(a) Full faith and credit. The full faith, credit, and taxing powers of the state are pledged to the payment of all public debt, and the interest thereon, incurred under this article; and all such debt and the interest thereon shall be exempt from taxation.

(b) Negotiability. Every evidence of indebtedness issued under this article shall be, and the same is held to have all the rights and incidences of, negotiable instruments, anything in law to the contrary notwithstanding.

(c) Legal investments; securities for deposit. General obligation debt and guaranteed revenue debt herein authorized are made securities in which all public officers and bodies of this state; all municipalities and all municipal subdivisions; all insurance companies and associations and other persons carrying on an insurance business; all banks, bankers, trust companies, savings banks, and savings associations, including savings and loan associations, building and loan associations, investment companies, and other persons carrying on a banking business; all administrators, guardians, executors, trustees, and other fiduciaries; and all other persons whatsoever who are authorized to invest in bonds or other obligations of the state may properly and legally invest funds including capital in their control or belonging to them. Such debt is further made securities which may be deposited with and shall be received by all public officers and bodies of this state and all municipalities and municipal subdivisions for any purpose for which the deposit of the bonds or other obligations of this state may be authorized.

(d) State employees. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, employees of the state are authorized to hold, purchase, and own bonds representing general obligation debt or guaranteed revenue debt issued under this article.

(e) Exemption from taxation.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, no city, county, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state shall impose any tax, assessment, levy, license fee, or other fee upon any contractors or subcontractors as a condition to or result of the performance of a contract, work, or services by such contractors or subcontractors in connection with any project being constructed, repaired, remodeled, enlarged, serviced, or destroyed for, or on behalf of, the state or any of its agencies, boards, bureaus, commissions, and authorities; nor shall any city, county, municipality, or other political subdivision of this state include the contract price of or value of such contract, work, or services performed on such projects in computing the amount of any tax, assessment, levy, license fee, or other fee authorized to be imposed on any contractors or subcontractors.

(2) The exemption provided for in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any local sales tax, local use tax, or local sales and use tax which is levied and imposed in an area consisting of less than the entire state, however authorized, including, but not limited to, such taxes authorized by or pursuant to constitutional amendment; by or pursuant to Section 25 of an Act approved March 10, 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p. 2243), as amended, the "Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act of 1965"; by or pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 48; or by or pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 48.

(3)(A) As used in this paragraph, the term:

(i) "Building and construction materials" means all building and construction materials, supplies, fixtures, or equipment, any combination of such items, and any other leased or purchased articles when the materials, supplies, fixtures, equipment, or articles are to be utilized or consumed during construction or are to be incorporated into construction work pursuant to a bona fide written construction contract.

(ii) "Local sales and use tax" means any local sales tax, local use tax, or local sales and use tax which is levied and imposed in an area consisting of less than the entire state, however authorized, including, but not limited to, such taxes authorized by or pursuant to constitutional amendment; by or pursuant to Section 25 of an Act approved March 10, 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p. 2243), as amended, the "Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act of 1965"; by or pursuant to Article 2 of Chapter 8 of Title 48; or by or pursuant to Article 3 of Chapter 8 of Title 48.

(B) No local sales and use tax which became applicable subsequent to the time of entering into a contract as described in this subparagraph shall be collected by a county or municipality upon the sale or use of building and construction materials when the contract pursuant to which the materials are purchased or used was entered into on December 19, 1994, and a prior claim for a refund of such sales and use taxes was filed with the department on or before January 22, 1998.

(C)(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title or any other title to the contrary, the provisions of this subparagraph shall provide the exclusive remedy and procedure for seeking and obtaining any and all refunds for local sales and use taxes paid on the sale or use of building and construction materials. No refund shall be allowed for any such taxes or payments unless expressly authorized by this subparagraph.

(ii) The commissioner shall issue refunds for local sales and use taxes paid or due with respect to a contract specified under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph when it is shown to the satisfaction of the commissioner that local sales and use taxes were paid pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(D) No person shall receive a refund for local sales and use taxes paid in any case where an amount equal to the amount of taxes paid has been charged to or paid by any purchaser of the person seeking a refund. When a claimant is issued a refund for taxes paid, in every case where an amount equal to the amount of taxes paid has been charged to or paid by any purchaser of the claimant, the claimant shall refund to the purchaser or customer an amount equal to the refund allowed by the commissioner.

(E) No refund for taxes paid shall be allowed unless a refund claim is filed with the commissioner pursuant to subparagraph (F) of this paragraph. If, in the opinion of the commissioner, a refund claim of taxes paid pursuant to this subsection contains a false statement, the claim shall be denied. In no event shall interest be allowed on any refund under this paragraph.

(F) Each refund claim shall be filed in writing with the commissioner in the form and containing such information as the commissioner may require. The commissioner shall consider information contained in the refund claim, together with such other information as may be available, and shall approve or disapprove the refund claim and notify the claimant of such action. Any claimant whose claim is denied by the commissioner or whose claim is not decided by the commissioner within one year from the date of filing the claim shall have the right to bring an action for a refund in the superior court of such county. No action or proceeding for the recovery of a refund shall be commenced before the expiration of one year from the date of filing the refund claim unless the commissioner renders a decision on the refund claim within that time, nor shall any action or proceeding be commenced after the occurrence of the earlier of (i) the expiration of one year from the date the claim is denied, or (ii) the expiration of two years from the date the refund claim was filed. The time for filing an action for the recovery of a refund may be extended for such period as may be agreed upon in writing between the claimant and the commissioner during the period authorized for bringing an action or any extension thereof. In the event any refund claim is approved and the taxpayer has not paid other state taxes which have become due, as determined by the commissioner, the commissioner may set off the unpaid taxes against the refund. When the setoff authorized in this Code section is exercised, the refund shall be deemed granted and the amount of the setoff shall be considered for all purposes as a payment toward the particular tax debt which is being set off. Any excess refund properly allowable under this paragraph which remains after the setoff has been applied may be refunded to the taxpayer.