HB1012: HB1012 Local government; construction or development of new data centers for a specified time; prohibit

Data centers, the large facilities that house computer servers for cloud computing and online services, have become a growing feature of Georgia's economy. This bill would pause new development of them. It adds a new section to Georgia's local government code (O.C.G.A. Chapter 36-80) stating that it is in the public interest to stop new construction so the state can study the impact of data centers on natural resources and the environment. Under the bill, no county, city, local authority, or other political subdivision could issue any permit, license, or certificate that would allow construction or development of a data center between the bill's effective date and March 1, 2027. Permits, licenses, or certificates already issued before July 1, 2026 for data center construction would be exempt from the pause. The bill would take effect immediately upon the Governor's signature or becoming law without it.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 36-80-32) declaring it state policy to pause new data center construction to study effects on natural resources and the environment.
• Bars counties, cities, local authorities, and other political subdivisions from issuing permits, licenses, or certificates for new data center construction until March 1, 2027.
• Defines 'data center' as a facility or group of interconnected facilities housing servers used to cool, secure, and connect data for applications and services.
• Exempts permits, licenses, or certificates issued before July 1, 2026 for data center construction from the moratorium.
• Sets the law to take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without his signature.

County and municipal governments, local authorities, and other political subdivisions that issue land use permits, as well as data center developers and companies seeking to build new facilities in Georgia between the bill's effective date and March 1, 2027.

If enacted, local governments statewide would be unable to approve any new data center projects for roughly a year, pausing an industry that has expanded quickly in Georgia, while developers with permits already secured before July 1, 2026 could continue their projects uninterrupted.

• Section 1 adds O.C.G.A. § 36-80-32, stating the General Assembly's policy rationale for pausing data center construction to study environmental and resource impacts.
• Subsection (b) defines 'data center' as a facility or interconnected group of facilities housing servers to cool, secure, and connect data.
• Subsection (c) prohibits local governments from issuing permits, licenses, or certificates under Titles 8, 12, 25, or 36 that would allow data center construction between the effective date and March 1, 2027.
• Subsection (d) exempts permits, licenses, or certificates issued before July 1, 2026 for data center construction from the ban.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill becoming law without approval.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-28House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-01-27House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-16House Hopper (House)

• Ruwa Romman (D, HD-097)Primary sponsor
• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-042)

• data centers
• local government permitting
• land use
• environmental policy