HB 575: Transportation, Department of; authorize notice of certain public hearings by electronic publication

House Bill 575 amends several parts of Georgia's transportation code (Title 32). It lets the Department of Transportation publish required public hearing notices electronically instead of only in print newspapers, and requires the department to post hearing notices on its website at least 30 days before a hearing. It also creates a new process letting the department negotiate directly with the governing board of a condominium or homeowners association, rather than every individual owner, when acquiring shared common property such as common areas or elements, and sets rules for how any payment for that property is divided among owners. The bill also authorizes the department to create a towing and recovery program to clear wrecked, abandoned, or disabled vehicles over 16,000 pounds from interstate and limited access highway rights of way, including cleaning up spilled cargo. Finally, it allows the department to cover utility relocation costs caused by road construction either through its existing roadway contract or through a separate written agreement with the utility provider.

• Allows the Department of Transportation to satisfy public hearing notice requirements through electronic publication in addition to print newspapers.
• Requires the department to post a copy of hearing notices on its public website at least 30 days before the hearing date.
• Creates a new process letting the department negotiate and, if needed, sue the governing board of a condo or homeowners association (instead of every individual owner) to acquire shared common property.
• Sets rules for how money paid for acquired common property must be divided among individual property owners based on their ownership share.
• Authorizes the department to run a towing and recovery program to remove wrecked, abandoned, or disabled vehicles over 16,000 pounds from interstate and limited access highways, including spilled cargo cleanup.
• Lets the department pay utility companies for relocation costs caused by road construction through a written agreement, not only through its roadway construction contract.

The Georgia Department of Transportation, condominium and homeowners associations and their boards, individual property owners within those associations, towing and recovery operators, public and private utility companies, and the general public who rely on public notice of transportation hearings.

Georgians would see transportation hearing notices posted online as well as in newspapers, potentially reaching more people. Condo and HOA residents could have shared property acquired through their association board rather than individually. Highways would be cleared faster of wrecked heavy trucks, and utility relocation costs tied to road projects could be settled through direct agreements.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 32-2-3 to let the department publish notices electronically and requires posting hearing notices on its website at least 30 days ahead of the hearing.
• Section 1 also clarifies when a new public hearing is required if a project's design or location changes significantly from what was originally presented.
• Section 2 adds new O.C.G.A. § 32-3-2.1, letting the department deal with an association's 'authorized board' instead of each owner when acquiring common property, and allowing the department to sue the board if terms cannot be agreed upon.
• Section 2 requires that any payment received for common property be divided among owners according to their ownership interest under the association's declaration.
• Section 3 adds a new paragraph to O.C.G.A. § 32-6-2 authorizing a towing and recovery program for vehicles over 16,000 pounds that are wrecked, abandoned, or disabled on interstate and limited access highways, including cargo cleanup but not passenger vehicles.
• Section 4 revises O.C.G.A. § 32-6-170 to let the department pay utility relocation costs through a written agreement with the utility provider, not only through the roadway contractor's contract.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
2. 2025-05-14Act 273
3. 2025-05-14House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2025-03-28Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2025-03-28Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2025-03-21Senate Read Second Time (Senate)

• Derrick McCollum (R, HD-30)Primary sponsor
• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-11)
• Alan Powell (R, HD-33)
• Lauren McDonald III (R, HD-26)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2025

   165 yea, 1 nay (8 not voting, 6 excused)

   PASSAGE: House Vote #181

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 28, 2025

   50 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 6 excused)

   PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE: Senate Vote #331

3. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2025

   167 yea, 1 nay (4 not voting, 8 excused)

   Agree to Senate Substitute: House Vote #382

• transportation department
• public hearings notice
• highway right of way
• homeowners associations
• towing abandoned vehicles