SB621: SB621 "Barrow County Public Facilities Authority Act"; enact

This bill sets up a new public corporation called the Barrow County Public Facilities Authority. It would be run by a five member board made up of the chair and two members of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, plus two county residents appointed by the commission. The Authority can own and lease property, hire staff, sign contracts, and issue revenue bonds to pay for public facilities and equipment used by Barrow County. The bonds would be repaid only from project revenues, not from county or state tax dollars, and the Authority would get the same tax exemptions and legal immunities Barrow County has. The Authority cannot use bonds to fund projects for the Barrow County School District or other cities within the county, only for Barrow County itself. Lawsuits involving the Authority go through Barrow County Superior Court. If the Authority is ever dissolved, its assets go to the county. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it.

• Creates the Barrow County Public Facilities Authority as a separate public corporation that can sue, be sued, and hold property in its own name.
• Sets up a five member governing board tied to the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, with two independent resident appointees serving four year terms.
• Authorizes the Authority to issue revenue bonds to pay for county buildings, facilities, and equipment, repaid only from project revenues rather than taxes.
• Grants the Authority the same tax exemptions and tort immunity (protection from certain lawsuits) that Barrow County itself has.
• Blocks the Authority from financing projects for the Barrow County School District or other cities within the county, limiting its bonding power to Barrow County projects.
• Sends all lawsuits and bond validation cases involving the Authority to the Superior Court of Barrow County.

Barrow County government and its Board of Commissioners, who appoint and sit on the Authority's board; Barrow County residents eligible for the two independent board seats; bondholders and lenders who finance Authority projects; and any private parties or agencies that contract with the Authority for county facilities or services.

Barrow County would gain a new financing tool to build and operate public facilities without pledging county tax revenue or general credit, since bonds are repaid only from project income. Residents would see a new appointed board with real financial and contracting authority operating alongside elected county government.

• Section 2 creates the Authority as a perpetual public corporation with a five member board tied to the county commission.
• Section 4 lists the Authority's powers, including acquiring property, hiring staff, borrowing money, and issuing revenue bonds.
• Section 5 authorizes revenue bonds for county projects but bars using them to fund the Barrow County School District or other municipalities in the county.
• Section 7 states that revenue bonds are not a debt of Barrow County or the state and cannot obligate either to levy taxes for repayment.
• Section 13 gives the Superior Court of Barrow County exclusive jurisdiction over lawsuits involving the Authority.
• Section 16 directs that all Authority assets revert to Barrow County if the Authority is ever dissolved.
• Section 19 and Section 20 give the Authority the same tort immunity and tax exemptions as Barrow County.
• Section 24 makes the Act effective as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 621
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-04-02House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-04-02House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-23House Second Readers (House)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)Primary sponsor
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 19, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #745

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   94 yea, 75 nay (2 not voting, 5 absent)

   Supplemental Local Calendar : House Vote #857

• local government authorities
• Barrow County
• public infrastructure financing
• revenue bonds
• county governance