---
title: HR 1527. House Study Committee on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting; create
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1527
cite_as: HR 1527, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1527
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1527.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1527/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73784
date: 2026-03-16
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
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/hr1526.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1528.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 185
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1527.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1527
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-03
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported
sponsors:
  - Lauren McDonald
  - Rick Jasperse
  - Alan Powell
  - Don Parsons
  - Brent Cox
  - Leesa Hagan
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1527/2025
upstream_id: 2128644
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - highway construction
  - transportation policy
  - government oversight
  - utility relocation
  - state contracting
---

# HR 1527. House Study Committee on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting; create

## Text

House Resolution 1527
By: Representatives McDonald III of the 26th, Jasperse of the 11th, Powell of the 33rd, Parsons
of the 44th, Cox of the 28th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting;
and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, contracts for highway construction projects are complex undertakings that
impact the parties involved and the general public; and
WHEREAS, movement of existing infrastructure such as utilities often impact the time
required for the completion of highway construction projects; and
WHEREAS, examination of the utility adjustment schedule that is used in highway
construction contracts in Georgia should be done to determine if such projects could be
completed in less time; and
WHEREAS, study and analysis is needed on oversight, management, and operations of
highway construction projects in Georgia and the policies or laws governing the Department
of Transportation that could be amended to keep projects on time and on budget.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee
on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting.
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of ten members of the
House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a member of the committee as chairperson
of the committee.
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.
(5) Allowances and funding.
The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in
Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. The allowances
authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for
more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out
the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the House of
Representatives.
(6) Report.
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)
of this paragraph.
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the
House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu
thereof.
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A House resolution would create a ten-member study committee to examine how the Georgia Department of Transportation handles highway construction contracts, including delays caused by utility relocation work.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution sets up the House Study Committee on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting. The committee would look at why highway construction projects in Georgia sometimes run long or over budget, with particular attention to how utility adjustment schedules (the timelines for moving things like power or water lines out of a construction zone) affect project completion times.
The Speaker of the House would appoint ten House members to the committee and name one as chairperson. The committee could hold meetings as needed, and members would receive standard legislative allowances for up to five days unless more are approved, paid from the House's existing budget. If the committee reaches findings, it must file a report with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2026.

### What it does

- Creates the House Study Committee on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting made up of ten House members appointed by the Speaker.
- Directs the committee to study highway construction contracting issues, including delays tied to utility relocation schedules.
- Authorizes the committee to recommend legislation or other action based on its findings.
- Sets legislative allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 for committee members, capped at five days unless extended, funded through the House's budget.
- Requires a report to the Clerk of the House if findings are adopted, and sets an abolishment date of December 1, 2026.

### Who it affects

Members of the House of Representatives appointed to the committee, the Georgia Department of Transportation, highway construction contractors, and utility companies whose relocation work affects road project timelines.

### Why it matters

The study could lead to legislative changes affecting how the Georgia Department of Transportation manages highway contracts and utility relocation timing, which in turn shapes how quickly and cheaply road projects get finished across the state.

### Key provisions

- Paragraph 1 creates the House Study Committee on Georgia Department of Transportation Contracting.
- Paragraph 2 sets committee membership at ten House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
- Paragraph 3 authorizes the committee to study contracting issues and recommend legislation or other action.
- Paragraph 5 sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days absent additional authorization, funded from the House's appropriated funds.
- Paragraph 6 requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report with the Clerk of the House before abolishment.
- Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-03-03)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported (2026-03-16)
- Sponsors: Lauren McDonald, Rick Jasperse, Alan Powell, Don Parsons, Brent Cox, Leesa Hagan
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73784

> The history, votes, and amendments (185 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1527.md?full=1