GA SB319

Establishes the Division of Fire Safety within the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC), headed by a commissioner of fire safety who must have a minimum of 10 years' experience as a fire safety professional, effectively transferring all fire safety functions away from the Commissioner of Insurance/Safety Fire Commissioner, effective July 1, 2019

Creates a 17-member Fire Safety Advisory Board—including appointees of the Governor (4), Speaker of the House (2), Lieutenant Governor (2), and representatives from fire service associations, local government organizations, and industry groups—to advise the commissioner on all Division matters

Transfers authority over a wide range of programs to the new commissioner, including fire safety standards enforcement, arson investigation, manufactured housing regulation, liquefied petroleum gas safety, blasting operations, fireworks licensing, fire sprinkler contractor certification, fire extinguisher and suppression system oversight, boiler and pressure vessel safety, amusement and carnival ride safety, cigarette fire safety standards, and hazardous materials/terrorism preparedness

Renames the Georgia Fire Academy Act to the "Georgia Fire and Emergency Services Training Act" and transfers operation of the Georgia Fire Academy from the Board of Public Safety to the Division of Fire Safety's Professional Development Section

Preserves all existing fee schedules across regulated programs, including fireworks licenses ($500–$5,000), fire sprinkler contractor certificates ($100–$150), manufactured home plant licenses ($440), boiler inspection fees, and construction plan review fees ($150 or $0.015/sq ft for buildings over 10,000 sq ft)

Maintains tiered civil penalty structures across programs: generally up to $1,000 (first offense), $1,000–$2,000 (second offense), and $2,000–$5,000 (third or subsequent offense), with specialized penalties such as up to $250,000 for false cigarette fire safety certifications and up to $100,000 per 30-day period for non-compliant cigarette sales

Requires counties with populations of 100,000 or more and municipalities with populations of 45,000 or more to adopt state minimum fire safety standards, which have force of law statewide without requiring local adoption, with a public hearing required at least 15 days before new rules are promulgated

Ensures continuity by providing that all existing rules, regulations, agreements, contracts, licenses, permits, and certificates in effect on June 30, 2019 remain valid, and all personnel, positions, equipment, assets, and real property transfer from the Department of Insurance to the Division of Fire Safety on July 1, 2019

Preserves sovereign immunity for the state, municipalities, counties, and their officers and employees, providing that no action may be maintained for damages arising from fires or related hazards by reason of inspections or actions taken or not taken under the chapter