SB182: SB182 "Georgia Music Office and Music Ready Communities Act"; enact

Georgia currently has no dedicated state office focused on growing the music industry. This bill, called the 'Georgia Music Office and Music Ready Communities Act,' would add a new article to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated creating the Georgia Music Office within the Department of Community Affairs. The office would be led by a director chosen by the commissioner of community affairs, who must have at least five years of music industry experience. The office's duties include promoting Georgia's music industry, acting as a business development and information clearinghouse, connecting music professionals with local contacts, publicizing music events and heritage, and liaising with other government agencies on workforce, education, and tourism matters. The bill also lets the office certify cities and counties as 'Music Friendly Georgia Certified Communities' if they host an educational workshop and form a local advisory board. Rulemaking and program implementation are made subject to funding approved by the General Assembly.

• Creates the Georgia Music Office within the Department of Community Affairs to promote and grow the state's music industry.
• Requires the commissioner of community affairs to appoint a director with at least five years of music industry experience to lead the office.
• Directs the office to serve as a business promotion and information clearinghouse, connecting music professionals with contacts, locations, and development resources in Georgia.
• Establishes a certification process letting cities and counties become 'Music Friendly Georgia Certified Communities' after hosting a workshop and forming a local advisory board.
• Authorizes the Department of Community Affairs to adopt rules and regulations for the office, but only subject to funding approved by the General Assembly.

The Department of Community Affairs and its commissioner, the new office's future director and staff, Georgia musicians and music businesses, local city and county governments seeking certification, and agencies handling workforce development, education, and tourism that the office would coordinate with.

If enacted, Georgia would gain a dedicated state office to market its music industry, help businesses relocate, and publicize festivals and heritage sites. Local governments could gain a formal certification and advisory structure aimed at attracting music-related economic activity, though the office's actual work depends on future state funding.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Georgia Music Office and Music Ready Communities Act.'
• Section 2 adds Article 14 to Chapter 8 of Title 50, creating O.C.G.A. § 50-8-310 through § 50-8-312.
• O.C.G.A. § 50-8-310 defines key terms including 'coordinate,' 'implementation,' 'marketing,' and 'office.'
• O.C.G.A. § 50-8-311 establishes the office, requires a director with music industry experience, lists ten specific duties, and creates the Music Friendly Georgia Certified Communities program for cities and counties.
• O.C.G.A. § 50-8-311(d) assigns the office to the Department of Community Affairs for administrative purposes only.
• O.C.G.A. § 50-8-312 makes the department's rulemaking and marketing authority for the office contingent on funding approved by the General Assembly.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
3. 2025-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)
4. 2025-02-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
5. 2025-02-26Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
6. 2025-02-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
7. 2025-02-14Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)Primary sponsor
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)

• music industry
• economic development
• Department of Community Affairs
• local government certification
• tourism