HB 295: Local government; procedures for real property owners to make claims for compensation for loss of property value or expenses incurred; provisions

Currently, a property owner generally cannot bill a local government for losses caused by the government's choice not to enforce certain laws or to tolerate a public nuisance. This bill creates a new process, added to Georgia law at O.C.G.A. 36-60-34, that lets an owner of real property file a written compensation claim with a city, county, or consolidated government if that government has a pattern of failing to enforce immigration sanctuary rules or laws against camping, loitering, blocking sidewalks, panhandling, drug possession, shoplifting, or public intoxication and urination on private property, or if it maintains a public nuisance that costs the owner money or lowers their property's value. The local government has 30 days to accept or reject the claim; if it does neither or rejects it, the owner can sue in superior court, where the government bears the burden of proof and a winning owner recovers attorney fees. Compensation is capped at the prior year's property taxes paid on that parcel, and the state waives local governments' sovereign immunity for this purpose. The bill also lets individuals ask a superior court for mandamus (a court order compelling official action) when a local government violates the state's ban on immigration sanctuary policies or a custodial authority ignores federal immigration detainer requests.

• Creates a new claims process (O.C.G.A. 36-60-34) letting property owners seek compensation from local governments for lost property value or mitigation costs tied to nonenforcement of specified laws or a public nuisance.
• Requires local governments to respond to a filed claim within 30 days and pay accepted claims within 30 days, or face a lawsuit in superior court with the government carrying the burden of proof.
• Caps compensation at the amount of property taxes the owner paid to that local government the prior year, and limits an owner to one claim per parcel per tax year (with exceptions for continuing harm).
• Waives local governments' sovereign immunity (their usual legal protection from lawsuits) so these compensation claims and suits can proceed.
• Suspends the running of statutes of limitations while a claim is pending before a local government.
• Authorizes individuals to petition superior court for a mandamus order (a court command forcing government action) when a local government violates the immigration sanctuary ban or when jail officials ignore federal immigration detainer requests.

Owners and long-term leaseholders of real property in Georgia cities and counties, local governing authorities (county commissions and city councils) and their employees, county jails, sheriffs, wardens, and police chiefs who handle immigration detainer notices, and superior courts that will hear the new claims and mandamus cases.

Property owners near unaddressed nuisances, such as illegal camping, loitering, or open drug use, would gain a formal way to demand money from their local government and sue if ignored, while local governments would face new financial exposure and litigation risk tied to enforcement choices and immigration-related compliance.

• New O.C.G.A. 36-60-34(b) lets an owner claim compensation when a local government has a policy of not enforcing immigration sanctuary rules or laws on camping, loitering, panhandling, drug possession, shoplifting, or public intoxication, or maintains a public nuisance.
• Subsection (c) sets compensation as either documented mitigation expenses or the reduction in the property's fair market value, at the owner's choice.
• Subsection (d) requires claims to be filed within the tax year, acted on within 30 days, and allows a lawsuit in superior court if rejected or ignored, with the local government bearing the burden of proof and paying a prevailing owner's attorney fees.
• Subsection (e)(2) caps total compensation at the amount of property taxes the owner paid to that local government in the prior tax year.
• Subsection (k) exempts case-by-case prosecutorial discretion decisions that are published monthly, executive clemency, federally or state-mandated acts, and actions by independently elected officials like district attorneys.
• Subsection (l) waives local governments' sovereign immunity to the extent needed to enforce this claims process.
• Section 2 adds a mandamus remedy to O.C.G.A. 36-80-23 for violations of the immigration sanctuary policy ban, with priority court docketing.
• Section 3 adds a similar mandamus remedy to O.C.G.A. 42-1-11.5 for custodial authorities who fail to honor immigration detainer notices.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-12Act 713
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senado)
6. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (Cámara de Representantes)
7. 2026-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended (Senado)
8. 2026-04-02Senate Third Read (Senado)

• Houston Gaines (R, HD-120)Patrocinador principal
• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)
• Victor Anderson (R, HD-010)
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes4 de marzo de 2026

   98 a favor, 75 en contra (2 sin votar, 2 ausentes)

   Passage: House Vote #612

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado31 de marzo de 2026

   39 a favor, 10 en contra (2 sin votar, 3 ausentes)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

3. RechazadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2026

   23 a favor, 30 en contra (0 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Motion To Table: Senate Vote #934

4. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2026

   32 a favor, 21 en contra (0 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Motion For The Previous Question: Senate Vote #935

5. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2026

   29 a favor, 24 en contra (0 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Adoption Of The Amendment By The Sen From The 19th As Amended: Senate Vote #936

6. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2026

   44 a favor, 9 en contra (0 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Adoption Of Amendment #3 By The Senator From The 45th: Senate Vote #937

7. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2026

   30 a favor, 22 en contra (1 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #938

8. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes2 de abril de 2026

   93 a favor, 76 en contra (2 sin votar, 5 ausentes)

   Agree To Senate Amend As Ham: House Vote #866

9. AprobadaVotación: Senado3 de abril de 2026

   34 a favor, 19 en contra (0 sin votar, 1 ausentes)

   Agree To House Amendment To Senate Amendment: Senate Vote #987

• local government liability
• property rights
• immigration sanctuary policies
• public nuisance
• property taxes