Bill Text: GA HB580 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Barrow County Governing Authority Study Commission; create

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-03-29 - Senate Read and Referred [HB580 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-HB580-Introduced.html

---

11 LC 25 5897

House Bill 580

By: Representatives England of the 108th and Benton of the 31st

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To create the Barrow County Governing Authority Study Commission; to provide for its membership, officers, purpose, meetings, hearings, functions, powers, and duties; to provide for a report; to provide for automatic repeal and abolishment of the study commission; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

(a) There is created the Barrow County Governing Authority Study Commission. Such study commission shall be composed of 13 members as follows:

(1) Each of the three members of the Barrow County delegation to the Georgia General Assembly shall appoint two members, for a total of six members;

(2) Each of the six members of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners elected from districts shall appoint one member, for a total of six members, none of whom shall be a member of the board of commissioners or other elected official; and

(3) The chairperson of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners shall appoint one member, who shall not be a member of the board of commissioners or other elected official.

Members of the study commission shall be appointed not less than ten days after the effective date of this Act. Any vacancy in the study commission due to death, disability, or resignation shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(b) The study commission shall elect a chairperson, vice chairperson, and secretary from among its members. The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the study commission. The vice chairperson shall serve as chairperson during the absence of the latter.

(c) The first meeting of the study commission shall be held not later than 15 days after the date this Act becomes effective, at which time the study commission shall organize itself by electing officers and shall establish a schedule for the time, place, and dates of its regular meetings and the times, places, and dates of the public hearings required by subsection (h) of this section.

(d) The Barrow County Board of Commissioners shall provide a suitable and convenient public forum for the study commission to conduct its meetings.

(e) A majority of the members of the study commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; provided, however, that a quorum need not be present to conduct any public hearing required by subsection (h) of this section at which no other business is transacted by the study commission. The study commission shall comply with the provisions of general law applicable to agencies for purposes of open meetings as provided in Chapter 14 of Title 50 of the O.C.G.A. and inspection of public records as provided in Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 of the O.C.G.A.

(f) The purpose and duty of the study commission shall be to study the current form, composition, administration, functions, powers, and duties of the governing authority of Barrow County, as currently provided by an Act to recreate and establish a Board of Commissioners of Barrow County, approved April 2, 1976 (Ga. L. 1976, p. 4033), as amended. Such study by the study commission shall be conducted with a view toward recommending to the Barrow County delegation to the General Assembly such local legislation, if any, as the study commission may deem appropriate for amendment of, or repeal and replacement of, such current local Act, as amended, so as to revise, modernize, or reform the governing authority of Barrow County to suit current needs and conditions, all in the public interest of providing more effective and efficient government for Barrow County; provided, however, that the study commission shall neither study nor make any recommendation with respect to redistricting of the board of commissioners provided by the current local Act.

(g) The Barrow County Board of Commissioners and its officers and employees shall cooperate fully with the study commission in the performance of the study commission's official duties.

(h) As a part of such study, the study commission shall call and conduct public hearings regarding such issues, with at least one hearing held in each of the six municipalities in Barrow County, namely the cities of Auburn, Bethlehem, Braselton, Carl, Statham, and Winder. The governing authorities of such cities and the Barrow County Board of Commissioners shall provide suitable and convenient public forums for the study commission to conduct its public hearings.

(i) The Barrow County delegation to the General Assembly may appoint a representative or agent of the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission to assist the study commission as an impartial moderator and may also appoint a representative or agent of the Association County Commissioners Georgia to provide additional assistance and resources. The study commission shall call upon any such person so appointed as a resource to aid the study commission in the performance of its duties under this Act. The chairperson of the study commission may delegate responsibility for moderating public hearings to any moderator appointed pursuant to this subsection.

(j) Neither the members of the study commission nor any moderator or assistant thereto shall receive any compensation for their services on or to the study commission.

(k) The study commission shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations, including suggestions for local legislation, if any, to the members of the Barrow County delegation to the General Assembly not later than 75 days after the date this Act becomes effective.

SECTION 2.

This Act shall stand repealed, and the Barrow County Governing Authority Study Commission created by this Act shall stand abolished, 90 days after the date this Act becomes effective.

SECTION 3.

This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.

SECTION 4.

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