Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SB264 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	25 LC 56 0360S
2		-	The Senate Committee on Public Safety offered the following
3		-	substitute to SB 264:
	1	+	25 LC 56 0344
	2	+	Senate Bill 264
	3	+	By: Senators Goodman of the 8th, Payne of the 54th, Jackson of the 41st, Brass of the 6th,
	4	+	Jones II of the 22nd and others
4	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	6		AN ACT
6		-	To amend Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
	7	+	To amend Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
	8	+	1
7	9		emergency management, so as to provide for the creation of the Georgia Resilience Office2
8	10		under the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency; to provide for3
9	11		a board of directors; to provide for the purpose, membership, and duties of such board; to4
10	12		provide for reports; to provide for the hiring of staff; to provide for compensation and5
11	13		funding; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title;6
12	14		to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7
13	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
14	16		SECTION 1.9
15	17		Chapter 3 of Title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to emergency10
16	18		management, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:11
17		-	"ARTICLE 1312
	19	+	"ARTICLE 13
	20	+	12
18	21		38-3-200.13
19	22		This article shall be known and may be cited as the 'Georgia Resilience Act.'14
20		-	- 1 - 25 LC 56 0360S
	23	+	S. B. 264
	24	+	- 1 - 25 LC 56 0344
21	25		38-3-201.15
22	26		As used in this article, the term:16
23	27		(1) 'Board of directors' or 'board' means the governing body of the office.17
24	28		(2) 'Critical infrastructure' means publicly or privately owned facilities, systems,18
25	29		functions, or assets, whether physical or virtual, providing or distributing services for the19
26	30		benefit of the public, including, but not limited to, energy, fuel, water, agriculture,20
27	31		healthcare, finance, communication, or any other vital public service.21
28	32		(3) 'Office' means the Georgia Resilience Office established pursuant to Code22
29	33		Section 38-3-202.23
30	34		38-3-202.24
31	35		(a) There is established the Georgia Resilience Office. The office shall be an entity within25
32	36		the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and attached to such26
33	37		agency for all operational purposes.27
34	38		(b) The primary purpose of the office shall be to plan for and coordinate state-wide28
35	39		resilience and disaster recovery efforts, including coordination with federal, state, and local29
36	40		governmental agencies, stakeholders, and nongovernmental entities. Responsibilities shall30
37	41		include, but are not limited to, the following:31
38	42		(1) To establish mechanisms to coordinate, integrate, and expand disaster recovery,32
39	43		hazard mitigation, and resilience related programs and activities among state agencies and33
40	44		to encourage intergovernmental as well as cross-sector coordination and collaboration;34
41	45		(2) To develop, implement, and maintain a state-wide resilience plan as a framework to35
42	46		guide state investments in disaster mitigation projects and the adoption of programs and36
43	47		policies to protect the people and property of Georgia from the damage and destruction37
44	48		of extreme weather events. The state-wide resilience plan shall be reviewed and revised38
45	49		by December 31 in even-numbered years to ensure that it continues to serve the health,39
46	50		safety, and welfare of the citizens of Georgia. The first version of the resilience plan40
47		-	- 2 - 25 LC 56 0360S
	51	+	S. B. 264
	52	+	- 2 - 25 LC 56 0344
48	53		shall be completed by December 31, 2026, and shall, at minimum, include provisions41
49	54		that:42
50	55		(A) Describe known risks in each of the regional commissions established in Code43
51	56		Section 50-8-32 and examine present and potential losses associated with the44
52	57		occurrence of disaster events in this state and land management practices that potentiate45
53	58		extreme weather events, resulting in increased flooding, wildfire, drought, and extreme46
54	59		heat conditions. The risk assessment shall use best available scientific data to consider47
55	60		present and potential state-wide impacts across a wide spectrum of hazards;48
56	61		(B) Assess the vulnerability of infrastructure systems including transportation and49
57	62		energy distribution systems and critical infrastructure at the state and municipal levels,50
58	63		including, but not limited to, hospitals, schools, fire stations, comparable facilities, and51
59	64		historical and cultural resources;52
60	65		(C) Identify data and information gaps that affect the capacity of state agencies or local53
61	66		governments to adequately evaluate and address the factors that increase disaster risk,54
62	67		and recommend strategies to overcome such gaps;55
63	68		(D) Develop a prioritized list of specific policies, programs, and resilience actions to56
64	69		decrease vulnerabilities and adverse impacts associated with extreme weather and57
65	70		disasters. Descriptions of proposed resilience actions shall include intended benefits,58
66	71		potential costs, and an anticipated timeline for implementation. In developing these59
67	72		actions, the office shall, at a minimum, consider:60
68	73		(i) Economic impacts attributed to current and best available projections of future61
69	74		risk from extreme weather events in this state, including, but not limited to, impacts62
70	75		on forestry, agriculture, water and other natural resources, food systems, housing63
71	76		stock, economic activity, wildlife, critical infrastructure, economic development64
72	77		potential and security, education, and public health;65
73	78		(ii) The long-term costs, including ongoing operation and maintenance costs of66
74	79		specific projects, suites, and approaches of hazard mitigation;67
75		-	- 3 - 25 LC 56 0360S
	80	+	S. B. 264
	81	+	- 3 - 25 LC 56 0344
76	82		(iii) Opportunities to prioritize the role of nature based solutions and other methods68
77	83		to restore the resilience functions of natural systems and reduce disaster risk;69
78	84		(iv) Potential co-benefits that may be achieved beyond risk mitigation, including, but70
79	85		not limited to, enhanced water supply, improvements in water quality, tourism and71
80	86		recreational opportunities, or protection of wildlife and aquatic resources;72
81	87		(v) Statutory or regulatory remedies for consideration by the General Assembly;73
82	88		(vi) State policies or responses, including alterations to state building codes and land74
83	89		use management;75
84	90		(vii) Potential benefits of additional programs or offices;76
85	91		(viii) How the action may complement or operate concurrently to any relevant77
86	92		existing activities undertaken by any state agency, unit of local government, or other78
87	93		relevant public or private entity, or any activity included in the state-wide resilience79
88	94		plan;80
89	95		(ix) Practical steps that can be taken to improve efficiencies and to pool and leverage81
90	96		resources to improve disaster recovery and resilience; and82
91	97		(x) Potential financial resources available for increasing resilience throughout this83
92	98		state;84
93	99		(E) Provide for the provision of resources, technical assistance, and other support to85
94	100		local governments to develop resilience plans or incorporate resilience planning into86
95	101		local and regional plans, and propose and implement resilience projects;87
96	102		(F) Identify metrics and measure progress and success toward state-wide resilience88
97	103		goals;89
98	104		(G) Integrate recommended approaches to risk reduction into existing state strategies90
99	105		for hazard mitigation, environmental protection, and economic opportunity and91
100	106		development; and92
101	107		(H) Incorporate stakeholder and community input from citizens across this state;93
102		-	- 4 - 25 LC 56 0360S
	108	+	S. B. 264
	109	+	- 4 - 25 LC 56 0344
103	110		(3) To lead long-term recovery planning efforts on behalf of the state in the event of the94
104	111		proclamation of the existence of a state of emergency due to a natural disaster, or upon95
105	112		a presidential declaration of a major disaster under Section 406 of the federal Robert T.96
106	113		Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act;97
107	114		(4) To provide education and outreach on issues of disaster risk to the citizens of this98
108	115		state;99
109	116		(5) To collect, pursue, and expend additional funds and resources to assist not only with100
110	117		long-term recovery efforts but also long-term community and state-wide resiliency101
111	118		efforts, including to:102
112	119		(A) Accept and use funds from the federal government and its agencies and103
113	120		instrumentalities, private corporations, partnerships, associations, and individuals for104
114	121		the purposes of the development and implementation of the state-wide resilience plan,105
115	122		improved coordination of resilience activities, disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, risk106
116	123		mitigation, and disaster response programs;107
117	124		(B) Monitor federal funds and initiatives that become available for disaster recovery108
118	125		and economic and community resiliency or other flood or hazard mitigation; and109
119	126		(C) Use funds administered by the office for the maintenance, construction, or110
120	127		reconstruction of capital repair and replacement items as necessary to effectuate the111
121	128		purposes of this article; and112
122	129		(6) To provide grants to institutions of higher education and other state and local113
123	130		governmental entities to conduct research related to resilience concerns specific to114
124	131		Georgia and consult with qualified nonpartisan experts from the scientific and disaster115
125	132		resilience community.116
126	133		(c) Control and management of the office shall be vested in a board of directors which117
127		-	shall consist of 14 members as follows:118
	134	+	shall consist of 12 members as follows:118
128	135		(1) The director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency119
129	136		or his or her designee;120
130		-	- 5 - 25 LC 56 0360S
	137	+	S. B. 264
	138	+	- 5 - 25 LC 56 0344
131	139		(2) The commissioner of community affairs or his or her designee;121
132	140		(3) The commissioner of transportation or his or her designee;122
133	141		(4) The commissioner of natural resources or his or her designee;123
134	142		(5) The director of the State Forestry Commission or his or her designee;124
135		-	(6) The state hazard mitigation officer or his or her designee;125
136		-	(7) One member shall be a representative of county-level government and appointed by126
137		-	the Governor;127
138		-	(8) One member shall be a representative from a municipal government and appointed128
139		-	by the Governor;129
140		-	(9) Two members shall be from the House of Representatives and appointed by the130
141		-	Speaker of the House of Representatives;131
142		-	(10) Two members shall be from the Senate and appointed by the President of the132
143		-	Senate;133
144		-	(11) The Commissioner of Agriculture or his or her designee; and134
145		-	(12) One member shall be a representative from the electric utility industry and135
146		-	appointed by the Governor.136
147		-	(d) The initial term for appointments shall be two years and shall be made by July 1, 2026. 137
148		-	All subsequent terms shall be for four years. Any vacancies that occur prior to the end of138
149		-	a term shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original appointment and139
150		-	shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. Members shall be eligible for140
151		-	reappointment so long as they continue to meet the requirements for appointment. A141
152		-	member who becomes ineligible for reappointment to his or her seat during his or her term142
153		-	may serve out the remainder of such term.143
154		-	(e) The board may appoint additional persons, such as representatives from educational144
155		-	institutions and nongovernmental organizations with specific expertise in disaster145
156		-	resilience, to serve in an advisory role to the board. Such advisers shall be nonvoting and146
157		-	shall not be counted toward a quorum.147
158		-	- 6 - 25 LC 56 0360S
159		-	(f) A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of a majority148
160		-	shall be required for the determination of any matter within its duties.149
161		-	(g) The chairperson of the board shall be the director of the Georgia Emergency150
162		-	Management and Homeland Security Agency or his or her designee. At the initial meeting151
163		-	of the board, the board shall elect from its membership a vice chairperson and a secretary152
164		-	and a treasurer. The board may combine the two latter offices and designate the combined153
165		-	office as secretary-treasurer.154
166		-	(h) The board of directors shall promulgate bylaws and may adopt other procedures for155
167		-	governing its affairs and for discharging its duties as may be permitted or required by law156
168		-	or applicable rules and regulations.157
169		-	(i) The board shall meet no less than once each calendar quarter at a time and place158
170		-	designated by the chairperson.159
171		-	38-3-203.160
172		-	(a) There is established the position of chief resilience officer who shall be the161
173		-	administrative head of the office.162
174		-	(b) The chairperson of the board shall nominate a chief resilience officer, subject to163
175		-	approval by the board.164
176		-	(c) The chairperson of the board shall establish the salary of the chief resilience officer,165
177		-	subject to approval by the board, and the salary of such officer shall be drawn from the166
178		-	general budget of the office.167
179		-	(d) The chief resilience officer shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The chief resilience168
180		-	officer, with the concurrence and approval of the chairperson of the board, shall:169
181		-	(1) Serve as coordinator of all economic and community resilience planning and170
182		-	implementation efforts, including, but not limited to, resilience programs and activities171
183		-	in this state;172
184		-	- 7 - 25 LC 56 0360S
185		-	(2) Hire officers, agents, and employees; prescribe their duties, responsibilities, and173
186		-	qualifications; set their salaries; and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by174
187		-	the office. Such officers, agents, and employees shall serve at the pleasure of the chief175
188		-	resilience officer;176
189		-	(3) Coordinate an annual review of the state-wide resilience plan and update the plan no177
190		-	less than biennially, with updates due to the board no later than September 30 in178
191		-	even-numbered years;179
192		-	(4) Report to the General Assembly at least annually regarding progress developing and180
193		-	implementing a state-wide resilience plan and improving interagency coordination;181
194		-	(5) Coordinate planning of resilience projects with federal agencies;182
195		-	(6) Establish a public website, which shall be the public dissemination of relevant183
196		-	information relevant to state-wide resilience efforts;184
197		-	(7) Establish and facilitate regular communication between federal, state, local, and185
198		-	private sector agencies and organizations to further economic and disaster resilience;186
199		-	(8) Execute cooperative agreements, where appropriate, between the office and the187
200		-	federal and state governments; and188
201		-	(9) Contract, where appropriate, on behalf of the office, with the federal government and189
202		-	its instrumentalities and agencies; any state or territory or the District of Columbia and190
203		-	instrumentalities or agencies thereof; municipalities; foreign governments; public bodies;191
204		-	private corporations; partnerships; associations; and individuals."192
205		-	SECTION 2.193
206		-	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.194
	143	+	(6) The chief resilience officer or his or her designee;125
	144	+	(7) One member shall be a representative of county-level government;126
	145	+	(8) One member shall be a representative from a municipal government;127
	146	+	(9) Two members shall be from the House of Representatives and appointed by the128
	147	+	Speaker of the House of Representatives; and129
	148	+	(10) Two members shall be from the Senate and appointed by the President of the130
	149	+	Senate.131
	150	+	(d) The initial term for appointments shall be two years and shall be made by132
	151	+	December 1, 2025. All subsequent terms shall be for four years. Any vacancies that occur133
	152	+	prior to the end of a term shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original134
	153	+	appointment and shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. Members shall be135
	154	+	eligible for reappointment so long as they continue to meet the requirements for136
	155	+	appointment. A member who becomes ineligible for reappointment to his or her seat137
	156	+	during his or her term may serve out the remainder of such term.138
	157	+	(e) The board may appoint additional persons, such as representatives from educational139
	158	+	institutions and nongovernmental organizations with specific expertise in disaster140
	159	+	resilience, to serve in an advisory role to the board. Such advisers shall be nonvoting and141
	160	+	shall not be counted toward a quorum.142
	161	+	(f) A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum, and the concurrence of a majority143
	162	+	shall be required for the determination of any matter within its duties.144
	163	+	(g) The chairperson of the board shall be the director of the Georgia Emergency145
	164	+	Management and Homeland Security Agency or his or her designee. At the initial meeting146
	165	+	of the board, the board shall elect from its membership a vice chairperson and a secretary147
	166	+	S. B. 264
	167	+	- 6 - 25 LC 56 0344
	168	+	and a treasurer. The board may combine the two latter offices and designate the combined148
	169	+	office as secretary-treasurer.149
	170	+	(h) The board of directors shall promulgate bylaws and may adopt other procedures for150
	171	+	governing its affairs and for discharging its duties as may be permitted or required by law151
	172	+	or applicable rules and regulations.152
	173	+	(i) The board shall meet no less than once each calendar quarter at a time and place153
	174	+	designated by the chairperson.154
	175	+	38-3-203.155
	176	+	(a) There is established the position of chief resilience officer who shall be the156
	177	+	administrative head of the office.157
	178	+	(b) The chairperson of the board shall nominate a chief resilience officer, subject to158
	179	+	approval by the board.159
	180	+	(c) The chairperson of the board shall establish the salary of the chief resilience officer,160
	181	+	subject to approval by the board, and the salary of such officer shall be drawn from the161
	182	+	general budget of the office.162
	183	+	(d) The chief resilience officer shall serve at the pleasure of the board. The chief resilience163
	184	+	officer, with the concurrence and approval of the chairperson of the board, shall:164
	185	+	(1) Serve as coordinator of all economic and community resilience planning and165
	186	+	implementation efforts, including, but not limited to, resilience programs and activities166
	187	+	in this state;167
	188	+	(2) Hire officers, agents, and employees; prescribe their duties, responsibilities, and168
	189	+	qualifications; set their salaries; and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by169
	190	+	the office. Such officers, agents, and employees shall serve at the pleasure of the chief170
	191	+	resilience officer;171
	192	+	S. B. 264
	193	+	- 7 - 25 LC 56 0344
	194	+	(3) Coordinate an annual review of the state-wide resilience plan and update the plan no172
	195	+	less than biennially, with updates due to the board no later than September 30 in173
	196	+	even-numbered years;174
	197	+	(4) Report to the General Assembly at least annually regarding progress developing and175
	198	+	implementing a state-wide resilience plan and improving interagency coordination;176
	199	+	(5) Coordinate planning of resilience projects with federal agencies;177
	200	+	(6) Establish a public website, which shall be the public dissemination of relevant178
	201	+	information relevant to state-wide resilience efforts;179
	202	+	(7) Establish and facilitate regular communication between federal, state, local, and180
	203	+	private sector agencies and organizations to further economic and disaster resilience;181
	204	+	(8) Execute cooperative agreements, where appropriate, between the office and the182
	205	+	federal and state governments; and183
	206	+	(9) Contract, where appropriate, on behalf of the office, with the federal government and184
	207	+	its instrumentalities and agencies; any state or territory or the District of Columbia and185
	208	+	instrumentalities or agencies thereof; municipalities; foreign governments; public bodies;186
	209	+	private corporations; partnerships; associations; and individuals."187
	210	+	SECTION 2.188
	211	+	All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.189
	212	+	S. B. 264
207	213		- 8 -