Section 50-12-44. Promotion of physical fitness and sports

   The commission shall have the following powers and duties in addition to other powers and duties set forth in this article:

   (1) To develop and stage a program of state-wide amateur athletic competitions to be known as the "Georgia State Games";

   (2) To enter into contracts with both public and private parties in connection with the exercise of powers and duties of the commission;

   (3) To procure insurance coverage for participants in its programs;

   (4) To appoint and select officers, agents, and employees, including professional and administrative staff;

   (5) To enlist the support of individuals, civic groups, amateur and professional sports associations, and other organizations in promoting, conducting, and staging the Georgia State Games and in promoting and improving physical fitness in amateur sports programs;

   (6) To enter into agreements for the development, marketing, promotion, staging, and television and radio broadcasting or reproduction of:

      (A) The Georgia State Games; and

      (B) The official Georgia State Games emblem, posters, and any other artistic, orthographic, or visual representations or designations relating to the Georgia State Games;

   (7) To accept monetary grants, gifts, and proceeds arising from any contracts of the commission from the federal government; state government; any county, municipality, or local government; any board, bureau, commission, agency, authority, or establishment of any such government; or any individual, group of individuals, or any other organization, public or private; and to hold, invest, and disburse such grants, gifts, and proceeds and the income derived from the grants, gifts, and proceeds in carrying out the objectives and purposes of the commission;

   (8) To accept from the federal government or any instrumentality thereof or any other public or private person, firm, or corporation in the name of and for the state services, equipment, supplies, and materials by way of gift or grant for any purpose provided by this article;

   (9) To promote the development of Olympic training centers within the state. Such centers shall be managed by a Georgia State Games and Olympic training centers direct-support organization under contract with the Department of Natural Resources as further provided in Code Section 50-12-45. The commission shall assure that state and local governmental entities and other entities cooperate to the extent feasible in providing existing facilities for use in Olympic training;

   (10) To promote national and international amateur athletic competitions;

   (11) To recommend rules for adoption and establish policies for the operation of the Georgia State Games, the promotion of national and international amateur athletic competitions, and the development of Olympic training centers;

   (12) To maintain liaison with the Department of Education, county and independent boards of education, private and parochial schools, physical fitness commissions of the several political subdivisions of the state, and comparable agencies of other states or of the federal government;

   (13) To sponsor physical fitness and amateur sports workshops, clinics, conferences, and other similar activities;

   (14) To give recognition to outstanding developments and achievements in, and contributions to, physical fitness and amateur sports;

   (15) To collect and disseminate physical fitness and sports information and initiate advertising campaigns promoting physical fitness and amateur sports;

   (16) To encourage local governments and communities to develop local physical fitness programs and amateur athletic competition; and

   (17) To adopt, alter, or repeal its bylaws, rules, and regulations governing the manner in which its business may be transacted and in which the power granted to it may be enjoyed, as the commission may deem necessary or expedient in facilitating its business.

Code 1981, § 50-12-44, enacted by Ga. L. 1989, p. 1786, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1590, § 2.