Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia Senate Bill SR282 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 39 4680
2	2	Senate Resolution 282
3	3	By: Senators Bearden of the 30th, Albers of the 56th, Hodges of the 3rd, Williams of the
4	4	25th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd and others
5	5	A RESOLUTION
6	6	Creating the Joint Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Sustainability;
7	7	1
8	8	and for other purposes.2
9	9	WHEREAS, the State of Georgia's current 9-1-1 funding model was created and authorized3
10	10	by the Georgia General Assembly in 1977, at a time when almost every home and business4
11	11	had landline telephone service; and5
12	12	WHEREAS, the current telecommunications landscape has changed substantially since 19776
13	13	and now the number of mobile phones and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) accounts7
14	14	outnumber the landline telephones in service in this state; and8
15	15	WHEREAS, in 1977, the General Assembly established a maximum fee of $1.50 per landline9
16	16	telephone to be used for funding 9-1-1 centers; and10
17	17	WHEREAS, the number of telephones in use statewide, regardless of the technology utilized,11
18	18	has increased significantly since 1977; and12
19	19	WHEREAS, technologies are on the horizon that will allow 9-1-1 centers to be contacted by13
20	20	data sessions and text messages originating from mobile telephones and other devices; and14
21	21	S. R. 282
22	22	- 1 - 25 LC 39 4680
23	23	WHEREAS, Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia
24	24	15
25	25	Annotated, the "Georgia Emergency Telephone Number 9-1-1 Service Act of 1977," which16
26	26	provides for 9-1-1 funding, has been amended several times since 1977 in an attempt to keep17
27	27	up with changes in technology; and18
28	28	WHEREAS, most of the calls to 9-1-1 centers today originate from mobile telephones and19
29	29	other devices; and20
30	30	WHEREAS, the funding mechanism for 9-1-1 centers may need to be updated to reflect21
31	31	today's environment; and22
32	32	WHEREAS, a comprehensive review of this state's 9-1-1 funding provisions is needed in23
33	33	order to study and identify any reforms necessary to provide adequate funding for24
34	34	maintaining effective and efficient 9-1-1 centers in order to ensure the public safety of all25
35	35	citizens of Georgia.26
36	36	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF27
37	37	GEORGIA:28
38	38	(1) Creation of joint study committee. There is created the Joint Study Committee on29
39	39	Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Sustainability.30
40	40	(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of the following31
41	41	members:32
42	42	(A) The President of the Senate shall appoint five members of the Senate as members33
43	43	of the committee, one of whom shall be a member of the Senate Regulated Industries34
44	44	and Utilities Committee and one of whom shall be a member of the Senate Public35
45	45	Safety Committee. The President of the Senate shall also designate one of such36
46	46	members as cochairperson;37
47	47	S. R. 282
48	48	- 2 - 25 LC 39 4680
49	49	(B) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint five members of the
50	50	38
51	51	House of Representatives as members of the committee, one of whom shall be a39
52	52	member of the House Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications and40
53	53	one of whom shall be a member of the House Committee on Public Safety and41
54	54	Homeland Security. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall also designate42
55	55	one of such members as cochairperson;43
56	56	(C) The executive director of the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority, or44
57	57	his or her designee;45
58	58	(D) The director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security46
59	59	Agency, or his or her designee;47
60	60	(E) The commissioner of the Department of Revenue, or his or her designee; 48
61	61	(F) The president of the Georgia Municipal Association, or his or her designee; and 49
62	62	(E) The president of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, or his or her50
63	63	designee.51
64	64	(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,52
65	65	issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or53
66	66	legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.54
67	67	(4) Meetings. The cochairpersons shall call all meetings of the committee. The55
68	68	committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem56
69	69	necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform57
70	70	its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.58
71	71	(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.59
72	72	(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided60
73	73	for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.61
74	74	(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,62
75	75	or state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the committee,63
76	76	but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their64
77	77	S. R. 282
78	78	- 3 - 25 LC 39 4680
79	79	duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they are reimbursed for
80	80	65
81	81	expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.66
82	82	(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state67
83	83	employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that68
84	84	specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia69
85	85	Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state70
86	86	employees.71
87	87	(D) The allowances and expenses authorized by this resolution shall not be received72
88	88	by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are73
89	89	authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come74
90	90	from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives and Senate; except that funds75
91	91	for the reimbursement of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members,76
92	92	and state employees shall come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to77
93	93	their respective agencies.78
94	94	(6) Report.79
95	95	(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that80
96	96	include suggestions for proposed legislation, the cochairpersons shall file a report of the81
97	97	same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to82
98	98	subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.83
99	99	(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for84
100	100	proposed legislation, the cochairpersons shall file the report, subject to85
101	101	subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.86
102	102	(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of87
103	103	abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 88
104	104	A report so approved shall be signed by the cochairpersons of the committee and filed89
105	105	with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives.90
106	106	S. R. 282
107	107	- 4 - 25 LC 39 4680
108	108	(D) In the absence of an approved report, the cochairpersons may file with the
109	109	91
110	110	Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives copies of the92
111	111	minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.93
112	112	(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.94
113	113	S. R. 282
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