Senate Bill 579
By: Senators Harbin of the 16th, Still of the 48th, Bearden of the 30th, Anavitarte of the 31st
and Williams of the 25th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions relative to state government, so as to improve government service delivery
in this state; to provide for the appointment of a State of Georgia Government Service
Delivery Lead within the Georgia Technology Authority to coordinate such efforts; to
establish the powers and duties of such individual; to establish the heads of each state agency
as responsible for the government service delivery of their agency and provide for related
powers and duties; to provide for annual reporting; to provide for definitions; to provide for
a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Government Serves the People Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 1 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general
provisions relative to state government, is amended by adding new Code sections to read as
follows:
"50-1-15.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Agency' means any state department, agency, division, board, bureau, commission,
authority, entity, or instrumentality, excluding the Board of Regents of the University
System of Georgia and any institution of the University System of Georgia.
(2) 'Director' means the Chief Information Officer and Executive Director of the Georgia
Technology Authority established pursuant to Code Section 50-25-1.
(3) 'Government service delivery' means any action by an agency related to providing
a benefit or service to a state resident, business, or organization, including, but not limited
to, actions of any independent contractor or nonprofit organization acting on behalf of
such agency.
(4) 'Government service delivery channel' means the method of an interaction or
transaction with an agency, including, but not limited to, in-person, through the mail,
through a digital service, by telephone, through a contact center, on a website, through
outreach and communication, or through collaboration with a third party.
(5) 'High-impact service program' means any agency program identified by the director
due to the scale and impact of the public-facing services of such program.
(b) Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this Code section, the director shall
appoint a State of Georgia Government Service Delivery Lead within the Georgia
Technology Authority to coordinate government-wide efforts aimed at improving
government service delivery by agencies. Such individual shall have and may exercise the
following powers and duties:
(1) Facilitate and coordinate government-wide efforts to improve government service
delivery provided by agencies, particularly with respect to high-impact service programs;
(2) Carry out duties and powers prescribed by the director;
(3) Serve as the lead, government-wide official responsible for supporting government
service delivery;
(4) In consultation with each lead agency service delivery official appointed pursuant to
Code Section 50-1-16, and any other agency stakeholder as appropriate, develop and
oversee the implementation of government-wide government service delivery standards,
policies, and guidelines for benefits and services provided by agencies, including, but not
limited to, standards, policies, and guidelines to:
(A) Understand the needs of an individual, business, or organization interacting with
an agency;
(B) Solicit and consider voluntary feedback on the government service delivery by the
agency;
(C) Assess government service delivery processes;
(D) Evaluate the factors of ease, efficiency, transparency, accessibility, fairness,
burden, and duration, including, but not limited to, wait and processing times, with
respect to government service delivery; and
(E) Encourage the adoption of commercial products and services to measure and
ensure holistic government service delivery channels and customer service satisfaction
and customer experience;
(5) Collect and report qualitative and quantitative information or data on government
service delivery through existing reporting mechanisms;
(6) Evaluate the quality of government service delivery, including through the
establishment of performance metrics developed using the standards, policies, and
guidelines established pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection and the information
or data collected and reported pursuant to paragraph (5) of this subsection;
(7) Engage with service design and delivery experts to identify leading practices that
would improve government service delivery across and within agencies;
(8) Advise the director concerning the improvement of government service delivery
provided by agencies; and
(9) Coordinate with Georgia Technology Authority stakeholders and other executive
agency stakeholders as appropriate on government service delivery.
50-1-16.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Agency' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 50-1-15.
(2) 'Government service delivery' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code
Section 50-1-15.
(3) 'State of Georgia Government Service Delivery Lead' means the individual appointed
pursuant to subsection (b) of Code Section 50-1-15.
(b) The head of each agency shall be responsible for the government service delivery of
such agency, which shall, at a minimum, include improving and enhancing government
delivery services to better achieve the mission of the agency and build and maintain trust,
transparency, and accountability.
(c) Not later than 180 days after the effective date of this Code section, the head of each
agency shall appoint a lead agency service delivery official to implement the purposes of
this Code section. Such individual may be the deputy head of the agency and shall have
and may exercise the following powers and duties:
(1) Report directly to the head or deputy head of the agency, as appropriate;
(2) Implement government service delivery improvements within the agency,
particularly for high-impact service programs;
(3) Coordinate and execute, as appropriate, under the direction of the head of the agency,
and in collaboration with relevant agency stakeholders as appropriate, efforts to improve
and enhance the government service delivery and government service delivery channels
of the agency;
(4) At the direction of the State of Georgia Government Service Delivery Lead, submit
a 12 month plan for improving government service delivery of the agency;
(5) Coordinate the collection and reporting of the data and information as necessary to
improve government service delivery;
(6) Facilitate collaboration among and between offices, components within the agency,
and other agencies as appropriate, in coordination with the State of Georgia Government
Service Delivery Lead, to improve and enhance government-wide government service
delivery; and
(7) Assist with incorporating the government service delivery requirements established
under this Code section in agency plans, including, but not limited to, strategic plans or
annual performance plans.
50-1-17.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Agency' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 50-1-15.
(2) 'Director' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code Section 50-1-15.
(3) 'Government service delivery' shall have the same meaning as set forth in Code
Section 50-1-15.
(b) Beginning in 2027, not later than 90 days prior to the beginning of the General
Assembly's next regular legislative session, the director shall submit to the Governor, the
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives an annual report
on current and future government-wide efforts to improve government service delivery by
agencies."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.