Georgia CommonsSearch bills
Words find bills whose text, title, or summary carries them; a bill number such as HB 340 opens that bill. Search matches the words of the bill: ask in the words the bill would use.
40 bills for “Public utilities”.
Public Utilities and Public Transportation; a consumer utility counsel to represent consumers in matters before the Public Service Commission or other agencies concerning public utilities; reestablish
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Senate committee substitute would recreate an Office of the Consumers' Utility Counsel to represent Georgia residents and small businesses in cases before the Public Service Commission and other agencies over utility rates and service.
Georgia Public Service Commission; rename as Georgia Public Utilities Commission - CA
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House resolution would ask voters to change the state Constitution to rename the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, as the Public Utilities Commission starting in 2027.
Public utilities; nuclear energy generation facilities in the integrated resource plan; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House bill would add nuclear power plants to the list of energy sources utilities must weigh when they file their long-term supply plans with state regulators.
Public Service Commission; costs incurred by an electric utility as a result of providing electric services to commercial data centers from being included in any rates; prohibit
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Senate substitute for SB 34 would require electric utilities in Georgia to include specific consumer-protection terms in contracts with very large power customers, such as data centers, so their costs are not shifted onto residential customers.
Public utilities; require electric supplier to hold the proposed discontinuation of electrical service to a residential customer who suffers from a serious illness in abeyance for a certain period of time
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate substitute for HB 641 would require electric utilities serving homes to adopt a written policy on delaying service shutoffs for residential customers with serious, life-threatening medical conditions, starting January 1, 2027.
Public utilities; reestablish a consumer utility counsel to represent consumers in matters before the Public Service Commission or other agencies
Summary by Georgia Commons: A House bill would recreate an independent Office of the Consumers' Utility Counsel in Georgia to represent everyday ratepayers before the Public Service Commission and other agencies over utility rates and services.
Public utilities; portable solar generation devices; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 1304 would let Georgians plug small, portable solar panels directly into a wall outlet without utility approval or special fees, as long as the devices stay under 1,200 watts.
Environmental Protection Division; maintain a public website for monitoring levels of certain contaminants in public water systems
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 1501 would require Georgia's Environmental Protection Division to post PFAS chemical levels for every public water system online and require water utilities to notify residents when legal limits are exceeded.
Public utilities; subject certain companies providing water services to regulation by Public Service Commission
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House bill would bar homeowners' association covenants and large private water companies from stopping property owners from digging or using their own irrigation wells, as long as the well only serves that owner's land.
Public utilities; require grid modernization assessments to be filed with integrated resources plans
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 1381 would require Georgia's electric utilities to study grid upgrade technologies before building new transmission lines and to include a grid modernization assessment in their long-range resource plans filed with state regulators.
Education; utilize weapon detection systems in certain school buildings; require local boards of education and other public school governing bodies
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate committee substitute for HB 1023 would require local school boards and other public school governing bodies to install weapon detection systems at school building entrances, starting January 1, 2028.
Georgia Public Service Commission; rename as Georgia Public Utilities Commission
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 653 would rename the Georgia Public Service Commission as the Georgia Public Utilities Commission, updating that name throughout Georgia law, but only if voters approve a related constitutional amendment in November 2026.
Electric utilities; protect residential and retail electricity customers from costs associated with data center construction and operation; require
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 1063 would require Georgia electric utilities to include customer-protection terms in contracts with large data centers, so residential and small business ratepayers do not absorb the costs of building power infrastructure for those facilities.
Sales and use tax; sale of any tangible personal property used or consumed in connection with the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, or furnishing of electricity; exempt
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 1176 would exempt public utilities from paying state and local sales and use taxes on equipment and materials used to generate, transmit, distribute, or sell electricity in Georgia, starting January 1, 2027.
Public Service Commission; allow designee of a member of the General Assembly to intervene in certain cases
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House bill would let a member of the General Assembly send a designee to intervene in Public Service Commission cases on behalf of constituents, a right currently limited to the legislator personally.
Public Service Commission; establishment of renewable energy sources and renewable energy portfolio standard goals for electric service providers; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 402 would direct Georgia's Public Service Commission to set voluntary renewable energy goals for utilities and let the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority help finance renewable energy projects.
Transportation, Department of; authorize notice of certain public hearings by electronic publication
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 575 changes how the Georgia Department of Transportation handles public hearing notices, acquiring shared property from condo and homeowners associations, clearing wrecked heavy trucks from highways, and paying utility companies for relocation costs.
Public Service Commission; discovery rights in proceedings; revise provisions
Summary by Georgia Commons: A bill in the Georgia House would expand discovery rights before the Public Service Commission so that all parties in any PSC proceeding, not just gas companies in rate cases, can use civil court discovery tools like depositions.
Public utilities; authorize certain Tier 2 local exchange companies to elect to become subject to rate of return regulation
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 998 lets small, independent Georgia phone companies switch to a different rate-setting system with state regulators, and it caps how much money can be paid out each year from a fund that subsidizes rural phone service.
Electrical service; require new data centers to operate as hybrid power data centers
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 1323 would require any new data center built in Georgia after July 1, 2027 to run on some form of hybrid power combining renewable energy with grid electricity, with the Public Service Commission overseeing compliance.
State Sales and Use Taxes; the data center equipment sales and use tax exemption; repeal
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate bill would end new sales tax exemptions for high-tech computer and data center equipment, and require electric utilities to write contract protections for ratepayers when serving very large power customers like data centers.
Public Health, Department of; continue operation of Georgia Tobacco Quit Line, subject to appropriations of funds; require
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 605 would require Georgia's Department of Public Health to keep running the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line, add lung cancer screening referrals, and require tobacco retailers to post and hand out information about it.
Local government; prohibit municipalities and counties from using public, educational, and governmental programming (PEG) channels for political purposes
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 346 would bar Georgia cities and counties from using their public, educational, and governmental (PEG) cable channels for political purposes, including partisan programming or campaign content for any candidate.
No Lead in My Water Act; urge enactment
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House resolution urges the Department of Education to help school districts test for lead in drinking water pipes and fixtures using federal grant money, and to fix any problems found.
Aviation; adoption of local ordinances, resolution, regulations, or policies that restrict the flight of unmanned aircraft systems over mass public gatherings; authorize
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 58 would make it a misdemeanor to fly a drone within 400 feet of or above a ticketed concert, sporting event, or performing arts event in Georgia without permission, with several exceptions.
MEAG Power; recognize
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes and commends MEAG Power, the state's public power authority, on its 50th anniversary of serving electric cities across Georgia.
MEAG Power; 50th anniversary; recognize
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House resolution recognizes MEAG Power, the state-owned wholesale electricity provider, on its 50th anniversary and commends its history of serving Georgia's public power communities.
Crimes and offenses; protections for inspectors of code enforcement; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 483 adds code enforcement officials to the list of Georgia public workers who get enhanced criminal penalties when they are assaulted or battered while on duty.
Education, Department of; implement a public awareness campaign for grade levels K-12 regarding blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Web3; encourage
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House resolution would encourage the Department of Education to run a public awareness campaign teaching K-12 students about blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Web3 technologies.
Ad valorem tax; language required to be included in notices of current assessment; revise
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 445 would let owners of business personal property worth more than $200,000 appeal county tax assessments to a hearing officer, and would add large private water and sewer systems to the definition of a public utility for tax purposes.
Professions and businesses; prohibit massage therapy businesses from operating during certain set hours
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate substitute for HB 892 would ban massage therapy businesses from performing massage services between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. starting August 1, 2026, and trims some outdated definitions from state massage therapy law.
Public utilities; $1.50 increase in monthly 9-1-1 charge assessed by local governments; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: House Bill 578 would raise Georgia's monthly 9-1-1 charge, the wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge, and the prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charge each by $1.50, bringing them from $1.50 to $3.00 starting July 1, 2025.
Education; install key boxes at each school building in locations determined in collaboration with local law enforcement; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House bill would let public and private K-12 schools install exterior key boxes for police and emergency responders, with the location set jointly by school officials and local emergency agencies.
Public utilities; solar power facility agreements; revise provisions
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House bill would strengthen rules for solar power facility leases, letting state regulators issue cease and desist orders and fines against solar companies that don't post required cleanup bonds before they start generating power.
Quality Basic Education Act; State Board adopt criteria for assessment and placement of students who are eligible for initial public school enrollment in first grade
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House bill would require the State Board of Education to set statewide criteria for assessing whether children starting public school are ready for first grade, while guaranteeing parents can choose kindergarten instead regardless of the results.
Notaries Public; members of the armed forces on active duty to use online notaries public for certain matters; provide
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate bill would let active-duty military members use online notaries licensed in any state to handle motor vehicle tax, title, and licensing paperwork, without needing an in-person notary.
Bulloch County Public Facilities Authority; revenue bonding authority; revise provisions
Summary by Georgia Commons: A House bill would revise the Bulloch County Public Facilities Authority's power to issue revenue bonds, narrowing what projects can be financed and setting a 40-year cap on bond terms.
Severe Weather Preparedness Week; commending the Meteorologists in the public and private sectors alike for their exceptional service to the State of Georgia; recognize
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House resolution recognizes Severe Weather Preparedness Week and commends meteorologists at the National Weather Service, broadcast stations, and other public and private organizations for their work protecting Georgians.
National School Counseling Week; February 3-7, 2025; recognize
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia House resolution recognizes February 3-7, 2025 as National School Counseling Week, honoring the work of school counselors in the state's public and private schools.
Joint Study Committee on Funding for Next Generation 9-1-1 Sustainability; create
Summary by Georgia Commons: A Georgia Senate resolution would create a joint legislative study committee to examine how the state funds 9-1-1 emergency call centers and whether the funding model needs updating for modern phone technology.