07 LC 18
6364ERS
The
House Committee on Ways and Means offers the following substitute to HB
222:
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to the authority of counties to buy property sold under tax
executions, so as to prohibit county tax commissioners and certain employees
from purchasing property offered for sale under tax executions or tax
foreclosure proceedings; to provide for criminal penalties; to provide for
status of certain sales, transfers, or acquisitions; to repeal conflicting laws;
and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Article
2 of Chapter 4 of Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the authority of counties to buy property sold under tax executions, is
amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"48-4-23.
(a)
A tax commissioner and any person employed in the office of the tax commissioner
working on behalf of the tax commissioner shall not, directly or indirectly,
acquire an interest in, buy, or profit from any real property sold at public
auction by the county for which such tax commissioner or employee thereof serves
for delinquent taxes, except that such tax commissioner or employee thereof may
purchase property sold at public auction for delinquent taxes if such tax
commissioner or employee has any ownership interest in the property and had an
ownership interest in the property at the time the taxes became
delinquent.
(b)
Any person who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for
a period of not more than one year, by a fine not to exceed $1,000.00, or
both.
(c)
Any sale, transfer, or acquisition of interest in any real property in violation
of this Code section shall be void."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.