Section 12-6-93. Appropriations; agreements between State Forestry Commission and counties; taxation by counties for fire protection

   (a) The funds required to carry out this part and provide for the coordinated protection of uncontrolled fire on all forest lands in the State of Georgia may be provided from annual appropriations made by the General Assembly for this purpose.

(b) In the event any county desires forest fire protection, the county shall enter into an agreement with the State Forestry Commission, and such agreement shall provide for the payment to the commission of an amount reasonably related to the actual cost of providing forest fire protection. Such amount shall be calculated per forest acre of privately owned forest land. Forest acres of privately owned land shall be based upon the most recent United States Forest Service survey for Georgia.

(c) Any agreement in existence on July 1, 2010, between a county and the commission providing for a different percentage or amount of payment shall be changed so as to provide for the payment of an amount reasonably related to the actual cost of providing forest fire protection. Such amount shall be calculated per forest acre.

(d) Any county may levy a tax to provide the additional funds required for fire protection under this part.

Ga. L. 1949, p. 937, § 3; Ga. L. 1950, p. 101, § 1; Ga. L. 1955, p. 309, § 34; Ga. L. 1967, p. 29, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 9, § 1-33/HB 1055.