SB238: SB238 Rockdale County; board of commissioners; increase the board of commissioners to five members

Rockdale County currently operates under a 1977 local law that set up its board of commissioners. This bill would rewrite that law to grow the board to five at-large commissioners, restructure the chairperson's role so the board picks a chair and vice-chair from among its own members each January, and create a professional county manager who would run day-to-day government operations instead of the chairperson. The changes would only take effect if Rockdale County voters approved them in a referendum scheduled for November 4, 2025. If approved, election-related provisions and the county manager sections would start January 1, 2026, and the five-member board would begin January 1, 2027. If voters rejected the measure or no election was held, most of the bill's sections would never take effect and would automatically repeal about a year after the election date. The bill also set commissioner pay, oath and bond requirements, meeting schedules, and vacancy-filling procedures. Governor Brian Kemp vetoed the bill on May 14, 2025.

• Increases the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners from four to five members elected at-large, effective January 1, 2027 if approved by voters.
• Replaces the standalone elected chairperson role with a chairperson chosen annually by the board from among its own members.
• Creates a county manager position appointed by the board to serve as the county's chief administrative officer, handling hiring, contracts, and day-to-day operations.
• Requires a countywide referendum on November 4, 2025 before the changes can take effect, with automatic repeal of most sections if voters reject it.
• Sets commissioner annual pay at 16.5 percent of a superior court judge's base salary and requires a $10,000 surety bond for each commissioner.
• Establishes rules for filling vacancies, meeting schedules, and quorum requirements for the restructured board.

Rockdale County residents and voters, current and future county commissioners, the county's chairperson and any future county manager, county department heads and employees whose supervision would shift, and the county election superintendent responsible for running the referendum.

If it had taken effect, Rockdale County would have shifted from a chairperson-led government to one run day-to-day by an appointed professional manager, while adding a fifth commissioner to the board. Because Governor Kemp vetoed the bill, none of these structural changes to county government will happen under this legislation.

• Section 1 sets the board at five at-large commissioners starting January 1, 2027, and lays out how current officeholders and new posts transition into the restructured board.
• Section 2 sets four-year terms for commissioners, elected at the general election before their predecessor's term expires, with partisan qualification.
• Section 3 revises rules for filling vacancies, oaths and bonds ($10,000 per commissioner), commissioner pay (16.5 percent of a superior court judge's base salary), and meeting schedules.
• Section 4 creates the office of county manager, appointed by the board, responsible for enforcing county laws, supervising department heads, preparing meeting agendas, and making purchases up to $5,000 without board approval.
• Section 5 limits the board's administrative powers, giving the county manager authority to carry out board policies as chief administrative officer.
• Section 6 sets rules for appointing and removing county employees, officials, and statutory position holders, generally through the county manager subject to board consent.
• Section 7 requires a November 4, 2025 referendum on the changes, with automatic repeal of most sections if voters reject the measure or no election occurs.
• Section 8 makes the bill effective upon the Governor's signature, except for the referendum-dependent provisions in Section 7.

1. 2025-05-14Veto V7
2. 2025-05-14Senate Date Vetoed by Governor (Senate)
3. 2025-04-07Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-03-13House Passed/Adopted (House)
5. 2025-03-13House Third Readers (House)
6. 2025-03-13House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
7. 2025-03-04House Second Readers (House)
8. 2025-03-03House First Readers (House)

• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)Primary sponsor
• Rhonda Taylor (D, HD-092)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 28, 2025

   51 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #106

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 13, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #273

• Rockdale County government
• county commissioners
• local referendum
• county manager
• Georgia local legislation