Section 8-3-214. Orders of board of commissioners

   (a) If the board of commissioners determines that the respondent has not engaged in a discriminatory housing practice, the board of commissioners shall state the board of commissioners' findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall issue a final order within 30 days after the hearing unless, for good cause shown, such time is extended by the board of commissioners, dismissing the complaint.

(b) If the board of commissioners determines that the respondent has engaged in a discriminatory housing practice, the board of commissioners shall state the board of commissioners' findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall issue a final order within 30 days after the hearing unless, for good cause shown, such time is extended by the board of commissioners, granting such relief as may be appropriate, which may include actual compensatory damages suffered by the aggrieved person and injunctive or other equitable relief and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. A prevailing respondent may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs only upon a showing that the proceeding is frivolous, unreasonable, or without foundation. Attorney's fees may be awarded against a complainant or an aggrieved party if such party joined in the proceeding on its own as an intervening party.

(c) No order of the board of commissioners shall affect any contract, sale, encumbrance, or lease consummated before the issuance of such order and involving a bona fide purchaser, encumbrancer, or tenant without actual notice of the charge filed under this article. In the case of an order with respect to a discriminatory housing practice that occurred in the course of a business subject to licensing or regulation by a governmental agency, the administrator shall, not later than 30 days after the date of the issuance of such order, or, if such order is judicially reviewed, 30 days after such order is in substance affirmed upon review, send copies of the findings of fact, conclusions of law, and the order to that governmental agency and recommend to that governmental agency appropriate disciplinary action. In the case of an order against a respondent against whom another order was issued within the preceding five years under this Code section, the administrator shall send a copy of each such order to the Attorney General.

(d) If the board of commissioners finds that the respondent has not engaged or is not about to engage in a discriminatory housing practice, as the case may be, the board of commissioners shall enter an order dismissing the charge. The administrator shall make public disclosure of each such dismissal.

Code 1981, § 8-3-214, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 1284, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1840, § 8; Ga. L. 1993, p. 91, § 8.