--- title: House Economic Development & Tourism Committee, February 5, 2026 collection: meetings id: 2026-02-05/house-economic-development-and-tourism cite_as: House Economic Development & Tourism Committee, February 5, 2026, video https://vimeo.com/1162355722 (machine transcript by Georgia Commons) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-05/house-economic-development-and-tourism md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-05/house-economic-development-and-tourism.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-05/house-economic-development-and-tourism/text source_url: https://vimeo.com/1162355722 date: 2026-02-05 status: machine transcript corpus_version: meetings-2026-10-23-8c15ead0f18d license: Machine transcript and summaries by Georgia Commons from the General Assembly's public video; the video stays on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-05.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-05/house-budget-and-fiscal-affairs-oversight.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-02-05/senate-urban-affairs.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/index.md chamber: House body: House Economic Development & Tourism Committee body_url: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/house-economic-development-and-tourism.md meeting_kind: committee session: 2025-2026 Regular Session start_time: 2026-02-05T13:30:00-05:00 location: 403 CAP duration_seconds: 1090.0 video_id: 1162355722 video_title: 2.5.26 Economic Development & Tourism agenda_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/house/Economic Development%2F02.05.2026 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM.pdf bills_discussed: - HB 1098 - HB 1039 summaries_model: gpt-6.1-sol transcript_turns: 111 --- # House Economic Development & Tourism Committee, February 5, 2026 House Economic Development & Tourism Committee; February 5, 2026; 2025-2026 Regular Session. Video, on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/1162355722. Agenda: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/agendas/house/Economic Development%2F02.05.2026 - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM.pdf. > This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays. ## Summary written by Georgia Commons Written by gpt-6.1-sol from the transcript below. It is not part of the record. Quote the transcript or the video, not the summary. The committee discussed three bills and postponed action on all three. For [HB 490](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb490), members reviewed a revised human-trafficking training proposal and discussed who should be responsible for training at short-term rentals. The chair said another revision would address local law enforcement and deferred action until the next meeting. The sponsor presented [HB 1098](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1098) and [HB 1039](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1039) together as ways to expand access to economic-development funding in underserved areas. After questions about OneGeorgia funding eligibility, the chair suspended consideration of both bills so program administrators could explain eligibility, spending and the program’s original purpose. No votes on the bills were recorded. ## Bills discussed (2) Each account was written by gpt-6.1-sol from the stretch of the transcript it names. The bill's number is said in that stretch, unless it was the only bill on a committee's agenda. ### HB 1098. Georgia Investment Act; enact [HB 1098](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1098) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:08:25](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=505s), turns 83 to 106. The sponsor presented [HB 1098](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1098) together with [HB 1039](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1039), saying both would broaden definitions of disadvantaged, underserved and under-resourced areas to expand access to economic-development funding. The sponsor cited urban and suburban areas lacking groceries, medical services, banking and jobs. The sponsor said eight counties with 4.3 million residents were ineligible for OneGeorgia funding and another 35 counties with 4.4 million residents had conditional eligibility. A committee member asked whether OneGeorgia had explained the exclusions. The sponsor answered that eligibility centered on rural counties and said the proposals would allow rural, suburban or urban areas to qualify by meeting specified conditions. The chair requested testimony from program administrators about eligibility, spending and OneGeorgia’s original purpose. Consideration of both bills was suspended until a later meeting, with no vote recorded. ### HB 1039. Georgia Equitable Economic Development Act; enact [HB 1039](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1039) (2025-2026 Regular Session). From [0:08:46](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=526s), turns 84 to 106. The sponsor presented [HB 1039](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1039) jointly with [HB 1098](https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1098), describing both as efforts to bring investment to disadvantaged areas excluded from, or only conditionally eligible for, OneGeorgia funding. The sponsor said broader eligibility definitions could support jobs, grocery stores, pharmacies and other development in underserved rural, suburban and urban communities. The sponsor estimated that the excluded and conditionally eligible counties together contained 8.7 million residents, compared with a statewide population of a little over 11 million. Asked why OneGeorgia excluded certain areas, the sponsor said the program’s definition focused on rural counties and proposed qualifying areas through specified measures of need. The chair said the committee should hear from OneGeorgia administrators about the program’s purpose, spending and eligibility before proceeding. Consideration of both bills was suspended for further discussion at a later meeting, with no vote recorded. ## Transcript (111 turns) [0:00:00](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=0s) This bill will do exactly what we need it to do and protect our most vulnerable, our children, and try to eradicate, um, human trafficking. So, what we discussed the last time is basically what's in this new bill, or substitute, I'm sorry, and it is LC48-1710S. Hopefully everybody has that substitute bill. [0:00:33](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=33s) So, one of the changes in the bill, or additions, was to entitle this bill Georgia Human Trafficking Prevention Training Act, as you can see. And then that warranted adding a new code section also. And so as we flip over to page two, you can see these are exactly what we discussed when we were here the last time, all the additions. [0:01:06](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=66s) Instead of having the GBI being responsible and the main person, you can see now it says the attorney general, and that was one of the suggestions here. And then it just, it's really just defining what human trafficking means, what type, and then it's coming down to explain again what the human trafficking awareness training is, the courses, and who's gonna be responsible and where. Um, right here it says, "In consultation with the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council." So you can see, we're putting teeth in this bill. [0:01:50](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=110s) And then we, we also talked about the sh- short-term rentals. We talked about the parks and different areas. So that information is in this bill now. And also, we discussed, um, making sure we had fines. We had, um, talked about the first violation would be $500 if you were in violation of the training that you had and your knowledge of the human trafficking, and you turned a blind eye. [0:02:21](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=141s) Second violation is $1,000. The third is $2,000. And so that's basically, um, the changes that were in the bill, that are in the bill. And right now, as it was said, we have others that are adding, too. We're still working on the bill to make sure when it comes to the floor of the House and the Senate, that they realize that this bill is going to take care of, like I said earlier, the most vulnerable among us, our children, and help to eradicate human trafficking. [0:02:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=178s) Thank you. Representative Clifton. [0:03:01](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=181s) Yes. Uh, before I give my input, I wanna be very clear. I love what you're doing here. I think it is very important, and it's something we absolutely need to move forward with. Um, my input is on the short-term rentals. So I would like to, going back to kinda what I suggested the last time, um, there are a lot of short-term rentals that are managed by companies. Um, what I believe would be best is that we maybe redefine short-term rentals so that the comp- if they are managed by a third party, then the third party is responsible for this training. [0:03:32](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=212s) Um, the one-offs, the people that just own a home and rent it out to, you know, people, um, I'm, I, I believe we could have a situation of, of mandating that people operating their own home be tied to, uh, some of this language. [0:03:47](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=227s) Okay. I appreciate it. [0:03:49](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=229s) Point well taken. Third parties are the ones that rent the units. [0:03:52](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=232s) Mm-hmm. [0:03:52](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=232s) So that, that would be the- [0:03:54](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=234s) Thank you again for that. Sorry we missed that. [0:03:55](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=235s) Yes, ma'am. Have you got a- [0:03:56](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=236s) I would like to, uh, but I talked last . [0:03:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=238s) Okay. You have the floor. [0:04:00](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=240s) Oh, thank you. Uh, uh, Representative Moore, you said that we, it was changing from, you said GBI to the attorney general? [0:04:08](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=248s) That's correct. [0:04:09](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=249s) Can you, um... I might've missed this part of the conversation. What's the rationale for wanting one versus the other? [0:04:17](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=257s) We wanted to put more teeth in it, because the attorney general, my understanding, would have an oversight of ev- even the GBI. So that way, they can work together when they come against any violation, come up against any violation. [0:04:32](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=272s) Okay, so this is for enfor- enforcement then. [0:04:34](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=274s) That's right. [0:04:35](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=275s) But then the training is the... I'm sorry. [0:04:37](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=277s) Mm-hmm. [0:04:38](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=278s) Pardon the question. [0:04:38](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=278s) Yes, ma'am. [0:04:39](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=279s) No, go right ahead. [0:04:39](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=279s) That's it. That's all for me. [0:04:42](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=282s) So, um, but the training will be for the hotel association or- [0:04:47](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=287s) Mm-hmm. [0:04:47](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=287s) Okay, got it. [0:04:48](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=288s) Okay. [0:04:48](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=288s) Mm-hmm. [0:04:48](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=288s) Okay, that, uh, that's it, Chair. Thank you. [0:04:52](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=292s) Yes, sir. What numbers? [0:04:55](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=295s) Four. [0:04:56](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=296s) Four. Well, got it. [0:04:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=298s) Thank you for bringing this bill. Um, what, when we look at this, uh, what is, uh, what would be the role of Airbnbs in this? [0:05:11](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=311s) So I think we did add that verbiage in here. [0:05:15](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=315s) Because they rent by the night, uh, two nights. [0:05:21](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=321s) Two. [0:05:21](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=321s) Maybe three days, and then they in and out. [0:05:25](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=325s) So from my understanding, I believe the short-term rentals would be similar to the Airbnbs. They're, they're the same. [0:05:33](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=333s) But they are... May I? [0:05:35](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=335s) Please. Yeah. [0:05:36](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=336s) Uh, they're an association, so it would fall on the Airbnb, Airbnb group, and not the owners of the, uh, apartments. [0:05:50](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=350s) Uh, as, as I might recall, I believe that's what Representative Clifton is suggesting, is- [0:05:54](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=354s) Right [0:05:54](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=354s) ... we might place- [0:05:55](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=355s) Correct [0:05:56](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=356s) ... the Airbnb, the TPAs- [0:05:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=358s) Yeah, that's what- [0:05:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=358s) ... the Orbits, Travelocity, hotel.com, that they would be responsible for, for making sure that the, um... Since they're the intermediary, if you will, they would be responsible, and that's gonna be written into the language there, too. [0:06:12](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=372s) Okay. Yeah. [0:06:12](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=372s) But you, but you're right. Some of these folks with, um, are homeowners and- They just never see these folks. [0:06:20](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=380s) Mm-hmm. [0:06:23](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=383s) Thank you. [0:06:25](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=385s) Anyone else? Good question. [0:06:32](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=392s) Who's number one? [0:06:34](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=394s) I am, but not the mic. [0:06:36](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=396s) Oh, well, thank you. [0:06:39](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=399s) It was mine, but it was for Doreen. [0:06:41](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=401s) I- [0:06:41](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=401s) Oh, okay [0:06:43](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=403s) ... okay. Is there any other questions? We, again, as we said earlier, there's, uh, someone that puts, wants to put some language in there that centers mainly around local law enforcement, and that will be coming on the next substitute, um, to the committee. Um, come a long way. [0:07:00](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=420s) Yes. [0:07:01](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=421s) Um, we're getting really, really close, so with the indulgence of the committee, we will, um, postpone any further action on this bill until our next week's committee meeting. Maybe we can find us another sponsor. Again, since we're always meeting at this time. Um, Representative Davis. [0:07:21](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=441s) Yeah. [0:07:21](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=441s) You have... Have you got a mic or would you like to- [0:07:24](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=444s) Oh. [0:07:24](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=444s) Why not come around on this side- [0:07:25](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=445s) Yeah. Okay [0:07:27](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=447s) ... so that we can turn the, uh, mic over there. [0:07:31](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=451s) She gonna come on. That way I can... [0:07:34](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=454s) Here. [0:07:36](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=456s) Thank you. I can't... Oh, thank you. We did talk about that at some point. [0:07:53](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=473s) All right. Gonna take all of us. [0:07:55](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=475s) If you, if you have to do it the way Chuck did, give it back to you. [0:07:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=478s) Carl may gonna get to go the hard route. [0:07:58](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=478s) Oh. [0:08:00](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=480s) I've been here for a while. [0:08:02](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=482s) No kidding. Well. [0:08:05](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=485s) Yes, ma'am. [0:08:07](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=487s) Okay. Thank you, Chairman, and I want to say thank you to all the members of this committee. Uh, I have two bills, starting off with, um, House Bill 1098, and it's LC 599000. [0:08:33](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=513s) And really, both of these bills are pretty much, uh, doing the same thing. Uh, so I'll go ahead and give you the second bill, which is House Bill 1039. It's the Georgia Equitable Economic Development Act, and it's LC 590205. [0:08:59](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=539s) And what I want to do is first start off explaining the reason I felt that there was a need to even draft this bill. And the reason I did it is because after learning about OneGeorgia Authority and also learning the fact that for a lot of the counties, we are not allowed, or should I say, when you look at the map, you will see that eight of the counties, and those counties are Cobb, Douglas, Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Rockdale, Clayton, and Fayette. [0:09:41](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=581s) When you wi- look at the map, you will see that those counties, in the ledger says ineligible. In other words, you're ineligible for money that is placed within the OneGeorgia Authority. And then for the ones, when you look at this map, and for all of you, I want you to know that I sent you a breakdown of the bill. I sent you copies that explain what OneGeorgia is. Plus, on each of the bills, I sent a three-minute PowerPoint presentation so that you can reference that later on. [0:10:20](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=620s) Um, but when you look at the OneGeorgia again, and it talks about conditional eligibility, you're talking about another 35 counties. And I say to people, when you hear conditional eligibility, you have to remember, you're ineligible until you reach those conditions. And so when I was explaining to people who said that they needed more monies, particularly in a lot of our urban and suburban areas that are classified as deserts, grocery deserts, medical deserts, um, medical, uh, and, and banking deserts, uh, there's, the classification of disadvantage, underserved and under-resourced needs to be expanded. [0:11:12](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=672s) So the reason I did both of these bills, first, was to expand the definition of disadvantage and underserved and under-resourced. By expanding it, it opens it up so that there can be more economic development in those areas that have just as much, you know, the job loss, poverty, lack of investment. Uh, so if you want to build some type of economic foundation, a lot of that has to start with having access to funding. [0:11:50](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=710s) So that was the foundation as to why to do both of these bills. So I would say to many of you, uh, when you think of any of these commissions, authorities, it's sort of like, uh, and I explain this to constituents in my district, it's sort of like riding, carrying a, a credit card anywhere, but it's considered a government credit card where you can buy services and sup- and, uh, products. [0:12:22](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=742s) So i- imagine walking around With a Visa, Mastercard, American Express with a limit that is really high. You can buy whatever you want to. Now, you put your money in, you even help pay the bill, but the first time you go into a store to buy something, you find out that you're ineligible. A lot of the constituents, when I talk to them and I showed them this map, were very disturbed 'cause they said, "Well then how do we, how do we, how is it that we became ineligible? [0:12:59](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=779s) And is there other funds that we can use in which to access funding to create jobs, especially in our disadvantaged areas, particularly in urban areas?" Okay. Another thing I need you to know is that in the eight counties, if you count the population, it's 4.3 million people. If you count the 35 that are conditional eligibility, that's another 4.4 million. [0:13:36](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=816s) When you add those two together, you're talking about at any given time 8.7 million people being ineligible to access funding at any given time. We only have about 11 million, a little over 11 million in Georgia. So what this, these two bills do is try to balance the scale, the investment scale, the funding scale, especially in areas where you can define that it's disadvantaged, underserved, and under-resourced. [0:14:10](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=850s) And then that way we can build economic development in those areas, and then they can be more self-sufficient. Uh, and what these bills basically do is set that up so that it would become a funding force not only to build the different, uh, s- agencies like grocery stores, you know, pharmacies, and, uh, e- maybe independent pharmacies, but it will build and put economic development in those areas that right now are very depressed and don't have those jobs. [0:14:49](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=889s) So, uh, that is basically the overall on these two bills, and it basically tells you how we would set it up and how there would be oversight. So if you have any questions for me, uh, I'm hoping that that explained why we did it and how this... View this as a corrective action plan to turn depressed areas around. Thank you. [0:15:15](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=915s) And we've got a couple of members here that were here when I think OneGeorgia was invented. Um, so, uh- ... I'll start with my dean of the, uh, uh, Hinesville. Would you... You had a question? [0:15:28](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=928s) Thank you, Mr. Chair. Have you ever asked OneChe- OneGeorgia why those areas are ineligible, and what was their answer? [0:15:38](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=938s) When I asked about the OneGeorgia, because, uh, the constituents that approached me wanted to know how was it that we were ineligible, but I'm to understand that the definition of disadvantaged or underserved is basically one word, and that is rural as far as rural counties. So, um, that's why I focused on expanding the definition of r- of disadvantaged and underserved and under-resourced. [0:16:12](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=972s) And by expanding it, it opens it up so that even your, your urban, your rural, suburban, if you fall, if you can show that you are in three of five of those conditions or four of the six conditions, then you are qualified because you're trying to turn around a very depressed, underserved area. [0:16:40](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1000s) Other members? Is there anybody here from OneGeorgia? And, and we, just as the chairman and, and as a point of personal privilege, I think we probably ought to hear from the folks that, that administer the program. [0:16:56](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1016s) Talk about it. [0:16:57](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1017s) So if there's not objection, we can suspend on both, have them come in and testify to the committee, and give us a little more insight, um, on, uh, whenever Gerald Greene, excuse me, Chairman Greene was here- ... uh, and they created this program. And, and, uh, tell us from the department how they're spending the money, um, and where it's going to, what the original intent, and, uh, see if there's room for that. So if there's not any objection, that's what we'll do, and we shall suspend and continue the next meeting. [0:17:28](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1048s) And, uh, at 12:30 next Thursday, if... Are we in next Thursday? I think we are. [0:17:35](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1055s) Uh. [0:17:35](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1055s) And, and we'll have another meeting, um, with the final draft, I hope, of the, uh, Representative Bazemore's bill, uh, and some update on this one- [0:17:44](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1064s) Okay. [0:17:44](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1064s) ... uh, Representative Dav- Davis, so that we can, uh, can move forward. But is there anything else to come before the committee? [0:17:52](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1072s) Move to adjourn. [0:17:53](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1073s) We have a movement to adjourn. Is there a second? [0:17:56](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1076s) Second. [0:17:56](https://vimeo.com/1162355722#t=1076s) We are adjourned. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We shall carry forward.