Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte announced on May 15 that Governor Brian P. Kemp has signed House Bill 297 into law, a measure that consolidates Georgia’s regional transit authorities and aims to reduce bureaucracy in the state’s transportation sector.
The new law is intended to streamline transportation governance by dismantling the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and restructuring the Atlanta-region Transit Link Authority into a single entity, now called the Georgia Transportation Efficiency Authority. Supporters say this will increase efficiency and limit government involvement in local matters.
House Bill 297 reduces statutory transportation boards from 31 members to 13, eliminates duplicative oversight structures, and updates operational requirements. “This legislation will restore accountability and eliminate unnecessary government overreach in our transportation sector,” said Anavitarte. “For years, these authorities held sweeping powers that were far broader than what was ever truly necessary. These powers had the authority to force eminent domain on local communities like Paulding County, along with forcing transit plans to expand MARTA. HB 297 reins in those powers while preserving the transportation functions that are actually working for Georgia taxpayers.” The bill also removes dormant or overly broad powers previously granted to these authorities, such as overriding local zoning decisions or pressuring local governments regarding taxes and funding.
“Georgia families expect government to operate efficiently and stay within its proper role,” said Anavitarte. “This law ends a bloated system that has been in place since the late 1990s and protects local communities from heavy-handed mandates coming from unelected transportation authorities. I appreciate Governor Kemp for signing this important reform into law.” The legislation maintains oversight of regional spending plans, administration of federal transit funds, operation of Xpress services where currently provided, and introduces new reporting requirements for performance metrics related to safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
While House Bill 297 marks a significant change for state-level transit governance, it preserves core functions considered essential by lawmakers supporting the measure. Additional background information about other legislative leaders shows Kennedy focused on legislative sponsorship work as a state senator; he held roles including President Pro Tempore and chaired committees such as Administrative Affairs while representing Georgia’s 18th District according to the official website.
