Georgia Policy

The Georgia General Assembly has made several efforts in recent years to expand broadband and make it more accessible for all Georgians.

Check out some of the recent legislation below:

• 2019-2020 Session – HB 244 (Passed House and Senate): Electric membership corporations; comply with certain requirements in determining the rates for attachments to utility poles by communications service providers; require
  • This legislation altered the process by which Georgia’s Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) determine the fees charged to communications service providers which place telecommunications equipment on EMC utility poles.  The fee/rate will be determined by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) after the PSC considers what is just, reasonable, nondiscriminatory and commercially reasonable.
• 2019-2020 Session – SB 66: Streamlining Wireless Facilities and Antennas Act
  • Established a statewide, streamlined process covering all aspects of the permitting of small cell poles, antennas and equipment in local governments’ rights-of-way.
• 2019-2020 Session – SB 2: Public Utilities and Public Transportation; electric membership corporations and their affiliates; authorize; broadband services; provide
  • Authorized Georgia’s electric membership corporations (EMCs) to provide broadband facilities, services and required EMCs to extend existing rates, terms and conditions within current contracts throughout 2034 no matter when the contract expires.
• 2017-2018 Session – SB 402: Achieving Connectivity Everywhere (ACE) Act
  • Outlined a multi-agency strategy to provide for planning, incentives and deployment of broadband services to unserved areas throughout the state. The key agencies tasked with developing a multi-faceted approach to statewide broadband planning and implementation include the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Georgia Technology Authority (GTA), Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and Georgia’s State Properties Commission (GSPC). These key agencies form the ACE Project Team.