acres of unimproved real estate owned by Department of44 |
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| 60 | 60 | | Natural Resources, is amended by revising said Code section as follows:45 |
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| 61 | 61 | | "48-14-4.46 |
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| 62 | 62 | | (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'department' means the Department of Natural47 |
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| 63 | 63 | | Resources.48 |
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| 64 | 64 | | (b) Each county in which is located 20,000 acres or more of unimproved real property49 |
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| 65 | 65 | | belonging to the state and under the custody or control of the department, in which such50 |
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| 66 | 66 | | state owned property exceeds 10 percent of the taxable real property in the county, and in51 |
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| 67 | 67 | | which such property represents 10 percent or more of the assessed tax digest of the county52 |
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| 68 | 68 | | may receive from the department an annual grant as provided in this Code section.53 |
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| 69 | 69 | | (c) For each county eligible to receive a grant pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code54 |
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| 70 | 70 | | section, the department shall calculate the approximate value of public services which the55 |
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| 71 | 71 | | county provides the department each year; provided, however, that such sum shall not56 |
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| 72 | 72 | | exceed the amount the county would charge any other landowner for such services. The57 |
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| 73 | 73 | | department shall request funds in its annual operating budget each year to reimburse all58 |
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| 74 | 74 | | eligible counties for the provision of such services. In the event the amount appropriated59 |
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| 75 | 75 | | in any year is less than the amount requested, each eligible county shall receive a pro rata60 |
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| 76 | 76 | | share based on the estimated value of services provided.61 |
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| 77 | 77 | | (d) The department is directed to make an annual calculation of the amount of unimproved62 |
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| 78 | 78 | | state owned real property under its custody or control and determine which counties are63 |
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| 79 | 79 | | eligible for a grant pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section. The first such64 |
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| 80 | 80 | | determination shall be completed not later than December 31, 1993, and each subsequent65 |
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| 81 | 81 | | determination shall be made not later than December 31 of each year. The department is66 |
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| 82 | 82 | | further directed to calculate the approximate value of public services provided by each67 |
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| 83 | 83 | | eligible county as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section.68 |
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