Georgia CommonsHB 1459: Local government; allow governing authority of any county or municipal corporation to hold meetings by teleconference
Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action March 3, 2026 · Introduced
The text as LegiScan holds it, read from the PDF the legislature publishes with its margin line numbers, running heads, and page footers removed. Line breaks are joined into paragraphs here; no word is changed.
Underlined words are what the bill adds to current law and struck-through words are what it removes, as the printed bill shows them.
House Bill 1459
By: Representatives Lupton of the 83rd, Drenner of the 85th, Davis of the 87th, Tran of the 80th, and Oliver of the 84th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 14 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to open and public meetings, so as to allow the governing authority of any county or municipal corporation to hold meetings by teleconference; to require such meetings to be viewable by the public and to allow for commentary at such meetings without being physically present; to allow the governing body of any agency whose membership is composed wholly of nonelected members to hold meetings by teleconference; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 14 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to open and public meetings, is amended in Code Section 50-14-1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to meetings to be open to public, limitation on action to contest agency action, recording, notice of time and place, access to minutes, and teleconference, by revising 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 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;
(B) Community improvement districts created pursuant to the provisions of Article IX, Section VII of the Georgia Constitution;
(C) Hospital authorities created pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 7 of Title 31;
(D) The board of trustees or other governing body of any large retirement system as such term is defined in subsection (a) of Code Section 47-20-84;
(E) The board of trustees of any county or regional public library created pursuant to Part 2 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 20; provided, however, that such meetings:
(i) Shall be held at a physical location with at least 50 percent of the board members physically present; and
(ii) Shall provide one or more methods for public viewing of such meetings and providing commentary at such meetings without being physically present at such meetings; and
(F) Community service boards created pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 37; provided, however, that such meetings:
(i) Shall be held at a physical location with at least 50 percent of the board members physically present; and
(ii) Shall provide one or more methods for public viewing of such meetings and providing commentary at such meetings without being physically present at such meetings;
(G) The governing authority of any county or municipal corporation; provided, however, that such meetings provide one or more methods for public viewing of such meetings and providing commentary without being physically present at such meetings. This subparagraph shall apply to meetings which:
(i) Are for the primary purpose of considering zoning related matters for which public hearings are required; or
(ii) Are meetings of a committee of the whole or other committee at which no official action will be taken; and
(H) The governing body of any agency whose membership is composed wholly of nonelected members.
(2) The participation by teleconference of members of such bodies or committees thereof means full participation in the same manner as if such members were physically present. In the event such teleconference meeting is a public hearing, and if fewer than a quorum of the members of a body or committee thereof are physically present, then members of the public shall be afforded the means to participate fully in the same manner as if such members of the public were physically present."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.