HB226: HB226 Cochran, City of; change corporate limits

The City of Cochran operates under a charter approved by the Georgia General Assembly in 2012. This bill amends that charter to change the city's corporate limits, meaning the official boundary lines that define what land falls under city government and services. Specifically, the bill adds a new provision to Section 1.11 of the charter stating that the city's limits now include the right of way of State Route 23, also called U.S. Highway 87, extending north from the city's current boundary to where that highway meets Jac Arts Road. The bill repeals any conflicting laws and takes effect as part of the charter once signed into law.

• Amends the City of Cochran's 2012 charter to add a new subsection to Section 1.11 defining an expanded corporate boundary.
• Extends the city limits to cover the right of way of State Route 23 (U.S. Highway 87) from the current city line north to its intersection with Jac Arts Road.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this boundary change.

This bill affects the City of Cochran's local government, which gains jurisdiction over the newly included highway right of way, as well as any property owners, businesses, or residents along that stretch of State Route 23 now brought inside city limits.

Bringing this stretch of highway into the city limits could affect which government, city or county, provides services like policing, road maintenance, and utilities along that road, and could change local tax jurisdiction for adjacent property.

• Section 1 amends Section 1.11 of the City of Cochran's charter (Ga. L. 2012, p. 5162) by adding subsection (c) describing the new boundary.
• The new boundary covers the right of way of State Route 23/U.S. Highway 87 from the city's current limits north to Jac Arts Road.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 198
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-02-27Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-02-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-02-24Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-02-21House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Danny Mathis (R, HD-133)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 21, 2025

   170 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #58

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 27, 2025

   48 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #98

• city boundaries
• Cochran Georgia
• municipal charter
• local government