[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6650884,"mediaKeyId","2501728-2dcb52d03738fe53deb15c3fa597a801","parentId",2501728,"title","Committee hears bill to limit HOA bans on solar panels; members raise concerns and keep measure in committee","audioSeconds",1369,"startMs",1761000,"endMs",3130000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2501728-2dcb52d03738fe53deb15c3fa597a801&start=1761&end=3130","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2501728-2dcb52d03738fe53deb15c3fa597a801/thumbnail_1761000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6650884/Georgia/Committee-hears-bill-to-limit-HOA-bans-on-solar-panels-members-raise-concerns-and-keep-measure-in-committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650884-35d2722203ddee7ee71b47ddd75d1819/orig.mp4?Expires=1770673571&Signature=gNT6hPqKuSkybMj~vhB6EFXEEPY4scK7Gk8PkCvhVtvGEz-NDBb0tjfiurkjzw9OHgR-I97BHmZ9StSdYTvfttTiXHZMUfvyJO~1ev~8t1-LCuaY6vL09OEFVOEkR3GnJByEOb9Iv7GK4cbS~4vhsuMjFKr5N4O2AxJ8Cz-3K8jb3EmahVInHpsVXEEoFxL~3VclubnL4Ez9HZhBAPoWtHA8DiJ~N1j7ko-Mc9xrIQeofBn2L8W2e72XI38Ebv-qiPAmnypeldlkXEW4c1Tsmkq0tHO0tiSDL8jSPLUPL7JQm2l17m4HsOp75HLJye4PWPNdTpDwLKvbb090C2XVhg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","State of Georgia ","date","2025-03-05T16:30:39.653Z","article","Representative Lehi presented House Bill 389 to the House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Subcommittee, proposing to prohibit homeowners associations (HOAs) and property owners associations (POAs) from blocking a homeowner's use of solar panels while still permitting HOAs to refuse a particular panel that \"doesn't fit the aesthetic of the community\" or is not on the home's roof or behind a privacy fence.

\"Currently, there are over 2,000,000 people who live in the pseudo government structures called HOAs or POAs,\" Representative Lehi said while explaining the scope and motivation for the bill. He said the bill responds to constituent complaints that some HOAs block homeowners from installing panels or require HOA payment for installation or reinstallation on shared roofs.

Committee members questioned whether the state should override private contracts. Chairman Martin asked whether HOAs are not simply private agreements entered voluntarily by homeowners and whether the legislature should intervene. Representative Lehi acknowledged that HOA bylaws differ across communities and that disputes often end up in court; he told the subcommittee that questions about enforcement and litigation costs may need to be addressed in subsequent legislation.

Representative Erwin Kelly pressed the sponsor on dispute resolution and potential litigation costs, offering a hypothetical where litigation could cost $100,000 and be spread across 100 homeowners as a $1,000 assessment. Representative Lehi replied that how litigation expenses are allocated \"will be governed by the bylaws of the HOA,\" and he noted that some issues with HOAs — including foreclosure authority — are topics for broader consideration.

The Georgia Community Associations Institute (CAI) testified in opposition. Shelby Purdue, who identified herself with the Georgia Community Associations Institute, told the panel that CAI represents roughly 11,000 community associations in Georgia and said the organization opposes the bill's language because it could permit installation on common property and create cost-shifting to association members. \"We we have problems with this bill because it allows for the installation of solar devices on common property, and that could potentially cause issues with having cost spread to all homeowners by the action of 1 specific homeowner,\" Purdue said.

A motion to table the bill was made on the floor and then withdrawn; ultimately the sponsor and the chair said the bill would be left in committee for additional work and \"lie in the committee till next year.\" The transcript records that the subcommittee did not advance the bill during the meeting and will consider revisions later.

Members who spoke urged care about unintended consequences for homeowners, HOA governance and litigation exposure. Several representatives suggested the issue of HOA regulation may be better addressed in a committee or bill focused on HOA governance rather than in the energy committee.

The subcommittee did not take a final vote to advance House Bill 389; the measure remains in committee for further drafting and consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications 03.05.25","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Lehi presented House Bill 389 to prohibit homeowners associations from broadly banning solar panels; the subcommittee held a hearing, members raised questions about private covenants and litigation costs, an industry group testified in opposition, and the bill was left in committee for further work.","taxTitle","Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Georgia","taxId",16945,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6650887,"Subcommittee approves requirement for financial assurance before solar facilities begin operation",229,1496000,1725000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2501728-2dcb52d03738fe53deb15c3fa597a801&start=1496&end=1725","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2501728-2dcb52d03738fe53deb15c3fa597a801/thumbnail_1496000.jpg","/articles/6650887/Georgia/Subcommittee-approves-requirement-for-financial-assurance-before-solar-facilities-begin-operation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6650887-eaa891ff26880d1f1afb1b0f6a9ffcf0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770673571&Signature=hi58Huw7emMI8zxjojWbObbEjyVGww~fzx05xZizzbeXT0QdOPisMHQw08WFQySNVxHGdoKDlJZgcsqj18i2pni9VXQSRgH5LArWz846ZpzB4FYpH-EZmW5rnIkuZBGZzaEsE4C6jXJExi7mY1SWLC0QDP7tfgtMHhZrlE~SeBZvrnIsxZ3gFA-B9eKllxKDhlo10ZIddxYKv~luM0SET6qgHsmHMfs75gduVQ9Kh13gykCn2TsQTNWYj~BPsijlUXQ2td7gCh08EfLbYYTQcK~z9aP54svFDcfvLzfBLjYrmLSUvUnR9-vhraeF3zIec~0wRPG-US6Irou-Po-mng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Subcommittee voted to approve a committee substitute for House Bill 249 (LC 550584S) requiring applicants for solar facilities to provide evidence of financial assurance before operations begin.

The measure, presented by Chairman Dickey, directs the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to require documentation that developers have a financial instrument or other means to decommission and restore land when a solar installation reaches the end of its useful life. \"I just really got a bad feeling that at some point in the future, these... solar facilities are gonna be obsolete and gonna be liabilities to the landowner and to the state of Georgia,\" Chairman Dickey said while presenting the bill.

The bill builds on a provision from Representative Kelly's bill last year, according to Chairman Dickey, and aims to ensure a party will be financially responsible for returning sites to their prior condition. The chairman thanked Jeff Cowen and his team at EPD and Tom Krause at the Public Service Commission for suggested edits, and acknowledged local government counsel Nick Tate for assistance.

Under the substitute, applicants would show EPD evidence of a financial instrument or comparable assurance prior to beginning operation. Chairman Dickey described the procedure as \"very little work on EPD's part, very little on the developer,\" and said the substitute primarily formalizes a commitment developers have already made to restore sites.

Committee members had no recorded roll-call questions or objections during the presentation, and no outside witnesses signed in to speak for or against the bill. The subcommittee advanced the committee substitute by voice vote; the clerk recorded the motion to pass \"committee substitute House Bill 249 (LC 550584S).\" The chair called for ayes and noes by voice; the chair announced the bill passed and that it would be sent on for further consideration.

The subcommittee did not provide a roll-call tally in the transcript; the vote was taken by voice. The bill will proceed to subsequent legislative steps per the House rules.","The Georgia House Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Subcommittee voted to advance a committee substitute that requires evidence of financial assurance to cover decommissioning of utility-scale solar facilities before they begin operation.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears bill to limit HOA bans on solar panels; members raise concerns and keep measure in committee

Subcommittee approves requirement for financial assurance before solar facilities begin operation