Each year, Savannah City Council adopts a state legislative agenda to prioritize items that require legislative action and attention during the Georgia Legislative Session. Savannah’s Legislative Agenda serves as a roadmap for which items we encourage our State Legislative Delegation to work toward accomplishing each year. The agenda assists with focusing our resources and efforts into accomplishing and advancing items important to municipal operations and improving our community.

The City's Legislative Agenda is formulated through three primary inputs. First input is the priorities and feedback directly from City Council members. Second is input from City staff regarding state laws or policies that impact City services or quality of life issues for Savannah residents, and Third is consultation with Georgia Municipal Association about upcoming threats and opportunities. 

The agenda is formulated into two categories: Specific Legislative Priorities and Policy Positions. Specific Legislative Priorities are focused items which need attention or action. Policy Positions state the position of the City Council on an issue and allow for quick action on topics or opportunities that may arise within that area of interest.

2026 State Legislative Agenda

Infrastructure and Transportation

• Support and advocate for local infrastructure investments to meet the growing service demands for our city and region, including support for the implementation of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Coastal Empire Transportation Study
• Support and advocate for investments and legislation that promotes sustainable local transit
• Allow municipalities to charge the capital cost associated with providing water and sewer services to existing parcels that request new and expanded use which are proportionate to the amount of services they receive

Public Safety

• Supports legislation that allows municipalities to ethically and responsibly use public safety video and digital technology
• Support for Legislative Action to Protect Families and Limit Public Release of Sensitive Homicide and Violent Crime Media

Housing and Homelessness

• Support the creation of a statewide agency to coordinate Georgia’s comprehensive response to homelessness across state agencies and align those efforts with federal and local resources and providers
• Allow municipalities to exempt development impact fees (DIF) for the construction of workforce and affordable housing to keep housing development costs low.
• Support efforts to help those experiencing homelessness that align with Savannah-Chatham County Interagency Council on Homelessness’s Five-Year Strategic Plan to End Homelessness
• Support expansion of Georgia’s Low-Income Tax Credit Program
• Allow local governments to enter into payment in lieu of tax agreements to exempt some or all property taxes, and/or freeze the tax value of a property following its completion for Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and/or similarly funded rent and income-based housing identified by the local government.

Community Development

• Support expansion of the Historic Tax Credit Program
• Support Sustainability initiatives and policies that align with Savannah’s 100% Clean Energy Resolution
• Support the addition of City of Savannah representation on the Chatham County Urban Development Authority
• Support funding for a mixed-delivery childcare system including public, private and license-exempt programs

Protect Local Property Taxpayers

• Support local government's ability to diversify revenue streams in a fiscally responsible way to respond to vital community needs and services to keep property taxes low
• Support clarity to Taxpayer Bill of Rights, Advertisement, and Public Notice
• Support Georgia’s position as a Home Rule State which allows local individuals to self-govern and determine which solutions best match the communities in which they live, including regulation of zoning, design standards, and short-term rentals
• Support Tort Reform to prevent frivolous lawsuits and lower the unlimited legal exposure of Georgia’s municipal taxpayers similar to the legal protection of Georgia’s Counties

Approval