--- title: HB 513. Local government; criteria for service delivery strategy; revise provisions collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb513 cite_as: HB 513, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb513 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb513.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb513/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70486 date: 2025-05-14 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb512.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb514.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1290 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb513.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 513 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-14 last_action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 sponsors: - John LaHood - Victor Anderson - James Burchett - John Corbett - Brian Prince - Max Burns text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB513/2025 upstream_id: 1976357 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - local government funding - service delivery agreements - county and city cost sharing - gas station surveillance rules - property taxes and fees --- # HB 513. Local government; criteria for service delivery strategy; revise provisions ## Text 25 HB 513/AP House Bill 513 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives LaHood of the 175th, Anderson of the 10th, Burchett of the 176th, Corbett of the 174th, and Prince of the 132nd A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 60 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1 general provisions applicable to counties and municipal corpora tions, so as to authorize2 continuance of existing local ordinances related to video surve illance at gas stations; to3 amend Article 2 of Chapter 70 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating4 to service delivery, so as to revise provisions related to the county share of funding for jointly5 funded county-wide services be borne by unincorporated resident s; to provide for annual6 reports thereof; to provide for review and revisions to approve d strategies; to provide for7 related matters; to provide for effective dates; to repeal conf licting laws; and for other8 purposes.9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 SECTION 1.11 Chapter 60 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotate d, relating to general12 provisions applicable to counties and municipal corporations, is amended by revising Code13 Section 36-60-32, relating to video surveillance equipment at locations where the retail sale14 of automotive gasoline occurs, as follows:15 "36-60-32.16 H. B. 513 - 1 - 25 HB 513/AP A county, municipal corporation, or consolidated government sha ll not require the17 placement of video surveillance equipment in the interior or ex terior of any business or18 location where the retail sale of automotive gasoline, as that term is defined in Code19 Section 10-1-232, occurs; provided, however, that a county, mun icipal corporation, or20 consolidated government which, prior to May 6, 2024, has adopted one or more ordinances21 related to the placement of video surveillance equipment at any business or location where22 the retail sale of automotive gasoline occurs is authorized to continue regulating the23 placement of said video surveillance equipment pursuant to any such ordinances adopted24 prior to May 6, 2024."25 SECTION 2.26 Article 2 of Chapter 70 of Title 36 of the Official Code of Geo rgia Annotated, relating to27 service delivery, is amended by revising Code Section 36-70-24, relating to criteria for28 service delivery strategy, as such Code section becomes effecti ve on January 1, 2026, as29 follows:30 "36-70-24.31 In the development of a service delivery strategy, the following criteria shall be met:32 (1) The strategy shall promote the delivery of local governmen t services in the most33 efficient, effective, and responsive manner. The strategy shall identify steps which will34 be taken to remediate or avoid overlapping and unnecessary competition and duplication35 of service delivery and shall identify the time frame in which such steps shall be taken. 36 When a municipality provides a service at a higher level than t he base level of service37 provided throughout the geographic area of the county by the county, such service shall38 not be considered a duplication of the county service;39 (2)(A) The strategy shall provide that water or sewer fees charged to customers located40 outside the geographic boundaries of a service provider shall not be arbitrarily higher41 H. B. 513 - 2 - 25 HB 513/AP than the fees charged to customers receiving such service which are located within the42 geographic boundaries of the service provider.43 (B) If a governing authority disputes the reasonableness of wa ter and sewer rate44 differentials imposed within its jurisdiction by another govern ing authority, that45 disputing governing authority may hold a public hearing for the purpose of reviewing46 the rate differential. Following the preparation of a rate study by a qualified engineer,47 the governing authority may challenge the arbitrary rate differ entials on behalf of its48 residents in a court of competent jurisdiction. Prior to such challenge, the dispute shall49 be submitted to some form of alternative dispute resolution;50 (3)(A) The strategy shall ensure that the cost of any service which a county provides51 primarily for the benefit of the unincorporated area of the county shall be borne by the52 unincorporated area residents, individuals, and property owners who receive the53 service. Further, when the county and one or more municipaliti es jointly fund a54 county-wide service, the county share of such funding shall be borne by the55 unincorporated residents, individuals, and property owners that receive the service.56 (B) Such funding shall be derived from:57 (i) Any one or more of the following sources:58 (i)(I) Special service districts created by the county in which ad valorem property59 taxes, assessments, or user fees are levied or imposed;60 (ii)(II) Grants;61 (iii)(III) Any one or more of the following taxes and fees: solid w aste franchise62 fees, cable C a b l e franchise fees, alcohol excise taxes, alcohol licensing fees,63 financial institution taxes, hotel-motel taxes, occupation taxes, railroad equipment64 taxes, insurance premium taxes, rental car excise taxes, impact fees, stormwater65 fees, zoning fees, or title ad valorem taxes, but excluding any amounts of such taxes66 or and fees to the extent such amount is derived from incorporated ar eas of the67 county; and68 H. B. 513 - 3 - 25 HB 513/AP (iv)(IV) Revenues apportioned to the county as part of an intergovernm ental69 agreement from the county and one or more municipalities; or70 (v)(ii) Through such other mechanism agreed upon by the parties appro ving the71 strategy which complies with the intent of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph; and.72 (C)(i) The strategy shall require the county to provide an annual report to each party73 to the strategy that:74 (I) Identifies the total amount of funds received by the count y from the funding75 sources utilized under division (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (B) of this paragraph for76 the provision of county services provided primarily for the ben efit of the77 unincorporated area of the county and the county's share of any countywide service78 funded with one or more municipalities; and79 (II) The total cost to the county of providing the services de scribed in80 subdivision (I) of this division.81 (ii) The provisions of this subparagraph shall not require any party to the strategy to82 establish separate accounts for such funds; and83 (4)(A) Local governments within the same county shall, if necessary, amend their land84 use plans so that such plans are compatible and nonconflicting, or, as an alternative,85 they shall adopt a single land use plan for the unincorporated and incorporated areas of86 the county.87 (B) The provision of extraterritorial water and sewer services by any jurisdiction shall88 be consistent with all applicable land use plans and ordinances."89 SECTION 3.90 Said article is further amended by revising Code Section 36-70- 28, relating to review and91 revision of approved strategy, as such Code section becomes effective on January 1, 2026,92 as follows:93 "36-70-28.94 H. B. 513 - 4 - 25 HB 513/AP (a) As used in this Code section, the term 'affected municipality' means the county seat and95 each municipality of at least 500 persons.96 (b) In addition to the ten-year update required by paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code97 Section 36-70-21, each county and affected municipality shall r eview and revise the98 approved strategy:99 (1) Whenever necessary due to changes in revenue distribution arrangements;100 (2) In the event of the creation, abolition, or consolidation of local governments;101 (3) When the existing service delivery strategy agreement expires; and102 (4) Whenever the county and affected municipalities agree to revise the strategy.103 (b.1)(1) In the event that a change in service delivery or rev enue distribution104 arrangements affects less than all of the local governments that are parties to the approved105 strategy, an amendment to the strategy limited to such changed service or services or106 revenue distribution arrangements between only those specific l ocal governments may107 be submitted solely by the affected local governments and witho ut the approval of the108 other nonimpacted county and affected municipalities in the cou nty whose approval109 would otherwise be required under subsection (b) of Code Section 36-70-25.110 (2) Any amendments to the approved strategy or revenue distribution arrangement which111 affect less than all of the local governments that are parties to the approved strategy shall112 be subject to review and revision whenever the service delivery strategy affecting the113 county and all municipalities within the county becomes subject to review and revision114 under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 36-70-21 or subsection (b) of this115 Code section.116 (c) No amendment to Code Section 36-70-24 made by the General Assembly shall117 constitute an event necessitating review and revision to an app roved strategy under118 subsection (b) of this Code section.119 (d) In the event that a county or an affected municipality located within the county refuses120 to review and revise a strategy in accordance with paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this121 H. B. 513 - 5 - 25 HB 513/AP Code section, then any of the parties may use the mediation or nonbinding arbitration122 processes provided for in this article."123 SECTION 4.124 (a) Section 1 of this Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025.125 (b) Sections 2 and 3 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.126 SECTION 5.127 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.128 H. B. 513 - 6 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 513 lets local governments keep older ordinances on gas station video cameras and changes how counties split costs for shared services with cities before new service delivery rules take effect in 2026. ### Plain-language summary Georgia currently bars counties and cities from requiring gas stations to install video surveillance cameras, but an earlier exception let governments keep ordinances adopted before May 6, 2024. This bill confirms that exception continues to apply to any pre-2024 ordinance regulating where such cameras are placed. The bill also revises Georgia's service delivery strategy law (O.C.G.A. § 36-70-24), which takes effect January 1, 2026, and governs how counties and cities coordinate and pay for shared local services. It clarifies that when a county and one or more cities jointly fund a county-wide service, the county's share of that funding must come from unincorporated area residents and property owners, not city residents who already pay for the service through their municipality. It also requires counties to file an annual report showing how much funding they received and spent on these services, and it clarifies when local governments must review and revise their service agreements. Section 1 takes effect July 1, 2025; Sections 2 and 3 take effect January 1, 2026. ### What it does - Confirms that counties, cities, and consolidated governments may keep enforcing gas station video surveillance ordinances adopted before May 6, 2024, even though such requirements are otherwise banned. - Requires that when a county and cities jointly fund a county-wide service, the county's funding share be paid for by unincorporated area residents, individuals, and property owners. - Expands the list of allowable funding sources for county services, including cable franchise fees and other taxes, while excluding amounts derived from incorporated (city) areas. - Requires counties to give each party to a service delivery strategy an annual report showing funds received and total costs for county services and joint county-wide services. - Clarifies that amendments the General Assembly makes to the service delivery criteria law itself do not trigger a required review and revision of an already approved strategy. - Sets different effective dates: July 1, 2025 for the gas station camera provision and January 1, 2026 for the service delivery changes. ### Who it affects County and municipal governments across Georgia, unincorporated area residents and property owners who fund county services, city residents who share jointly funded county-wide services, and gas stations subject to older local video surveillance ordinances. ### Why it matters The bill changes who effectively pays for shared county services, shifting more of the cost burden for jointly funded county-wide services onto unincorporated area taxpayers, and adds a reporting requirement so cities can see how counties are spending shared funds. It also preserves a narrow set of local camera rules at gas stations. ### Key provisions - Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 36-60-32 so local governments can keep enforcing gas station video surveillance ordinances adopted before May 6, 2024. - Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 36-70-24 to require that the county's share of jointly funded county-wide services be borne by unincorporated area residents and property owners. - Section 2 expands funding sources counties can use, including cable franchise fees, alcohol taxes, hotel-motel taxes, and title ad valorem taxes, excluding amounts from incorporated areas. - Section 2 requires counties to submit an annual report to each party to the service delivery strategy detailing funds received and total service costs. - Section 3 revises O.C.G.A. § 36-70-28 to clarify that General Assembly amendments to the service delivery criteria law do not by themselves require a strategy review. - Section 4 sets the gas station ordinance provision effective July 1, 2025, and the service delivery provisions effective January 1, 2026. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-14) - Last action: Effective Date 2025-07-01 (2025-05-14) - Sponsors: John LaHood, Victor Anderson, James Burchett, John Corbett, Brian Prince, Max Burns - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70486 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,290 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb513.md?full=1