HB51: HB51 Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; finance and perform certain duties for projects relating to natural gas facilities; authorize

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) currently helps local governments finance water, sewer, and solid waste projects. This bill expands GEFA's authority to include natural gas facilities, specifically pipelines, storage tanks, distribution systems, and related equipment used for storing, supplying, and distributing natural gas outside the certified service area of a nonmunicipal gas company as defined under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 46-1-1). The bill updates several definitions in GEFA's governing law (O.C.G.A. § 50-23-4) to add natural gas facilities and services to the list of environmental facilities and services GEFA can support, and adds a definition for a related nongovernmental land conservation entity. It also gives GEFA authority to write its own rules and regulations to carry out its duties, and extends the personal liability protection that already covers officials for local government water and sewer systems to also cover natural gas systems. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.

• Adds natural gas storage, supply, and distribution facilities to the definition of 'environmental facilities' that GEFA can finance and help build.
• Expands the definition of 'environmental services' to include natural gas facilities alongside water, sewer, and solid waste services.
• Grants GEFA the power to create its own rules and regulations to carry out its duties under this law.
• Extends limited personal liability protection for GEFA members, officers, and employees to cover natural gas systems owned by local governments, not just water, sewer, and solid waste systems.
• Adds a new definition for 'nongovernmental entity' covering nonprofits focused on land and natural resource conservation.

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority and its staff and board members; local governments seeking financing for natural gas infrastructure outside areas served by regulated nonmunicipal gas companies; and nonprofit land conservation organizations referenced in the updated definitions.

Local governments outside areas served by regulated gas companies could gain a new state financing tool to build natural gas pipelines and storage systems, similar to existing help with water and sewer projects. It also shields GEFA officials from personal liability tied to those new natural gas projects.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 50-23-4 to add natural gas storage, supply, and distribution infrastructure to the definition of 'environmental facilities,' covering pipelines, storage tanks, and distribution systems outside a nonmunicipal gas company's certified area.
• Section 1 also adds 'natural gas facilities' to the definition of 'environmental services' and defines 'natural gas facility' and 'nongovernmental entity' as new terms.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 50-23-5 to give GEFA's board the power to adopt rules and regulations to carry out the chapter's purposes.
• Section 3 amends O.C.G.A. § 50-23-12 to add natural gas systems to the list of local government facilities for which GEFA officials have limited personal liability.
• Section 4 makes the law effective immediately upon the Governor's signature or upon becoming law without his signature.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2025-02-21Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-02-20House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
6. 2025-02-20House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-13House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
8. 2025-02-06House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)

• James Burchett (R, HD-176)Primary sponsor
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)
• Jaclyn Ford (R, HD-170)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 20, 2025

   120 yea, 55 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #49

• natural gas infrastructure
• Georgia Environmental Finance Authority
• local government financing
• utility regulation