Georgia General Assembly · Full text

HR 755: House Study Committee on Electric Franchise Fees for Unincorporated Areas; create

Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds · Last action March 31, 2025 · Introduced

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House Resolution 755

By: Representatives Scoggins of the 14th, Gambill of the 15th, Kelley of the 16th, Cannon of the 172nd, Prince of the 132nd, and others

A RESOLUTION

Creating the House Study Committee on Electric Franchise Fees for Unincorporated Areas; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, substantial growth of large-load electricity customers is having an impact on unincorporated areas of this state; and

WHEREAS, municipalities are authorized to lease their rights-of-way to electric utilities pursuant to franchise agreements that allow municipalities to receive significant compensation from such utilities that are ultimately paid by customers located in both incorporated and unincorporated areas of this state; and

WHEREAS, the right of electricity suppliers to utilize county rights-of-way to reach their customers has a significant economic value that is not currently being recognized for the benefit of counties and the residents of the unincorporated areas of this state; and

WHEREAS, for decades, residents of the unincorporated areas of this state have ultimately paid municipal franchise fees to cities in which they do not reside as a result of such fees being included in the base rate of their power bills; and

WHEREAS, the unprecedented growth of large-load electricity customers necessitates a reconsideration of the assessment and allocation of franchise fees for electric services within this state; and

WHEREAS, the state has a compelling governmental interest in ensuring that large-load electricity customers are assessed franchise fees or other tariffs as a condition of conducting their operations in the unincorporated areas of this state.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee on Electric Franchise Fees for Unincorporated Areas.

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of:

(A) Seven members of the House of Representatives;

(B) Two county commissioners or chairpersons of a county board of commissioners; and

to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate a member of the House of Representatives to serve 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, 2025.