# Georgia SB 206: "South Georgia Energy Authority Act"; enact Georgia SB 206, "South Georgia Energy Authority Act"; enact, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Carden Summers (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-05-13 (Senate Date Signed by Governor) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB206-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia SB 206 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: "South Georgia Energy Authority Act"; enact - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-19 - Last action: 2025-05-13, Senate Date Signed by Governor - Sponsors: Carden Summers (Republican), Blake Tillery (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Intragovernmental Coordination, State and Local Governmental Operations, Local Bill - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (212 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 9 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Georgia tax break for gas-bond investors: benefit, low. Authority revenue bonds, transfers of those bonds, and income from them are exempt from all taxation within Georgia. This tax break applies to investors and people receiving transferred bonds. The law does not establish a federal tax exemption or state an investor's savings. - New gas authority for South Georgia: benefit, low. The law creates the South Georgia Energy Authority, based in Coffee County, to serve Ashburn, Douglas, Fitzgerald, Ocilla, and Tifton. It can build and operate gas storage, transmission, and distribution systems and supply city utilities. It can also sell gas directly to consumers, including where… - Stronger repayment protections for gas investors: benefit, low. The Authority can pledge project or other revenues and set money aside for bond payments in its bond documents. All money received under the law must be held in trust and used only as the law allows. Bond owners retain rights to that money until it is used under the relevant bond documents. While b… - Limits on claims against gas authority: cost, low. The Authority has a city's protection from injury and negligence claims, to the extent permitted by law. Its officers, agents, and employees receive matching protection while doing Authority work. Contract lawsuits require a written obligation approved at a board meeting and entered in the board mi… - Gas authority sets charges, not taxes: mixed, low. The Authority can set, change, and collect rates and fees for the gas, services, and facilities it provides. It can use gas supply contracts and hedging agreements to manage price risk. For gas facilities and service, it receives city-style treatment and exemption from Georgia Public Service Commis… - Gas authority can cover contractor losses: mixed, low. The Authority can agree to protect parties contracting with it or its agents against liability for injury or property damage. It can also cover losses and liability itself through self-insurance. These powers protect contracting parties but can put Authority money at risk. The law states no dollar… - Local board oversees the gas authority: mixed, low. The eight-member board includes five mayors or their designees and three at-large members chosen by those city representatives. At-large members need at least three years of economic-development experience and serve four-year terms. City representatives serve at their appointing authority's pleasur… - Gas projects use revenue-backed borrowing: mixed, low. The Authority can issue revenue bonds to build or improve gas projects, buy gas supplies, or refinance existing debt. Bond payments come only from Authority revenues named in the bond resolution, not state or local government credit. Local governments can separately contract to pay Authority costs,… - Gas authority property avoids local taxes: mixed, low. Authority-owned property is public property held for government purposes. Its real and personal property is exempt from state and local taxes and special assessments, subject to general law. This lowers the Authority's tax costs and limits revenue available to affected taxing governments. The exemp… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Carden Summers (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Blake Tillery (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Noel Williams (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-28 | House | Local Calendar | pass | 160 | 0 | 8 | | 2025-03-03 | Senate | LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR | pass | 52 | 0 | 4 | ## Actions (13) - 2025-05-13: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Act 245 - 2025-05-13: Effective Date - 2025-04-07: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate) - 2025-03-28: House Committee Favorably Reported (House) - 2025-03-28: House Third Readers (House) - 2025-03-28: House Passed/Adopted (House) - 2025-03-06: House Second Readers (House) - 2025-03-04: House First Readers (House) - 2025-03-03: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate) - 2025-02-20: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Senate Hopper (Senate) ## Bill text - SB 206/AP* (v10): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238130) ## Related bills - SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed) - SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed) - SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed) - SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed) - HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed) - HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed) ## Sources - [SB 206/AP* (v10) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238130) ## Related - [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026) - [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026) - [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026) - [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026) - [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026) - [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026) - [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills) - [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB206-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).