SB567: SB567 "Ellaville-Schley County Parks and Recreation Authority Act"; enact

Schley County and the City of Ellaville currently have no dedicated public authority for parks and recreation. This bill creates one, called the Ellaville-Schley County Parks and Recreation Authority, as a political subdivision of the state with its own legal identity, allowing it to contract, sue, own property, and borrow money for projects like playgrounds, pools, athletic fields, trails, and community centers throughout the county. The authority would have five members appointed by Schley County and Ellaville's governing bodies, serving staggered two-year terms, with meetings, ethics rules, and removal procedures spelled out in detail. It could issue revenue bonds to pay for projects, and those bonds would not count as county, city, or state debt. The authority would get tax exemptions similar to those given to cities and counties, must adopt an annual budget and undergo independent audits, and would answer to a Schley County intergovernmental funding agreement. It becomes active July 1, 2026, and must start offering recreational services by January 1, 2027.

• Creates the Ellaville-Schley County Parks and Recreation Authority as a public corporation with power to build, own, and operate parks and recreation facilities across Schley County.
• Sets up a five-member board appointed jointly by Schley County and the City of Ellaville, with two-year terms, eligibility rules, and removal procedures for misconduct or absences.
• Authorizes the authority to issue revenue bonds and other debt to finance projects, while specifying that such debt is not backed by the county, city, or state.
• Grants the authority tax exemptions similar to those for cities and counties, except it must still pay sales and use tax on purchases.
• Requires an annual budget, independent financial audit, and funding through an intergovernmental agreement with Schley County and Ellaville.
• Sets the authority's start date as July 1, 2026, with a requirement to begin offering recreational services by January 1, 2027.

Residents of Schley County and the City of Ellaville who use parks and recreation facilities, the county and city governing bodies that appoint board members and help fund the authority, and any contractors, employees, or agencies that work with the new authority on construction, financing, or operations.

If enacted, Schley County would gain a dedicated public body with borrowing power and tax exemptions to build and maintain parks, pools, athletic fields, and similar facilities, potentially expanding recreational options while creating a new local government entity funded through county and city agreements rather than direct county budgets.

• Section 2 creates the authority as a body corporate limited to operating within Schley County and sets membership, appointment, term, vacancy, and removal rules for its five-member board.
• Section 3 defines key terms including 'project' and 'cost of the project,' covering a broad range of park and recreation facilities the authority may build.
• Section 4 lists the authority's powers, including acquiring property, contracting, borrowing money, and issuing revenue bonds, but bars it from building or maintaining roads using county or city tax revenue.
• Sections 5 through 7 authorize revenue bonds for financing projects and clarify that such bonds are tax-exempt and do not create debt obligations for the state, county, or municipalities.
• Section 8 exempts the authority from most taxes on its property and activities, except sales and use tax.
• Section 12 requires an annual operating and capital budget adopted by December 31 each year and an independent audit of the authority's finances, with funding set by intergovernmental agreement with Schley County and Ellaville.
• Section 15 addresses dissolution, requiring that authority property be conveyed to Schley County and the City of Ellaville if the authority is ever dissolved.
• Section 16 sets the authority's activation date as July 1, 2026, and requires recreational services to begin by January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 699
3. 2026-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-25House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-25House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-25House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-06House Second Readers (House)

• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)Primary sponsor
• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 3, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #600

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 25, 2026

   164 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #754

• parks and recreation
• local government authorities
• Schley County
• municipal bonds
• public facilities