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GA HB1277

GA HB1277
Conservation and natural resources; increase project cost threshold for public roads or airports requiring environmental evaluations


summary

Introduced
02/11/2026
In Committee
02/20/2026
Crossed Over
02/25/2026
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 16 of Title 12 and Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to environmental policy and highways, bridges, and ferries, respectively, so as to increase the project cost threshold for public roads or airports requiring environmental evaluations; to authorize annual adjustments to such thresholds based upon inflation; to revise various reporting requirements relating to projects of and contracts awarded by the Department of Transportation; to provide for publication of such reports; to repeal a limit on the amount of design-build projects that may be awarded by such department; to increase the property value threshold for requirements relating to the sale of property no longer needed for public road purposes; to authorize annual adjustments to such threshold based upon inflation; to provide for conforming changes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

AI Summary

This bill increases the cost threshold for public road or airport projects that require an environmental evaluation from $100 million to $200 million, with this threshold to be adjusted annually for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. It also revises reporting requirements for the Department of Transportation (DOT), mandating an annual fiscal year report on public fund investment in transportation and requiring the DOT to maintain detailed project status reports on its website. The bill removes a previous limit on the percentage of construction projects that can be awarded using a design-build method, which allows for a single contract for both design and construction. Additionally, it raises the property value threshold for when the DOT can negotiate the sale of property no longer needed for public road purposes from $75,000 to $150,000, also subject to annual inflation adjustments, and modifies procedures for selling surplus property, including allowing for online public auctions and clarifying public comment requirements for property sales.

Committee Categories

Transportation and Infrastructure

Sponsors (5)

Last Action

House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (on 02/25/2026)

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