Data Center Impact Assessment and Development Moratorium Act of 2026; enact
HB 1059 would create a temporary statewide moratorium on new data center development in Georgia from July 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. During that period, counties, municipalities, local authorities, and other political subdivisions would be barred from issuing permits, licenses, or certificates under specified titles that would authorize construction or development of a data center. The bill defines “data center” broadly to include facilities or campuses housing working servers and associated cooling, security, and connectivity infrastructure.
The bill also establishes the Data Center Impact Assessment Commission, a 14-member body appointed by the Governor, legislative leaders, the Public Service Commission, and state agency heads. The commission would conduct a three-year study of the cumulative impacts of data center development and submit a report by October 1, 2029, with findings and policy recommendations. The report must address energy use, grid capacity, environmental and water impacts, health and community well-being, and effects on housing and residential markets, and may recommend a statewide zoning ordinance or model local ordinance for data center siting and mitigation standards.
HB 1059 would temporarily halt new data center permitting in Georgia and shift policymaking toward a statewide study and future regulatory framework. It would affect local governments’ permitting authority and potentially impact developers, utilities, landowners, and communities near proposed data center sites. The bill also contemplates future land-use and zoning guidance that could influence how data centers are sited, buffered, and regulated after the moratorium ends.
The bill text reflects a strongly cautionary posture toward rapid data center expansion, emphasizing strain on the electric grid, water supply, infrastructure, noise, air quality, housing, and property values. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment beyond the bill’s findings and structure. Based on the text alone, the measure appears designed to slow development while gathering evidence before allowing further expansion.
The main points of contention are likely to be the moratorium itself and the scope of state intervention in local permitting and zoning. Supporters would likely argue that the state needs time to assess cumulative impacts on utilities, water resources, and communities, while opponents may view the bill as an overbroad restriction on economic development and private investment. The inclusion of utility representatives and state economic development officials on the commission suggests an effort to balance industry, infrastructure, and policy interests, but the bill still places significant limits on new projects for more than two years.