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Senate advances bill to consolidate Atlanta-area transportation authorities into new state entity
Summary
The Senate passed House Bill 297 by substitute after floor debate and amendment votes. Sponsors said the measure consolidates existing authorities into a Georgia Transportation Efficiency Authority, trims board size and curbs sweeping powers such as overriding local land-use decisions; opponents warned it centralizes power and risks federal funding relationships.
The Senate passed House Bill 297 by substitute after extended floor debate and recorded votes on amendments and procedural motions. The majority leader, speaking from the well, framed the legislation as a government-efficiency measure and said it "streamlines more than 70 sections of state law" while restoring "the proper balance between state and local control."
The bill would merge the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the ATL into a single Georgia Transportation Efficiency Authority. Sponsor remarks said the new authority would have a smaller governing board, require annual reporting and safety-performance measures, preserve the state's designation as the recipient of federal transit funds and keep the developments-of-regional-impact process…
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