HB359: HB359 Cedartown, City of; Redevelopment Powers Law; provide for a referendum

Georgia law allows cities to take on special redevelopment powers, such as creating tax allocation districts and issuing tax allocation bonds to fund redevelopment projects, but only if the state legislature authorizes a specific city to use them under the state constitution and the Redevelopment Powers Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 44 of Title 36). This bill authorizes the City of Cedartown to exercise those full redevelopment powers. The authorization only takes effect if Cedartown voters approve it in a referendum held on the Tuesday after the third Tuesday in March 2025. If voters approve, the redevelopment powers become effective immediately. If voters reject it, or the election is not held as required, the authorization never takes effect and the bill automatically repeals itself the following January 1. The city must pay for the election and publish notice of it in Polk County's official legal newspaper.

• Authorizes the City of Cedartown to use all powers under Georgia's Redevelopment Powers Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 44 of Title 36), including creating tax allocation districts and issuing tax allocation bonds.
• Requires a local referendum where Cedartown voters must approve or reject the authorization before it can take effect.
• Sets the referendum date as the Tuesday after the third Tuesday in March 2025 and requires public notice of the election in Polk County's legal organ.
• Makes Section 1 (the grant of redevelopment powers) effective immediately if a majority of voters approve it.
• Automatically repeals the bill on the following January 1 if voters reject it or the election is not properly held.
• Requires the election superintendent to certify the results to the Georgia Secretary of State and requires Cedartown to pay the election's costs.

Registered voters in the City of Cedartown, who will decide the outcome in the referendum; Cedartown's city government, which would gain new redevelopment financing tools; and Polk County's election superintendent, who must run and publicize the vote.

If voters approve, Cedartown could pursue redevelopment projects using tax allocation districts and bonds, tools other Georgia cities already use to fund infrastructure and revitalization without raising general property tax rates. If voters reject it, the city gains no new powers and the law expires.

• Section 1 grants Cedartown authority to exercise all powers under the Redevelopment Powers Law and the related state constitutional provision (Article IX, Section II, Paragraph VII(b)), including creating tax allocation districts and issuing bonds.
• Section 2 requires a referendum on the Tuesday after the third Tuesday in March 2025, with notice published 90 days before and weekly for two weeks before the vote in Polk County's official legal newspaper.
• Section 2 specifies the exact ballot language voters will see and states that a simple majority 'yes' vote makes Section 1 effective immediately.
• Section 2 provides that if voters reject the measure or the election is not properly conducted, the entire Act is automatically repealed the following January 1.
• Section 3 sets the bill's general effective date as the date the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law, except for the referendum-dependent provisions in Section 2.
• Section 4 repeals any existing laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2025-02-25Effective Date 2025-02-25
2. 2025-02-25Act 2
3. 2025-02-25House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-02-24House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-02-19Senate Transmitted House (Senate)
6. 2025-02-19Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
7. 2025-02-19Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
8. 2025-02-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 13, 2025

   163 yea, 0 nay (11 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #32

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 19, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #62

• Cedartown
• redevelopment powers
• tax allocation districts
• local referendum
• Polk County