Whenever, due to an emergency or disaster resulting from manmade or natural causes or enemy attack, it becomes imprudent, inexpedient, or impossible to conduct the affairs of local government at the regular or usual place or places thereof, the governing body of each political subdivision, including but not limited to each and every city, county, and municipality of the state, may meet at any place within or outside the territorial limits of the political subdivision on the call of the presiding officer or any two members of the governing body and shall proceed to establish and designate by ordinance, resolution, or other manner alternate or substitute sites or places as the emergency temporary location or locations of government where all or any part of the public business may be transacted and conducted during the emergency or disaster situation. The sites or places may be within or outside the territorial limits of the political subdivision and may be within or outside this state. During the period when the public business is being conducted at the emergency temporary location or locations, the governing body and other officers of a political subdivision of this state shall have and possess and shall exercise at the location or locations all of the executive, legislative, and judicial powers and functions conferred upon such body and officers by or under the laws of this state. The powers and functions may be exercised in the light of the exigencies of the emergency situation without regard to or compliance with time-consuming procedures and formalities prescribed by law and pertaining thereto, and all acts of the body and officers shall be as valid and binding as if performed within the territorial limits of their political subdivision.
History. Ga. L. 1962, p. 473, § 1; Ga. L. 1973, p. 74, § 12.
Structure Georgia Code
Title 38 - Military, Emergency Management, and Veterans Affairs
Chapter 3 - Emergency Management
§ 38-3-50. Emergency Interim Successors to Various Officials; Necessity of Declared Emergency
§ 38-3-52. Emergency Locations — State Government; Proclamation; Effect of Official Acts
§ 38-3-54. Emergency Locations — Local Government; Who May Call Meeting; Effect of Acts
§ 38-3-55. Emergency Locations — When Authorized; Proclamation
§ 38-3-56. Registration of Businesses During Emergency
§ 38-3-58. “Essentials” Defined; System to Facilitate Transport and Distribution; Certification