Bill Text: GA HB76 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-14 - House Withdrawn, Recommitted [HB76 Detail]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-Introduced.html
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Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-04-14 - House Withdrawn, Recommitted [HB76 Detail]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-Introduced.html
11 LC
21 0977
House
Bill 76
By:
Representatives Kidd of the
141st,
Powell of the
29th,
Epps of the
140th,
Maddox of the
127th,
and Williams of the
89th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
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 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 through a pilot project. 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 shall serve as the pilot communities for such program.
The governing authorities of Baldwin County and the City of Milledgeville shall
jointly work to organize the communities and prepare for application of the
program."
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.