SR1049: SR1049 Senate Study Committee on Acquiring and Management of Lake Lanier; create

26 LC 46 1664 Senate Resolution 1049 By: Senators Still of the 48th, Echols of the 49th and Dolezal of the 27th A RESOLUTION Creating a Senate Study Committee on Acquiring and Management of Lake Lanier; and for1 other purposes.2 WHEREAS, at present Lake Lanier is entirely owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps.3 of Engineers; and 4 5 WHEREAS, greater ownership and control over Lake Lanier and its management would6 provide numerous benefits to the residents of this state; and7 WHEREAS, such benefits would include enhanced long-term water security for more than8 3.5 million Georgia residents; and9 WHEREAS, such ownership and control would enhance the ability o f the state to make 10 long-term water storage and planning decisions, mitigating impa cts from potential future11 disputes with Alabama and Florida; and 12 WHEREAS, such benefits would include allowing local partners to be able to use collected13 fees across multiple parks, rather than being limited to the si te where the funds were14 collected, helping keep sites open and safe; and15 S. R. 1049 - 1 - 26 LC 46 1664 WHEREAS, the proactive increased management of water quality could reduce the cost of16 treating drinking water for the metro Atlanta area; and17 WHEREAS, the future of the approximately $5 billion annual economic impact associated 18 with the lake's recreational use, real estate, and associated businesses is crucial for the state;19 and 20 WHEREAS, a study is needed to evaluate ways in which the state could procure and benefit21 from various degrees of ownership and management of Lake Lanier , improve efficiency, 22 create more flexible management solutions, and enhance greater local benefits.23 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF24 GEORGIA:25 (1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee26 on Acquiring and Management of Lake Lanier.27 (2) Members and officers.28 (A) The committee shall be composed of seven members all of who m shall be29 appointed by the President of the Senate as follows: 30 (i) The chairperson of the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee or31 other member of such committee;32 (ii) The chairperson of the Senate Public Safety Committee or o ther such member of33 such committee;34 (iii) The chairperson of the Senate State Institutions and Property Committee 35 (iv) Two additional members of the Senate; and36 (v) One member who is employed by the Department of Natural Resources;37 (vi) One member of the public.38 The President of the Senate shall appoint the chairperson of the committee; 39 S. R. 1049 - 2 - 26 LC 46 1664 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,40 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or41 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.42 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee43 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or44 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and45 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.46 (5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.47 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided48 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.49 (B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,50 or state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the committee,51 but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as52 members of the committee in the same manner as they are reimbursed for expenses in53 their capacities as state officials or employees.54 (C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state off icials, or state55 employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that56 specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Offi cial Code of Georgia57 Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance a uthorized for state58 employees.59 (D) The allowances and expenses authorized by this resolution shall not be received by60 any member of the committee for more than five days unless addi tional days are61 authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come62 from funds appropriated to the Senate; except that funds for the reimbursement of the63 expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, an d state employees shall64 come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.65 S. R. 1049 - 3 - 26 LC 46 1664 (6) Report.66 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that67 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairpersons shall file a report of the68 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to69 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.70 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for71 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)72 of this paragraph.73 (C) No report shall be filed without approval prior to the date of abolishment specified74 in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved75 shall be signed by the chairpersons of the committee and filed with the Secretary of the76 Senate.77 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairpersons may file with the Secretary78 of the Senate copies of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.79 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.80 S. R. 1049 - 4 -