HB 1357: Bulloch County Public Facilities Authority; revenue bonding authority; revise provisions

The Bulloch County Public Facilities Authority was created by a 2020 state law to build and finance public facilities for the county using revenue bonds, which are repaid from the revenue the projects generate rather than general tax dollars. This bill amends that 2020 law to change the definition of a qualifying 'project' and to update the definition of 'revenue bonds.' It also rewrites the section governing the authority's bonding power. The authority can still issue revenue bonds to pay project costs or refund earlier bonds, but the bill adds a new restriction: bonds cannot be issued to finance a project for the Bulloch County School District or any other city or political subdivision within Bulloch County, only for Bulloch County itself. The bill also caps bond maturities at 40 years. The repayment of bonds still comes solely from pledged project revenues and properties.

• Redefines 'project' under the authority's governing law to cover county buildings, facilities, and equipment, and any undertaking permitted by the Revenue Bond Law.
• Updates the definition of 'revenue bonds' to mean bonds issued under this Act.
• Blocks the authority from issuing revenue bonds to finance projects for the Bulloch County School District or any other municipal corporation or political subdivision within Bulloch County besides the county itself.
• Sets a maximum bond maturity of 40 years for any revenue bonds the authority issues.
• Keeps in place the rule that bond repayment comes only from the revenues and properties pledged to those bonds.

The Bulloch County Public Facilities Authority, Bulloch County government, the Bulloch County School District, and any cities or other political subdivisions within Bulloch County that might otherwise have sought financing through the authority's revenue bonds.

By barring the authority from financing projects for the school district or other local governments within the county, the bill limits who can use this bonding tool to Bulloch County government itself. The 40-year cap also sets a firm limit on how long any future bond repayment could stretch.

• Section 1 revises paragraph (3) of the definitions section to define 'project' as county buildings, facilities, and equipment, or any undertaking permitted under the Revenue Bond Law.
• Section 1 also revises paragraph (5) to define 'revenue bonds' as bonds authorized under this Act.
• Section 2 rewrites Section 5 of the 2020 Act to restrict revenue bond financing to Bulloch County, excluding the school district and other local political subdivisions or municipalities in the county.
• Section 2 caps the maturity of any revenue bonds issued by the authority at 40 years.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 560
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-06Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-06Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-03Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-26House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)Primary sponsor
• Jon Burns (R, HD-159)
• Butch Parrish (R, HD-158)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 26, 2026

   158 yea, 0 nay (16 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #569

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #639

• Bulloch County
• local government finance
• revenue bonds
• public facilities authority