Bill Text: GA HB76 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Economic Development, Department of; Georgia Certified Retirement Community Program; create

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-14 - House Withdrawn, Recommitted [HB76 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB76-Comm_Sub.html

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11 LC 21 1124S

The House Committee on Economic Development and Tourism offers the following

substitute to HB 76:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Chapter 7 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Economic Development, so as to create the Georgia Certified Retirement Community Program; to define certain terms; to provide for the purpose of such program; to provide for the identification of factors of interest to retired persons; to provide for certification; to provide for administration and support; to provide for expiration; to provide for limited implementation through a pilot project; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 7 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Department of Economic Development, is amended by adding a new article to read as follows:

"ARTICLE 8

50-7-90.

(a) As used in this article, the term:

(1) 'Department' means the Department of Economic Development.

(2) 'Program' means the Georgia Certified Retirement Community Program.

(b) There is established the Georgia Certified Retirement Community Program. The department shall coordinate the development and planning of the program with other state and local groups interested in participating in and promoting the program. The department shall adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this article.

(c) The purpose of the program is to encourage retirees and those planning to retire to make their homes in Georgia. In order to further this purpose, the department shall engage in the following activities:

(1) Promote the state as a retirement destination to retirees and those persons and families who are planning retirement both in and outside of Georgia;

(2) Assist Georgia communities in their efforts to market themselves as retirement locations and to develop communities that retirees would find attractive for a retirement lifestyle;

(3) Assist in the development of retirement communities and continuing care retirement communities as such term is defined in Code Section 31-6-2 in order to promote economic development and a potential workforce to enrich Georgia communities; and

(4) Encourage mature market travel and tourism to the state to evaluate future retirement desirability and to visit those who have chosen to retire in Georgia.

(d) The department shall identify factors that are of interest to retirees or potential retirees in order to inform them of the benefits of living in the state. Such factors shall be used to develop a scoring system to determine whether an applicant will qualify as a Georgia certified retirement community and may include the following:

(1) Georgia's state and local tax structure;

(2) Housing opportunities and cost;

(3) Climate;

(4) Personal safety;

(5) Working opportunities;

(6) Health care and continuing care services;

(7) Transportation;

(8) Continuing education;

(9) Leisure living;

(10) Recreation;

(11) The performing arts;

(12) Festivals and events;

(13) Sports; and

(14) Other services and facilities necessary to enable persons to age in the community with a minimum of restrictions.

(e) The department shall establish criteria for qualifying as a Georgia certified retirement community. To be eligible to obtain certification as a Georgia certified retirement community, the community shall meet each of the following requirements:

(1) Be located within 30 miles of a hospital and of emergency medical services;

(2) Take steps to gain the support of churches, clubs, businesses, media, and other entities whose participation will increase the program's success in attracting retirees or potential retirees;

(3) Establish a retiree attraction committee. The retiree attraction committee shall fulfill or create subcommittees to fulfill each of the following:

(A) Conduct a retiree desirability assessment analyzing the community with respect to each of the factors identified by the department and submit a report of the analysis to the department;

(B) Send a representative of the retirement attraction committee to attend state training meetings conducted by the department during the certification process;

(C) Raise funds necessary to run the program, organize special events, and promote and coordinate the program with local entities;

(D) Establish a community image, evaluate target markets, and develop a marketing and public relations plan designed to accomplish the purpose of the program; and

(E) Develop a system that identifies and makes contact with existing and prospective retirees, that provides tour guides when prospects visit the community, and that responds to inquiries, logs contacts made, invites prospects to special community events, and maintains continual contact with prospects until the prospect makes a retirement location decision;

(4) Remit an application fee to the department in the amount of $2,000.00 or 5¢ times the population of the county as shown in the most recent decennial census, whichever is greater;

(5) Submit the completed marketing and public relations plan designed to accomplish the purpose of the program to the department; and

(6) Submit a long-term plan outlining the steps the community will undertake to maintain or improve its desirability as a destination for retirees, including corrections to any services or facilities identified in the retiree desirability assessment.

50-7-91.

(a) Upon a community's certification as a Georgia certified retirement community, the department shall provide the following assistance to the community:

(1) Assistance in the training of local program staff and volunteers;

(2) Ongoing oversight and guidance in marketing and updating on national retirement trends;

(3) Inclusion in the state's national advertising and public relations campaigns and travel show promotions, including a prominent feature on the department's website;

(4) Eligibility for state financial assistance for brochures, support material, and advertising; and

(5) An annual evaluation and progress assessment on maintaining and improving the community's desirability as a home for retirees.

(b) A community's certification under this Code section expires on the fifth anniversary of the date the initial certification is issued. To be considered for recertification, an applicant community shall submit the following:

(1) A completed new application in accordance with the requirements of this article;

(2) Data demonstrating the success or failure of the community's efforts to market and promote itself as a desirable location for retirees and potential retirees; and

(3) The fee required by this article.

50-7-92.

The department shall implement the program initially through a pilot project involving one county and any municipality within such county. During such pilot implementation, the community selection criteria and scoring methodology shall be defined, applications will be developed, educational sessions will be conducted, and marketing strategies will be developed. Baldwin County and the City of Milledgeville are authorized, but not required, to serve as the pilot communities for such program. The governing authorities of Baldwin County and the City of Milledgeville may jointly work to organize the communities and prepare for application of the program. The provisions of Code Sections 50-7-90 and 50-7-91 shall not be implemented except in relation to the pilot project until specific authorization is provided by general law. The department shall provide a formal report to the Governor on the pilot project not later than December 31, 2012."

SECTION 2.

This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 3.

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