ATLANTA – State Representative Todd Jones (R-South Forsyth) expresses his support for House Resolution 303 and its enabling legislation, House Bill 585, the ‘Georgia Development Impact Fee Act,’ which would aim to empower local boards of education in high-growth school systems, including Forsyth County schools, by granting them the authority to impose, levy and collect educational development impact fees.
“Our commitment to education extends beyond the classroom,” said Rep. Jones. “It encompasses the infrastructure that supports our students’ learning environment, from the desks they sit in to the technology they utilize. House Bill 585 and House Resolution 303 represent a proactive step toward ensuring that Georgia’s schools remain centers of excellence, fostering an environment where every student can thrive and reach their full potential.”
HB 585 would grant local school boards of education the authority to impose, levy and collection educational development impact fees, which would provide adequate funding to assist with the influx of new Georgia residents. The bill’s implementation hinges on the adoption of HR 303, which would authorize these impact fees. The term educational development impact fees refer to fees that would be imposed to pay for a share of the cost of additional educational facilities that would serve new growth and development in the same area in which such fees would be imposed. If both HB 585 and HR 303 received final passage, then voters could approve the measure via a ballot referendum.
Both HB 585 and HR 303 are assigned to the House Committee on Governmental Affairs.
The full text of HB 585 may be found here.
The full text of HR 303 may be found here.
Representative Todd Jones represents the citizens of District 25, which includes portions of Forsyth and Fulton counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves as Chairman of the Technology & Infrastructure Innovation Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Economic Development & Tourism, Education, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health, Industry & Labor and Judiciary committees.
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