--- title: SB 435. Georgia Development Authority; rename as the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb435 cite_as: SB 435, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb435 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb435.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb435/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72534 date: 2026-05-06 status: passed 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/sb434.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb436.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 954 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb435.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 435 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2026-05-06 last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 sponsors: - Russ Goodman - Sam Watson - Lee Anderson - Freddie Sims - Carden Summers - Bo Hatchett - Drew Echols - Mike Hodges - Matt Brass - Steve Gooch - Frank Ginn - Timothy Bearden - Max Burns - Nikki Merritt - Jason T. Dickerson - Jason Anavitarte - Clint Dixon - Randy Robertson - Tonya Anderson - Josh McLaurin - Sonya Halpern - RaShaun Kemp - John Albers - Gail Davenport - Chuck Payne - Kay Kirkpatrick - Ed Harbison - Sheikh Rahman - Nabilah Islam Parkes - Steven Meeks text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB435/2025 upstream_id: 2100713 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - agriculture policy - state agencies - Georgia Development Authority - agricultural lending - government renaming --- # SB 435. Georgia Development Authority; rename as the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority ## Text Senate Bill 435 By: Senators Goodman of the 8th, Watson of the 11th, Anderson of the 24th, Sims of the 12th, Summers of the 13th and others AS PASSED A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, so as to rename the Georgia Development Authority as the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority; to make conforming changes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. The Official Code of Georgia Annotated, is amended by replacing "Georgia Development Authority" with "Georgia Agricultural Development Authority" wherever the former term appears in: (1) Code Section 2-8A-3, relating to definitions regarding the "Emerging Crops Fund Act"; (2) Code Section 2-8A-5, relating to fund established; (3) Code Section 2-8A-6, relating to application for interest loan, maximum amount, maximum rate of interest, and security; (4) Code Section 2-8A-7, relating to repayment of interest loan; (5) Code Section 7-1-1001, relating to exemption for certain persons and entities, registration requirements, authorized actions of licensed mortgage lenders, and violations; (6) Code Section 45-18-7.1, relating to employees of the Georgia Development Authority; (7) Code Section 47-2-318, relating to membership in the retirement system of officers and employees of the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority, creditable service, and contributions; (8) Code Section 50-10-1, relating to short title; (9) Code Section 50-10-3, relating to creation of authority and administration by agriculture department; (10) Code Section 50-10-4, relating to purpose, powers under business corporation law, and prohibition against loans to persons convicted of controlled substance offense; (11) Code Section 50-10-5, relating to powers and duties; (12) Code Section 50-17-21, relating to definitions regarding state financing and investment; and (13) Code Section 50-23-2, relating to legislative intent and assumption of rights, duties, and assets of the Georgia Development Authority. SECTION 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed. ## 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. A Georgia Senate bill renames the Georgia Development Authority as the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority and updates the name throughout state law wherever the old title appears. ### Plain-language summary This bill changes the official name of the Georgia Development Authority to the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority. It does not create a new agency or change what the authority does; it simply updates the name used in Georgia's laws. Section 1 lists thirteen specific sections of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, covering topics like the Emerging Crops Fund Act, mortgage lender exemptions, retirement system membership for employees, and the authority's purpose and powers, and directs that the old name be swapped for the new one everywhere it appears in those sections. Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision. The bill is described as already passed as of the header, meaning the name change would become part of Georgia law. ### What it does - Renames the Georgia Development Authority as the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority throughout the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. - Updates the authority's name in 13 specific Code sections covering topics such as the Emerging Crops Fund, mortgage lender rules, employee retirement provisions, and the authority's core powers. - Makes only conforming name changes; it does not alter the authority's structure, funding, powers, or duties. - Repeals any other laws that conflict with the renaming, a routine closing clause common to Georgia bills. ### Who it affects The Georgia Development Authority itself and its employees, whose retirement and employment references change names; agricultural borrowers who use its loan programs; mortgage lenders referenced in the exemption statute; and any state agency or law that currently refers to the authority by its old name. ### Why it matters Because the change is limited to the authority's name across Georgia law, day-to-day operations, loan programs, and employee benefits should continue unaffected. The main practical effect is that anyone referencing the authority in legal documents, contracts, or state filings will need to use its new name, the Georgia Agricultural Development Authority. ### Key provisions - Section 1 replaces 'Georgia Development Authority' with 'Georgia Agricultural Development Authority' in 13 named Code sections, including those governing the Emerging Crops Fund Act (O.C.G.A. §§ 2-8A-3, 2-8A-5 through 2-8A-7). - Section 1 also updates references in laws on mortgage lender exemptions (O.C.G.A. § 7-1-1001), employee retirement (O.C.G.A. §§ 45-18-7.1, 47-2-318), and the authority's creation, purpose, and powers (O.C.G.A. §§ 50-10-1, 50-10-3 through 50-10-5). - Section 1 updates references in state financing definitions (O.C.G.A. § 50-17-21) and legislative intent language regarding the authority's rights, duties, and assets (O.C.G.A. § 50-23-2). - Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard provision ensuring the renaming takes full legal effect. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-05-06) - Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-06) - Sponsors: Russ Goodman, Sam Watson, Lee Anderson, Freddie Sims, Carden Summers, Bo Hatchett, Drew Echols, Mike Hodges, Matt Brass, Steve Gooch, Frank Ginn, Timothy Bearden, Max Burns, Nikki Merritt, Jason T. Dickerson, Jason Anavitarte, Clint Dixon, Randy Robertson, Tonya Anderson, Josh McLaurin, Sonya Halpern, RaShaun Kemp, John Albers, Gail Davenport, Chuck Payne, Kay Kirkpatrick, Ed Harbison, Sheikh Rahman, Nabilah Islam Parkes, Steven Meeks - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72534 > The history, votes, and amendments (954 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb435.md?full=1