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Georgia sets local permit review timelines, requires voter approval to abolish certain county police forces, and mandates online tracking
Original title: Local government; require adoption of a resolution or ordinance and voter approval prior to abolishment of a police force that was created by such method
Last action · April 2, 2026: Senate Passed/Adopted By SubstituteSponsors: Rob Clifton and 5 others
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law
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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.
What This Bill Would Do
Georgia law establishes strict review timelines for building and land-disturbing permits, requires mandatory fee refunds for missed deadlines, mandates public online tracking for permits by large local governments starting January 1, 2028, and requires voter approval via referendum before abolishing certain county police forces.
Why it matters
Changes the legal obligations and operational deadlines for local governments handling construction permits and police forces, while providing builders and property owners with clear recourse including and fee refunds for delayed reviews.
Background
- The General Assembly of Georgia considers legislation affecting local government operations, county police forces, and municipal building permit processes. context
- This substitute bill combines provisions regarding building permit review timeframes, private professional inspections, county police force abolition procedures, public meeting teleconferencing, and online permit status tracking. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
Local issuing authorities
Must adhere to statutory review timelines, refund fees for missed deadlines, maintain online permit tracking websites by 2028, and follow specific rules for permit denials.
Directly affected
Building permit applicants
Benefit from mandatory review timeframes, written reasons for permit denials, fee refunds for delayed reviews, and the ability to seek expedited mandamus relief in superior court.
Directly affected
Qualified electors in counties with police forces
Must vote in a referendum to approve or reject any local resolution or ordinance seeking to abolish a county police force.
Key Facts
- Local issuing authorities must accept approved inspection reports from private professional providers without further inspection unless notified of deficiencies within two business days.
- Land-disturbing permit applications must be issued or denied within 45 days of filing, and resubmitted applications within 20 days (first resubmission) or 14 days (subsequent).
- Local issuing authorities failing to issue or deny a permit within the required timeframe must refund all associated application fees.
- Applicants aggrieved by a local issuing authority's failure to comply with permit requirements may petition the superior court for expedited mandamus relief.
Show all 7 facts
- A county police force created by resolution or ordinance and approved by voters can only be abolished through a new county resolution or ordinance approved by a majority of qualified electors in a special election.
- Local governments issuing more than 250 building permits annually must maintain a publicly accessible, free website providing real-time status information for all building permits beginning January 1, 2028.
- Temporary municipal or county moratoria on permits or zoning decisions shall not apply to properties that have received official written approval for a specific development scope or unrelated permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a local government misses the deadline to review a permit?
The local issuing authority is required to refund all fees collected in association with the permit application.
Can a county abolish its police force without voter approval?
No, if the county police force was originally created through a resolution or ordinance and approved by voters, it can only be abolished by passing a new resolution or ordinance and obtaining approval from a majority of qualified electors in a special election.
When must large local governments provide online permit status tracking?
Beginning January 1, 2028, local governments that issued more than 250 building permits in the preceding calendar year must maintain a website providing real-time permit status information.
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
16 actions- Apr 2, 2026SenateSenate Taken from Table
- Apr 2, 2026SenateSenate Third Read
- Apr 2, 2026SenateFloorSenate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
- Mar 31, 2026SenateSenate Third Read
- Mar 31, 2026SenateSenate Tabled
- Mar 27, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
Show 10 earlier actions
- Jan 12, 2026SenateSenate Recommitted
- Mar 21, 2025SenateSenate Read Second Time
- Mar 20, 2025SenateCommitteeSenate Committee Favorably Reported
- Mar 6, 2025SenateIntroducedSenate Read and Referred
- Mar 4, 2025HouseHouse Third Readers
- Mar 4, 2025HouseFloorHouse Passed/Adopted
- Feb 20, 2025HouseCommitteeHouse Committee Favorably Reported
- Feb 11, 2025HouseHouse Second Readers
- Feb 10, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse First Readers
- Feb 6, 2025HouseIntroducedHouse Hopper
Version history & redline
4 versions on fileComparing Sen Ctee Sub LC 62 0525S → SCSFA to HB 309
removed addedOfficial text
26 removed: LC 62 0525S
The Senate Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations - General
offered the following substitute to HB removed: 309:
added: 309/SCSFA
SENATE SUBSTITUTE TO HB 309
ADOPTED SENATE
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Title 8, Title 12, added: Title 50, and Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to buildings and housing, conservation and natural resources, and local government, respectively, so
[…]
to building permit application status; to provide that local moratoria shall not apply to certain properties in certain circumstances; to provide for definitions; to added: amend Code Section 50-14-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to meetings open to the public, limitation on action to contest agency action, recording, notice of time and place, access to minutes, and teleconference, so as to revise a provision authorizing community service boards to conduct teleconference meetings under certain circumstances; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Title
[…]
or where such local government issued permits not related to the matters subject to the moratorium for the development of such property." SECTION 8. added: Code Section 50-14-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to meetings open to the public, limitation on action to contest agency action, recording, notice of time and place, access to minutes, and teleconference, is amended by revising subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subsection (h) as follows: "(h)(1) The following bodies and committees thereof shall be authorized to conduct meetings by teleconference, provided that any such meeting shall be considered to be conducted in compliance with this chapter so long as the notice required by this chapter is provided and, if fewer than a quorum of the members of a body or committee thereof are physically present, means have been afforded for the public to have simultaneous access to the teleconference meeting: (A) Development Authorities created pursuant to or authorized by the provisions of Chapter 41 or Chapter 61 of Title 36, development authorities created pursuant to or authorized by the provisions of Chapter 42 or Chapter 62 of Title 36, by or pursuant to Article IX, Section VI, Paragraph III of the Georgia Constitution, or by or pursuant to any amendment to the Constitution continued pursuant to the authority of Article XI, Section I, Paragraph IV of the Constitution;" SECTION 9. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →
Voting Record
Outcome not reportedOfficial roll call ↗
PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE
Total
54
- Yes
- 47
- No
- 0
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 3
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 4
How they voted (54)
Blake TilleryParty not recordednot voting
Frank GinnParty not recordedyes
John AlbersParty not recordedyes
Carden SummersParty not recordedyes
Ed SetzlerParty not recordedyes
Drew EcholsParty not recordedyes
Chuck PayneParty not recordedyes
Steven McNeelParty not recordedyes
Kay KirkpatrickParty not recordedyes
Emanuel JonesParty not recordedyes
Brian StricklandParty not recordedyes
Sam WatsonParty not recordedyes
Jason AnavitarteParty not recordedyes
RaShaun KempParty not recordedyes
Freddie Powell SimsParty not recordedexcused
Lee AndersonParty not recordedyes
Ed HarbisonParty not recordedyes
Harold JonesParty not recordedyes
Tonya AndersonParty not recordednot voting
Gail DavenportParty not recordednot voting
Sheikh RahmanParty not recordedexcused
Sally HarrellParty not recordedyes
Jaha HowardParty not recordedyes
Derek MallowParty not recordedyes
30 more members
Clint DixonParty not recordedyes
Sonya HalpernParty not recordedyes
Elena ParentParty not recordedyes
Russ GoodmanParty not recordedyes
Josh McLaurinParty not recordedexcused
Mike HodgesParty not recordedyes
Max BurnsParty not recordedyes
Jason DickersonParty not recordedyes
Doc RhettParty not recordedyes
Nikki MerrittParty not recordedyes
Donzella JamesParty not recordedyes
Greg DolezalParty not recordedyes
Shawn StillParty not recordedyes
Bill CowsertParty not recordedyes
Matt BrassParty not recordedyes
Randy RobertsonParty not recordedyes
Bo HatchettParty not recordedyes
Ben WatsonParty not recordedyes
Steve GoochParty not recordedexcused
David LucasParty not recordedyes
Nan OrrockParty not recordedyes
Kenya WicksParty not recordedyes
Billy HickmanParty not recordedyes
Kim JacksonParty not recordedyes
Marty HarbinParty not recordedyes
Chuck HufstetlerParty not recordedyes
Larry WalkerParty not recordedyes
Rick WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Tim BeardenParty not recordedyes
Randal ManghamParty not recordedyes
Show 1 earlier roll call
Outcome not reportedOfficial roll call ↗
PASSAGE
Total
174
- Yes
- 165
- No
- 3
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 4
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 2
How they voted (174)
Miriam ParisParty not recordedyes
Katie DempseyParty not recordednot voting
Marvin LimParty not recordedyes
Mack JacksonParty not recordedyes
Kasey CarpenterParty not recordedexcused
Inga WillisParty not recordedyes
Leesa HaganParty not recordedyes
Karen MathiakParty not recordedyes
Carter BarrettParty not recordedyes
Matt ReevesParty not recordedyes
Robert FlournoyParty not recordedyes
Robert DawsonParty not recordedyes
Jesse PetreaParty not recordedyes
Arlene BecklesParty not recordedyes
David WilkersonParty not recordedyes
David HuddlestonParty not recordedyes
Mary Margaret OliverParty not recordedyes
Floyd GriffinParty not recordedyes
Scott HolcombParty not recordedyes
Todd JonesParty not recordedyes
El-Mahdi HollyParty not recordedyes
Tim FlemingParty not recordedyes
Holt PersingerParty not recordedyes
Eric BellParty not recordedyes
150 more members
Dar'shun KendrickParty not recordedyes
Terry CummingsParty not recordedyes
Danny MathisParty not recordedyes
John CorbettParty not recordedyes
Matt DubnikParty not recordedyes
Jon BurnsParty not recordednot voting
Karen LuptonParty not recordedyes
Phil OlaleyeParty not recordedyes
Bill WerkheiserParty not recordedyes
Ruwa RommanParty not recordedyes
Mike CameronParty not recordedyes
Carolyn HugleyParty not recordedyes
Charlice ByrdParty not recordedyes
Steven MeeksParty not recordedyes
Lisa CampbellParty not recordedyes
Lee HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Ginny EhrhartParty not recordedyes
Chris ErwinParty not recordedyes
Noelle KahaianParty not recordedyes
Sandy DonatucciParty not recordedyes
Joe CampbellParty not recordedyes
Stacey EvansParty not recordedyes
Eddie LumsdenParty not recordedyes
Scott HiltonParty not recordedyes
Michelle AuParty not recordedyes
Darlene TaylorParty not recordedyes
Viola DavisParty not recordedyes
L.C. MylesParty not recordedyes
Steven SainzParty not recordedyes
Angela MooreParty not recordedyes
Soo HongParty not recordedyes
Regina Lewis-WardParty not recordedyes
Chas CannonParty not recordedyes
Carl GilliardParty not recordedyes
Karlton HowardParty not recordedyes
Sylvia Wayfer BakerParty not recordedyes
Chuck MartinParty not recordedyes
Doreen CarterParty not recordedyes
Lehman FranklinParty not recordedyes
Mekyah McQueenParty not recordedyes
Rick TownsendParty not recordedyes
Steve TarvinParty not recordedyes
Matthew GambillParty not recordedyes
Kimberly AlexanderParty not recordedyes
Matt BartonParty not recordedyes
Jan JonesParty not recordedyes
Rick JasperseParty not recordedyes
Don ParsonsParty not recordedyes
Buddy DeLoachParty not recordedyes
Gary RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Kimberly NewParty not recordedyes
Rhonda TaylorParty not recordedyes
Lynn SmithParty not recordedyes
Sheila JonesParty not recordedyes
Patty Marie StinsonParty not recordedyes
David SampsonParty not recordednot voting
Lauren McDonaldParty not recordedyes
Shea RobertsParty not recordedyes
Stan GunterParty not recordedyes
Derrick JacksonParty not recordedyes
Brian PrinceParty not recordedyes
Josh BonnerParty not recordedyes
Segun AdeyinaParty not recordedyes
Ron StephensParty not recordedyes
Dale WashburnParty not recordedyes
Robert DickeyParty not recordedyes
Bruce WilliamsonParty not recordedyes
Derrick McCollumParty not recordedyes
Trey RhodesParty not recordedyes
Chuck EfstrationParty not recordedyes
Trey KelleyParty not recordedyes
Jasmine ClarkParty not recordedyes
Rhonda BurnoughParty not recordedyes
Shaw BlackmonParty not recordedyes
Beth CampParty not recordedyes
Clint CroweParty not recordedyes
Jutt HowardParty not recordedyes
Park CannonParty not recordedno
Yasmin NealParty not recordedyes
Debra BazemoreParty not recordedyes
Carmen RiceParty not recordedyes
Bryce BerryParty not recordedyes
Sandra ScottParty not recordedyes
Rob LeverettParty not recordedyes
Anne WestbrookParty not recordedyes
James BurchettParty not recordedyes
Rey MartinezParty not recordedyes
Johnny ChastainParty not recordedyes
Michael SmithParty not recordedno
Gabe OkoyeParty not recordedyes
Dewey McClainParty not recordedyes
Bill HitchensParty not recordedyes
David ClarkParty not recordedyes
Vance SmithParty not recordedyes
Edna JacksonParty not recordedyes
Gabriel SanchezParty not recordedno
Jaclyn FordParty not recordedyes
Teddy ReeseParty not recordedyes
Brad ThomasParty not recordedyes
Demetrius DouglasParty not recordedyes
Spencer FryeParty not recordedyes
Joseph GullettParty not recordedyes
Solomon AdesanyaParty not recordedyes
Will WadeParty not recordedyes
Matt HatchettParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann SantosParty not recordedexcused
Tangie HerringParty not recordedyes
Kim SchofieldParty not recordedyes
Billy MitchellParty not recordedyes
Jason RidleyParty not recordedyes
Alan PowellParty not recordedyes
Debbie BucknerParty not recordedyes
Bill YeartaParty not recordedyes
Houston GainesParty not recordedyes
Victor AndersonParty not recordedyes
Tyler SmithParty not recordedyes
Karla DrennerParty not recordedyes
Tanya MillerParty not recordedyes
Gerald GreeneParty not recordedyes
Emory DunahooParty not recordedyes
Mitchell ScogginsParty not recordedyes
Long TranParty not recordedyes
Sharon HendersonParty not recordedyes
Martin MomtahanParty not recordedyes
Jordan RidleyParty not recordedyes
Sharon CooperParty not recordedyes
Mary Frances WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Lydia GlaizeParty not recordedyes
Imani BarnesParty not recordedyes
David JenkinsParty not recordedyes
Nissa JonesParty not recordedyes
Mike CheokasParty not recordedyes
Devan SeabaughParty not recordedyes
John CarsonParty not recordedyes
Deborah SilcoxParty not recordedyes
Omari CrawfordParty not recordedyes
Betsy HollandParty not recordednot voting
Brent CoxParty not recordedyes
Esther PanitchParty not recordedyes
Bethany BallardParty not recordedyes
Al WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Sam ParkParty not recordedyes
Rob CliftonParty not recordedyes
Butch ParrishParty not recordedyes
Saira DraperParty not recordedyes
Noel WilliamsParty not recordedyes
Angie O'SteenParty not recordedyes
Mitchell HornerParty not recordedyes
John LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Mark NewtonParty not recordedyes
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Wiedower, Marcus 121stHouseCosponsorNo profile match
Show 1 more sponsor
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift95% confidence
Mandatory Permit Tracking Mandate
The bill introduces a future-dated mandate (January 1, 2028) requiring high-volume local governments to implement real-time public online permit tracking.
Connected Entities
OrganizationDepartment of Community Affairs“State agency determining developments of regional impact”Map →
Sources
Open source document
www.legis.ga.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy35Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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