HB1490: HB1490 Education; transfer responsibility for operation of Georgia Capitol Museum from Board of Regents to Georgia Building Authority

26 LC 60 9007 House Bill 1490 By: Representatives Gambill of the 15th, Wade of the 9th, Greene of the 154th, McDonald III of the 26th, and Seabaugh of the 34th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Titles 20, 45, and 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1 education, public officers and employees, and state government, respectively, so as to2 transfer responsibility for the operation of the Georgia Capitol Museum from the Board of3 Regents of the University System of Georgia to the Georgia Building Authority; to provide4 for the transfer of agreements, property, employees, and appropriated funds to the Georgia5 Building Authority; to authorize the Georgia Building Authority to take certain actions6 pursuant to such transfer; to provide for conforming changes; to provide for related matters;7 to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9 SECTION 1.10 Title 20 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to education, is amended in11 Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 3, relating to board of regents, by repealing Code Section12 20-3-40, relating to Georgia Capitol Museum.13 H. B. 1490 - 1 - 26 LC 60 9007 SECTION 2.14 Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to public officers and employees,15 is amended in Code Section 45-13-72, relating to submission of recommendations to achieve16 highest museum standards and designation of area as Georgia Capitol Agricultural History17 Museum, by revising subsection (b) as follows:18 "(b) The Capitol Art Standards Commission, in cooperation with the Board of Regents of19 the University System of Georgia Georgia Building Authority, shall designate areas within20 the capitol museum as the Georgia Capitol Agricultural History Museum areas. Such areas21 shall include information, artifacts, photographs, monuments, or other related items which22 tell the history and importance of agriculture to this state's economic growth. Except as23 provided for in this part, the Georgia Capitol Agricultural His tory Museum areas of the24 capitol museum shall be maintained, operated, and managed in th e same manner as the25 other areas of the capitol museum."26 SECTION 3.27 Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to state government, is amended28 i n A r t i c l e 1 o f C h a p t e r 9 , r e l a t i n g t o g e n e r a l p r o v i s i o n s r e g a rding Georgia Building29 Authority, by adding new Code sections to read as follows:30 "50-9-18.31 (a) All powers, functions, duties, and obligations of the Board of Regents of the University32 System of Georgia under Code Section 20-3-40, as they exist on June 30, 2026, relating to33 the operation of the Georgia Capitol Museum, are transferred to the Georgia Building34 Authority, effective July 1, 2026.35 (b) The Georgia Building Authority shall succeed to all policies, standards, programs, and36 procedures of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in effect on37 June 30, 2026, or scheduled to go into effect on or after July 1, 2026, and which relate to38 the functions, duties, and obligations transferred to the Georg ia Building Authority39 H. B. 1490 - 2 - 26 LC 60 9007 pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section and shall furth er succeed to any rights,40 privileges, entitlements, obligations, and duties of the Board of Regents of the University41 System of Georgia that are in effect on June 30, 2026, which relate to the functions, duties,42 and obligations transferred to the Georgia Building Authority pursuant to subsection (a) of43 this Code section. Such policies, standards, programs, and pro cedures shall remain in44 effect until amended, superseded, or nullified by the Georgia Building Authority.45 (c) Except as otherwise expressly provided, the rights, privileges, entitlements, obligations,46 and duties of parties to contracts, leases, agreements, and oth er transactions entered into47 prior to July 1, 2026, by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia which48 relate to the functions, duties, and obligations transferred to the Georgia Building Authority49 pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall continue to exist; and none of such50 rights, privileges, entitlements, obligations, and duties are i mpaired or diminished by51 reason of the transfer of the functions to the Georgia Building Authority. In all such52 instances, the Georgia Building Authority shall be substituted for the Board of Regents of53 the University System of Georgia, and the Georgia Building Authority shall succeed to the54 rights, privileges, entitlements, obligations, and duties under such contracts, leases,55 agreements, and other transactions.56 (d) All individuals employed by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia57 in capacities which relate to the functions transferred to the Georgia Building Authority58 pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section on June 30, 202 6, shall, on July 1, 2026,59 become employees of the Georgia Building Authority in similar capacities.60 (e) The Georgia Building Authority shall receive custody of any state owned real property61 in the custody of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on62 June 30, 2026, and which pertains to the functions, duties, and obligations transferred to63 the Georgia Building Authority pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section.64 H. B. 1490 - 3 - 26 LC 60 9007 50-9-19.65 (a) The Georgia Building Authority shall maintain the exhibits for the Georgia Capitol66 Museum and may prepare and distribute publications concerning the museum's features,67 prepare semitechnical materials for distribution to the schools of this state, conduct tours68 of such museum and state capitol, and perform such other duties and functions as are69 ordinarily exercised in the operation of a museum.70 (b) The Georgia Building Authority is authorized to receive, o n behalf of the state, any71 grants, donations, or gifts of money or property for use in the museum.72 (c) Any funds appropriated for the operation of the Georgia Ca pitol Museum may be73 transferred as provided in Code Section 45-12-90."74 SECTION 4.75 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.76 H. B. 1490 - 4 -