Bill Text: GA HB154 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Public Service Commission; elect members by respective districts; provide

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-07 - House Second Readers [HB154 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB154-Introduced.html

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11 LC 28 5419

House Bill 154

By: Representatives Murphy of the 120th, Harbin of the 118th, Howard of the 121st, Smyre of the 132nd, Epps of the 128th, and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to organization and members of the Public Service Commission, so as to provide for the election of members of the Public Service Commission by the electors of their respective districts only; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to organization and members of the Public Service Commission, is amended by revising subsections (a) and (b) of Code Section 46-2-1, relating to election of Commissioners, as follows:

"(a) The Georgia Public Service Commission shall consist of five members to be elected as provided in this Code section. The members in office on January 1, 2000 2011, and any member appointed or elected to fill a vacancy in such membership prior to the expiration of a term of office shall continue to serve out their respective terms of office. As terms of office expire, new members elected to the commission shall be required to be residents of one of five Public Service Commission Districts as hereafter provided, but each member of the commission and shall be elected state wide by the qualified voters of this state their respective districts who are entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly. Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, the election shall be held under the same rules and regulations as apply to the election of Governor. The Commissioners, who shall give their entire time to the duties of their offices, shall be elected at the general election next preceding the expiration of the terms of office of the respective incumbents. Their terms of office shall be six years and shall expire on December 31.

(b) In order to be elected as a member of the commission from a Public Service Commission District, a person must shall have resided in that district for at least 12 months prior to election thereto. A person elected as a member of the commission from a Public Service Commission District by the voters of Georgia must shall continue to reside in that district during the person's term of office or that office shall thereupon become vacant."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.