This bill allows local legislation to further restrict the number of optional dates for special elections and to further limit the dates that certain categories of questions may be posed to the voters. The dates of special elections were substantially narrowed a couple of years ago by general law. Since special elections are a local matter, county commissioners should retain as much flexibility as possible to effectively manage their local affairs.

This bill removes cities' ability to annex unincorporated islands without residents' consent effective January 1, 2013. This provision was enacted in 1992 to encourage cities to incorporate unincorporated islands that existed prior to the prohibition of their creation. The bill failed twice in the Senate.

This bill shortens the duration of in person, no excuse, early voting from 45 days to 21 days, making the early voting period in Georgia consistent for all elections - from city (which is presently 21 days) to county, state and federal. It also brings Georgia closer to the national average of 24 days. To provide an increased opportunity to vote early for those who normally have to work, it mandates that polls must be open the second Saturday prior to an election for early voting. The bill was introduced with bipartisan support. To read more, click here.

This bill prohibits public employees from using any computer, fax machine, telephone, e-mail, word processing software, printer or other telecommunications device owned by the government for the purpose of promoting or opposing the passage or veto of legislation. County employees whose duty is to communicate with legislators would be exempt.  While the bill was passed by the House Governmental Affairs Committee on February 28th, the author of the legislation said the he does not intend to push the bill to passage this year.  

HB 124 clarifies that annexation arbitration panel members are entitled to a per diem of $115 plus reimbursement for mileage.

HB 158 changes the election of judges back from the November general election to the summer primary election. The author explains this will potentially save counties money by avoiding costly run-offs solely for judicial offices and it reverts the elections back to the dates in place prior to 2005.  

Under the Service Delivery Act cities and counties cannot charge residents outside their jurisdictions water and sewer fees that are arbitrarily higher than the fees charged to residents of their jurisdiction. HB 174 adds that arbitrarily-higher "rates" would also be prohibited and the definition of fees would now include "account fees or other customer fees." If the reasonableness of a rate or fee is challenged by a county or city, current law requires that a qualified engineer must prepare a rate study. HB 174 removes the requirement for this rate study.

HB 232 addresses unintended consequences from the ethics reform law which took effect January 10, 2011. First, local officials may now file Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports and Personal Financial Disclosure Reports with the state either electronically or via paper. It removes the requirement that local officials submit a current email address to the state. The Campaign Finance Commission (formerly the State Ethics Commission) must notify local officials via mail rather than electronically about "the filing of a complaint; a technical defect in a filing; a failure to make a timely filing; or a late fee or other penalty." HB 232 removes the requirement that every county staff person that speaks with a legislator must register as a lobbyist. Now, county staff must register as lobbyists only if they spend more than 10% of their time lobbying or spend more than $1,000 to influence a public officer.

HB 262 increases the fee from 3% to 4% of the base salary that individuals must pay to qualify to run for the office of probate judges, magistrate judges and state court judges. The additional 1% would be transferred to the Secretary of State's office to fund the Judicial Qualifying Commission.

HB 270 requires that elections for sheriff, district attorney and solicitor be by nonpartisan election. It also allows the General Assembly to enact local legislation to allow any other county elected office - including county commissioner - to be nonpartisan.

This bill changes the date of the 2012 General Primary to July 31, 2012, which will be the date of the regional transportation sales tax referenda.  The Secretary of State's office explains the date is being changed to accommodate the logistics of military and overseas voting.

This bill adds another requirement to the 100% method of annexation. Cities would be required to prepare a plan for extending services and improvements to the area proposed for annexation. If the city fails to provide these services after two years, then the property owners could deannex the property. The county's consent for the deannexation would be required.

This bill would require anyone who spends money on any type of advertisement advocating for the election or defeat of a candidate must clearly identify the person, candidate or campaign committee paying for the ad.  No ad may use the name or "any colorable imitation" of the name of a person or organization in such an ad without the authorization of the person or organization.  A violation of this law would be a misdemeanor.

This bill was amended in committee to create a new method of annexation that allows any newly created municipality to annex "unincorporated peninsulas" for a period of five years. Cities are permitted to annex "unincorporated peninsulas" defined as being less than 15 square miles in area and more than 75 percent surrounded by city territory, counties other than where the city is located, or both. Although the annexation must be approved by the voters of the area proposed to be annexed, this new method of annexation does not require any sort of plan or report on how the city will extend services to the area proposed to be annexed. Additionally, this new method does not require any notice to the county nor does it allow the county to object even if there are land use, service delivery or infrastructure conflicts.

This bill creates the County Government Infrastructure Financing Authority to provide a mechanism through which county governments may lease or purchase on an installment basis infrastructure and equipment at a lower cost.

This bill mandates that cities and counties post all bids for goods and services for $10,000 or more and all bids for public works construction contracts for $100,000 on the Georgia Procurement Registry.  It also mandates that all such bids be posted in the legal organ of the county and in "any other media normally utilized" by the county when advertising bid opportunities.  

HB 672 would require any legislation introduced to create a new city be introduced in the first year of the two-year legislative calendar. Such bills could not be considered for passage until the second year. The intent is to allow time for the proponents of a new city to properly evaluate its fiscal viability before the General Assembly votes on the proposal.

HB 707 would add student photo identification cards from private Georgia colleges as an acceptable form of identification to vote. Photo IDs from public colleges are already accepted. This bill failed on the Senate floor.

HB 728 specifies that covenants that restrict property to certain uses that were created before zoning laws were adopted in a county or city will continue to be effective until the covenant expires according to its terms notwithstanding contrary provisions of the zoning ordinance so long as the zoning ordinance, upon its initial enactment, expressly  the continuing application of the covenant restricting lands to certain uses. This bill, which is effective July 1, 2012, is pending signature by the Governor.

Current state statute authorizes counties to display the Foundations of American Law and Government in judicial buildings. HB 766 would expand this statute to authorize said display in any public building. Examples of the Foundations of American Law include the Ten Commandments, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta and Bill of Rights.

HB 776 provides that nonpartisan elections for consolidated governments are considered county elections, not municipal elections. As such, elections will be conducted during the general primary in even numbered years without a nonpartisan primary. This bill was attached to SB 92 and passed. It is awaiting the Governor's signature.

HB 810 changes the phase-in provision of the E-Verify requirements for smaller businesses registering to pay county occupation taxes.  Current law requires employers with more than 10 employees to come into compliance on July 1, 2014.  HB 810 would apply that deadline to employers with more than 50 employees.  Employers with 11 to 50 employees would have until July 1, 2015 to sign up for E-Verify.

HB 810 also allows businesses registering to pay their county occupation tax (or renewing their registration) to submit originals or copies of documents verifying immigration status in person, by mail or electronically.