An overhaul of the state's sunshine laws that increases penalties for open records and meetings violators cleared the Legislature on Thursday and now awaits the governor's signature.
By a 169-1 vote, the House gave final approval to the first major rewrite of Georgia's sunshine laws in more than a decade.
As amended in the Senate, House Bill 397 also would provide a new exemption from the Open Records Act for state economic development incentives being offered to companies that are contemplating either building a new project in Georgia or expanding an existing facility here. It would involve projects that cost more than $25 million or hire more than 50 employees.
The incentives would remain secret until a company commits to the project or abandons negotiations. If a company commits to the project, the Georgia Department of Economic Development would publish the incentives on its website. If the project is abandoned, the state agency would make the incentives available under the Open Records Act upon request.
Before the final vote, Rep. Jay Powell, R-Camilla, the legislation's chief sponsor, said an agreement had been reached to not come back in future sessions to try to expand the state economic development incentive exception to county and local development authorities.
The sunshine laws' overhaul, a priority of state Attorney General Sam Olens, would increase maximum fines to $1,000 for a single offense and to $2,500 for an agency that commits a repeat offense. The rewrite would provide new exemptions for some gatherings of governing bodies, such as when a quorum of members attend the same civic function. It also would reduce the cost of most documents disclosed under the Open Records Act from 25 cents to 10 cents per page.
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