Bill Text: GA HB280 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Emergency Telephone System Fund; additional uses for moneys; provide

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 7)

Status: (Passed) 2011-07-01 - Effective Date [HB280 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB280-Introduced.html

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11 HB280/AP

House Bill 280 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)

By: Representatives Harbin of the 118th, Ehrhart of the 36th, Rice of the 51st, Anderson of the 117th, Sheldon of the 105th, and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To change provisions related to telecommunication systems and towers and contracts related thereto; to amend Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Emergency Telephone Number 9-1-1 Service Act of 1977," so as to correct a cross-reference; to modify provisions relating to information that must be registered by a service supplier doing business in Georgia for support of the 9-1-1 system; to provide additional uses for Emergency Telephone System Fund moneys; to provide for the enhancement of dispatch and response activities and equipment of public safety personnel; to amend Code Section 36-37-6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to disposition of municipal property generally, so as to clarify the authority of municipal corporations to enter into certain contracts is in addition to and does not change or conflict with any otherwise existing authority to enter into such contracts; to provide for property leases for telecommunications towers; to provide for exemptions and terms; to provide for applicability; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the "Georgia Emergency Telephone Number 9-1-1 Service Act of 1977," is amended by revising subparagraph (C) of paragraph (18) of Code Section 46-5-122, relating to definitions relative to the "Georgia Emergency Telephone Number 9-1-1 Service Act of 1977," as follows:

"(C) Other costs which may be paid with money from the Emergency Telephone System Fund, pursuant to subsection (e) (f) of Code Section 46-5-134."

SECTION 2.

Said part is further amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 46-5-124.1, relating to service suppliers that must register certain information with the director of emergency management, updating information, and notices of delinquency, as follows:

"(a) Any service supplier doing business in Georgia shall register the following information with the director:

(1) The name, address, and telephone number of the representative of the service supplier to whom the resolution adopted pursuant to Code Section 46-5-133 or other notification of intent to provide automatic number identification or automatic location identification, or both, of a wireless telecommunications telephone service connection should be submitted;

(2) The name, address, and telephone number of the representative of the service supplier with whom a local government must coordinate to implement automatic number identification or automatic location identification, or both, of a wireless telecommunications telephone service connection;

(3) The counties in Georgia in which the service supplier is authorized to provide wireless telephone service at the time the filing is made; and

(4) Every corporate name under which the service supplier is authorized to provide wireless telephone service in Georgia."

SECTION 3.

Said part is further amended by revising subsection (f) of Code Section 46-5-134, relating to the establishment of the Emergency Telephone System Fund, as follows:

"(f)(1) In addition to cost recovery as provided in subsection (e) of this Code section, money from the Emergency Telephone System Fund shall be used only to pay for:

(1)(A) The lease, purchase, or maintenance of emergency telephone equipment, including necessary computer hardware, software, and data base provisioning; addressing; and nonrecurring costs of establishing a 9-1-1 system;

(2)(B) The rates associated with the service supplier's 9-1-1 service and other service supplier's recurring charges;

(3)(C) The actual cost, according to generally accepted accounting principles, of salaries, including benefits, of employees and employee benefits incurred by the local government for employees hired by the local government solely for the operation and maintenance of the emergency 9-1-1 system and the actual cost of training such of those employees who work as dispatchers or and employees who work as directors as that term is defined in Code Section 46-5-138.2, whether such employee benefits are purchased directly from a third-party insurance carrier, funded by the local government's self-funding risk program, or funded by the local government's participation in a group self-insurance fund. As used in this paragraph, the term 'employee benefits' means health benefits, disability benefits, death benefits, accidental death and dismemberment benefits, pension benefits, retirement benefits, workers' compensation, and such other benefits as the local government may provide. Said term shall also include any post-employment benefits the local government may provide;

(D) The actual cost, according to generally accepted accounting principles, of training employees hired by the local government solely for the operation and maintenance of emergency 9-1-1 system and employees who work as directors as that term is defined in Code Section 46-5-138.2;

(4)(E) Office supplies of the public safety answering points used directly in providing emergency 9-1-1 system services;

(5)(F) The cost of leasing or purchasing a building used as a public safety answering point. Moneys from the fund cannot shall not be used for the construction or lease of an emergency 9-1-1 system building until the local government has completed its street addressing plan;

(6)(G) The lease, purchase, or maintenance of computer hardware and software used at a public safety answering point, including computer-assisted dispatch systems and automatic vehicle location systems;

(7)(H) Supplies directly related to providing emergency 9-1-1 system services, including the cost of printing emergency 9-1-1 system public education materials; and

(8)(I) The lease, purchase, or maintenance of logging recorders used at a public safety answering point to record telephone and radio traffic.

(2)(A) In addition to cost recovery as provided in subsection (e) of this Code section, money from the Emergency Telephone System Fund may be used to pay for those purposes set forth in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, if:

(i) The local government's 9-1-1 system provides enhanced 9-1-1 service;

(ii) The revenues from the 9-1-1 charges or wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charges in the local government's Emergency Telephone System Fund at the end of any fiscal year shall be projected to exceed the cost of providing enhanced 9-1-1 services as authorized in subparagraphs (A) through (I) of paragraph (1) of this subsection and the cost of providing enhanced 9-1-1 services as authorized in subparagraphs (A) through (I) of paragraph (1) of this subsection includes a reserve amount equal to at least 10 percent of the previous year's expenditures; and

(iii) Funds for such purposes are distributed pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement between the local governments whose citizens are served by the emergency 9-1-1 system proportionately by population as determined by the most recent decennial census published by the United States Bureau of the Census at the time such agreement is entered into.

(B) Pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, the Emergency Telephone System Fund may be used to pay for:

(i) The actual cost, according to generally accepted accounting principles, of insurance purchased by the local government to insure against the risks and liability in the operation and maintenance of the emergency 9-1-1 system on behalf of the local government or on behalf of employees hired by the local government solely for the operation and maintenance of the emergency 9-1-1 system and employees who work as directors as that term is defined in Code Section 46-5-138.2, whether such insurance is purchased directly from a third-party insurance carrier, funded by the local government's self-funding risk program, or funded by the local government's participation in a group self-insurance fund. As used in this division, the term 'cost of insurance' shall include, but shall not be limited to, any insurance premiums, unit fees, and broker fees paid for insurance obtained by the local government;

(ii) The lease, purchase, or maintenance of a mobile communications vehicle and equipment, if the primary purpose and designation of such vehicle is to function as a backup 9-1-1 system center;

(iii) The allocation of indirect costs associated with supporting the 9-1-1 system center and operations as identified and outlined in an indirect cost allocation plan approved by the local governing authority that is consistent with the costs allocated within the local government to both governmental and business-type activities;

(iv) The lease, purchase, or maintenance of mobile public safety voice and data equipment, geo-targeted text messaging alert systems, or towers necessary to carry out the function of 9-1-1 system operations; and

(v) The lease, purchase, or maintenance of public safety voice and data communications systems located in the 9-1-1 system facility that further the legislative intent of providing the highest level of emergency response service on a local, regional, and state-wide basis, including equipment and associated hardware and software that supports the use of public safety wireless voice and data communication systems."

SECTION 3A.

Code Section 36-37-6 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to disposition of municipal property generally, is amended by revising paragraph (l)(1), the introductory language of paragraph (l)(2), and paragraphs (l)(3) and (l)(4) and adding a new paragraph (l)(5) as follows: "(l)(1) In addition to any other authorization or power, Where not otherwise authorized by its charter or other applicable law, the governing authority of any municipal corporation may lease or enter into a contract for valuable consideration for the use, operation, or management of any real or personal property of the municipal corporation; provided, however, that pursuant to the power granted by this subsection. The authority of any municipal corporation granted pursuant to its charter or other applicable law to enter into leases or contracts for the use, operation, or management of any real or personal property of the municipal corporation shall not be affected by this subsection and it shall not apply to any contracts or leases entered into pursuant to such authority. Where a municipal charter or other applicable law provides no authorization for leasing or contracting for the use, operation, or management of any real or personal property of the municipal corporation and this subsection is to be used as authorization for that purpose, the following shall apply: (A) Any lease or contract for the use, operation, or management of any real or personal property for longer than 30 days shall be by sealed bids or by auction as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section. Easements and licenses for the use of municipal property in connection with construction projects of a municipal corporation shall be exempt from this subparagraph, provided that their term is less than one year; (B) Nothing in this subsection shall have the effect of authorizing alienation of title to such property in derogation of rights, duties, and obligations imposed by prior deed, contract, or like document of similar import or shall cause the divesting of title to property dedicated to public use and not subsequently abandoned; and (C) The lessee or contractee shall not mortgage or pledge the property, lease or contract the property as security for any debt, or incur any encumbrance that could result in a lien or claim of lien against the property, lease, or contract. (2) As a condition of any Any lease or contract for the use, operation, or management of any real or personal property entered into pursuant to this subsection and for longer than 30 days shall contain the following terms:"
"(3)(A) The initial term of a lease or contract for the use of real property entered into pursuant to this subsection shall be no longer than five years and there may be one renewal period of no longer than five years, after which the lease or contract shall again be subject to sealed bids or auction. (B) When the lessee or contractee charges any person to enter or go upon the real property for recreational purposes, the consideration received by the municipal corporation for the lease or contract shall not be deemed a charge within the meaning of Article 2 of Chapter 3 of Title 51. (C) Where real property is leased pursuant to this Code section for the erection of telecommunications towers, the initial term of a lease or contract for the use of such real property shall be no longer than ten years and there may be one renewal period of no longer than ten years, after which the lease or contract shall again be subject to sealed bids or auction; provided, however, that such lease shall also include provisions for the removal of the telecommunications tower structure. (4) This subsection Where this subsection is applicable, it shall apply to any lease or contract entered into or renewed on or after July 1, 2010 2011. This subsection shall not effect affect any provisions of subsection (k) of this Code section.
(5) Nothing contained in this Code section shall be construed so as to expand the powers of eminent domain or to otherwise provide for additional eminent domain authority for any municipal corporation. The ability for a governing authority of a municipal corporation to exercise eminent domain shall be subject to the limitations enumerated in Chapter 2 of Title 22 and the Georgia Constitution."

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.