SB338: SB338 City of Macon, City of Payne City, and Bibb County; mayor and remove such limits for commissioners; increase the term limits

In 2012 the Georgia General Assembly passed a law merging the City of Macon, the City of Payne City, and Bibb County into one consolidated government, and that law set a limit of three four-year terms for the mayor. This bill would amend that 2012 law to raise the mayor's limit to four four-year terms. The bill also removes term limits entirely for commissioners of the consolidated government, though the quoted text only shows the mayor's limit being revised; the bill's title states commissioners' limits are removed as well. An initial partial term still counts as a full term toward the limit, and prior service as a Macon or Bibb County officer before consolidation does not count against it. The bill repeals any conflicting laws and does not list a separate effective date beyond the standard process for signed legislation.

• Raises the mayor's term limit in the consolidated Macon-Bibb County government from three to four four-year terms.
• Removes term limits for commissioners of the consolidated government, according to the bill's title.
• Keeps the existing rule that an initial term shorter than four years still counts as one full term toward the limit.
• Continues to exclude prior service as a City of Macon or Bibb County officer before consolidation from counting toward the mayor's term limit.
• Repeals any state laws that conflict with these changes.

The mayor and county commissioners of the consolidated Macon-Bibb County government, and by extension the voters of Macon and Bibb County who elect them, are directly affected by these changed term limit rules.

If enacted, a sitting or future Macon-Bibb County mayor could serve one additional four-year term beyond the current cap, and commissioners could serve an unlimited number of terms, changing how long local voters' choices for these offices can remain in office.

• Section 1 amends Section 10(e) of the 2012 consolidation Act to change the mayor's limit from three to four four-year terms.
• Section 1 preserves the rule that a partial initial term still counts as a full term for the mayor's limit.
• Section 1 preserves the exclusion of prior service as a Macon or Bibb County officer from the mayor's term count.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-03-13Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-03-13Senate Hopper (Senate)

• David Lucas (D, SD-026)Primary sponsor

• term limits
• Macon-Bibb County government
• local government
• city and county consolidation