GPA advocates for state-level policies that leverage planners’ expertise, empowering us to increase housing choice, improve communities’ resilience, and modernize infrastructure.

2023 GPA Policy Priorities

GPA’s legislative priorities include the following:

  • Available, Affordable and Attainable Quality Housing 
  • Local Governance in Support of Home Rule
  • Safe and Resilient Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Healthy Communities 
  • Fair and Equitable Governance 
  • Environmental Stewardship

View and Download the GPA Legislative Policy Priorities

The Board unanimously adopted the 2023-2024 session’s policy priorities in December affirming our support of local governance in support of home rule. The document is a statement of Chapter priorities and professional position on policy issues. It will guide advocacy positions taken by the Chapter and serve as a framework for local advocacy efforts by GPA members. The document makes a nod to the American Planning Association (APA) current Policy Priorities

APA has published the 2023 Federal Priorities for Planning and Communities, which includes infrastructure and recovery legislation implementation, zoning reform and housing opportunities, and climate change.

Positions on Current Legislation

The GPA Policy and Advocacy Committee (PAC) has actively been tracking bills at the State General Assembly and recommended that GPA actively support or oppose several bills. The Board agreed with the PAC recommendations.

GPA is partnering with ACCG and GMA to advocate for Affordable Housing. GPA is part of the dialogue and we’re helping to identify a counter proposal to preempting home rule. APA is helping us identify best practices from across the country. We know that there is a proposal coming from Representative Washburn. And we’re grateful to be at the table.

GPA’s Policy and Advocacy Committee appreciates your attention to these legislative issues and encourages you to reach out and engage your local state representatives to support our position on these important bills. 

Bill (House-HB; Senate-SB)
DescriptionCurrent StatusGPA Position
HB 31, Hazardous Waste Trust FundThis is an update of a bill that GPA supported last year and that was signed into law by the Governor, HB 511 (2021-22 Session). This bill would simply close a loophole in the current law that would make it clear that money collected in fines for Hazardous Waste violations would be dedicated to clean up. GMA, ACCG, and the GA Conservancy all support this Bill. PASSED the House on March 2, 2023.Support
HB 71, Okefenokee Protection ActThis will bolster efforts to restrict mining near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The Georgia Conservancy, which strongly supports the bill, has provided a detailed background of the issues at stake on their website.This bill did not make crossover day on Monday, March 6.Support
HB 189, Truck Weight BillThis bill would increase the weight limit of trucks on local roads from 80,000 lbs to 90,000 lbs. This increase in weight could lead to higher local road maintenance costs.Passed and going to the Governor for signatureOppose
HB 254, Website posting of legal notices.This bill would allow for alternative to publishing all legal notices in local paper, by publishing such notices on official website of the jurisdiction.Passed and going to the Governor for signatureSupport
HB 404, Safe at Home ActThis bill would modify a number of provisions in landlord and tenant agreements, generally to be more in favor of tenant rights. Georgia law currently very much favors landlord rights, so these provisions would make GA law more comparable with other states.Passed the House. Tabled in the Senate and failed to pass this year.
Support
HB 514, Housing Regulation Transparency ActThis bill would place a six-month limitation on zoning moratoria and would restrict zoning and planning fees to be used solely for the purpose of funding the operation of zoning administration.Passed the House. Passed the Senate by substitution, but the House disagreed with the changes, so it failed to pass this year.
Oppose
HB 517, Georgia Homeowner Opportunity ActWe have been tracking this bill all session, and Whitney has already written a lot about this bill. But basically this bill seeks to prohibit local governments from adopting or enforcing regulations related to the development of one or two family dwellings. The bill prohibits the adoption, or regulation of, 'building design elements' by local governments.Oppose
SB 62, Preemption of local ordinance or policies relating to public camping or sleepingThis bill has gone through several iterations, but a modified form of it was passed by the Senate on March 2. It would require that local governments enforce prohibitions on public camping and sleeping.Passed both chambers with some substitutions and going to the Governor for signature.Oppose
SB 188, Pre-emption of Regulation on Rental SubdivisionsThis bill would preempt local governments from regulating rental subdivisions. Did not pass before crossover day.Oppose
SB 213, Zoning Procedures, prevent the prohibition of legal nonconforming manufactured and mobile homesThis bill would allow nonconforming manufactured and mobile homes to remain or be replaced by another manufactured or mobile home. This would set a dangerous precedent for the regulation of non-conforming uses in Zoning. Passed and going to the Governor for signatureOppose