Atlanta, Georgia Local News
Bill that creates Community Impact Districts near Georgia’s HBCUs passes out of Georgia Senate
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Senate Bill 235 passed the Georgia Senate by a margin of 46-7 Monday afternoon. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Sonya Halpern, a Democrat from Atlanta, seeks to establish the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Innovation and Economic Prosperity Planning Districts Commission under the University System of Georgia. The bill is a byproduct of a recommendation from the bipartisan 2022 Excellence, Innovation and Technology at Georgia’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities Study Committee.
According to the bill, HBCU planning districts can transform these institutions and surrounding communities in numerous ways related to housing, digital infrastructure, small business development, environmental upgrades, campus upgrades, economic development, and workforce development. The proposed commission would consist of eleven appointed members. Plus, the legislation would establish smaller, localized advisory committees to better understand the needs and experiences of individual universities.
The bill was co-sponsored by Georgia Senate Republicans Jason Anavitarte and Brandon Beach.
“Our HBCUs have a unique opportunity to grow as hubs of economic and workforce development,” said Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones. “We need to provide these universities with the tools and infrastructure necessary to succeed. I want to thank Senator Sonya Halpern for her work in helping better our HBCUs throughout Georgia. By strengthening our HBCUs, we can continue to keep Georgia’s business climate thriving.”
Additionally, the legislation provides for Community Improvement Districts for the following HBCUs in Georgia: The Albany State University planning district; The Atlanta University Center Consortium planning district; The Fort Valley State University planning district; The Paine College planning district; and The Savannah State University planning district.
“So whether it’s the first generation college student like both of my parents were when they left Mississippi farm life for a world of new opportunities, or one of the 76% of HBCU students who are Pell Grant recipients, or those who are second or third generation students who are carrying the weight of family expectations; HBCUs are proven pathways to the middle class,” said Halpern as she touted the significance of her bill.
State Senator David Lucas, a Democrat from Macon, was among the seven individuals that disapproved of the measure. He believes the Georgia Board of Regents have a responsibility to directly affect the growth of Georgia’s public HBCUs, Albany State, Fort Valley State, and Savannah State. He also said Halpern’s legislation would better serve the private HBCUs, notably the Atlanta University Center.
“It (Senate Bill 235) might be good for the private HBCUs,” said Lucas. “But you’re setting up districts that folks will determine what might happen and then they go to the President if they don’t like what’s being planned. And if you want to do something, go to the Board of Regents and ask that they make the changes at those particular institutions that would increase the student body. And that would spur economic development.”
Senator Freddie Powell Sims says Halpern’s legislation is being touted as an economic development bill to rebuild communities while removing the blight near HBCUs that have existed for over a century. She also expressed concern regarding a possibility that investors can’t be trusted with their motives.
“As this bill is written, SB 235 will empower a very loosely defined and appointed commission to institute a complete power grab away from the Board of Regents with little to no oversight or accountability for this legislative body, nor oversight, or accountability from the Board of Regents,” says Sims, a Democrat from Dawson.
Despite the fear from seven dissenting Senators and debate that nearly lasted for one hour, Senate Bill 235 did pass. It now heads to the House for further debate.
According to the Georgia State Constitution, The Georgia Board of Regents receives their money via a block grant and distributes funds based on their internal funding formula. The Georgia Legislature has no power to distribute money to member schools. According to Page 62, paragraph D, it states:
The board of regents may hold, purchase, lease, sell, convey, or otherwise dispose of public property, execute conveyances thereon, and utilize the proceeds arising therefrom; may exercise the power of eminent domain in the manner provided by law; and shall have such other powers and duties as provided by law.
Essentially, The Georgia Board of Regents controls all of the real estate, all of the property, and all of the assets of any one institution. They do not control the property surrounding each of the campuses.
“Vote yes for a vision that helps secure the resources that the schools and these communities need,” concluded Halpern. “Vote yes for HBCUs. Vote yes for investment that will allow them to modernize their campuses, increase their institutional capacity, and improve the infrastructure. Vote yes for our HBCUs starting to have some of the things that they need to do the things that we all know that they can do. They have been punching well above their weight from the inception, well above their weight.”
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