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 additionally 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 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.

The City of Savannah's 2024 State Legislative Agenda is the following:

2024 Specific Legislative Priorities:

• Allow municipalities to waive development impact fees (DIF) for the construction of workforce and affordable housing to keep housing development costs low.
• 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.
• Support amending local legislation (SB 640) to clarify language regarding the operation of Community Improvement Districts within Chatham County.
• Support the creation of a local Homeless Court to better adjudicate and connect individuals to resources and services.
• Amend the definition of ‘blighted property’ to include vacant and abandoned parcels and unidentified heir property.
• Expand State Enterprise Zones to include not only depressed zones but also redevelopment areas and allow incentives to be awarded for the creation of affordable housing.
• Enable Savannah to establish an Urban Residential Finance Authority, like the City of Atlanta, to issue ‘Housing Opportunity Bonds’ which can fund a wide variety of small and large housing activities to lower the development cost of housing.
• Allow local governments the ability to sell unclaimed confiscated weapons at auction or have them destroyed.

2024 Policy Positions:

• 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.
• Support Georgia’s full expansion of Medicaid benefits.
• Support expansion of Georgia’s Low-Income Tax Credit Program.
• Support Home Rule regulation of short-term rentals as necessary for quality of life, public safety, and a competitive lodging marketplace.
• Support State Sustainability initiatives and policies that align with Savannah 100% Clean Energy Resolution.
• Support tools that help protect low-income residents from drastic increases in property taxes and rental rates.

Approval