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GA HB1263
Bill
Status
Introduced
2/13/2024
Primary Sponsor
Kim Schofield
Click for details
AI Summary
- Creates the Georgia Environmental Justice Act, requiring all state agencies to prepare an environmental justice report before taking any action that may negatively impact the health or environment of a community, including analysis of impacts, alternatives, mitigation measures, and cumulative effects
- Establishes a 22-member Environmental Justice Commission appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the House, President of the Senate, and Commissioner of Natural Resources, with members representing civil rights, environmental, business, academic, racial/ethnic minority, and low-income communities; members must be appointed by July 31, 2024, and the commission disbands September 30, 2028
- Requires the commission to designate "targeted facilities" and conduct scientific analyses of environmental hazards in low-income and minority communities, including reviews of enforcement actions, siting decisions, communication methods, and demographic data around regulated facilities
- Mandates that applicants seeking construction, modification, or operation permits in ZIP Code areas with majority populations of people of color or low-income residents commit to pollution prevention goals, environmental assessment baseline studies, and community health studies as a prerequisite for permit approval
- Prohibits exclusion from any state-funded program or activity based on race, color, or national origin, and prohibits forcing any group to bear a disproportionate share of negative environmental hazards due to lack of political or economic strength
Legislative Description
Georgia Environmental Justice Act; enact
Last Action
House Second Readers
2/16/2024
Committee Referrals
Natural Resources and Environment2/15/2024
Full Bill Text
No bill text available