SB340: SB340 City of Tybee Island; selection of a mayor pro tem; provide

The City of Tybee Island's charter already includes a mayor pro tem, a council member who fills in for the mayor when needed. This bill amends the city's 1995 charter (as previously amended in 2019) by rewriting Section 2.33, which governs how that person is chosen and what they can do. Under the revised section, the city council must select one of its own members as mayor pro tem at its first regular meeting after a city election and after new council members take office. That person steps in with full mayoral powers if the mayor is absent or unable to serve, and can sign contracts or ordinances the mayor cannot sign due to a financial conflict of interest. The bill also spells out what happens if the mayor pro tem seat becomes vacant: the council must pick a replacement at its next regular meeting after the vacancy occurs.

• Requires the Tybee Island city council to select a mayor pro tem from among its own members at the first regular meeting after a city election.
• Gives the mayor pro tem full mayoral rights and duties whenever the mayor is absent or physically or mentally unable to serve.
• Specifies that if the mayor pro tem is also unavailable, any council member chosen by majority vote can temporarily take on the mayor's duties.
• Requires the mayor pro tem or substitute council member to sign contracts and ordinances when the mayor has a disqualifying financial interest under Section 2.14 of the charter.
• Sets a process for filling a vacant mayor pro tem seat: the council must choose a replacement at its next regular meeting after the vacancy.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these new charter provisions.

Tybee Island's mayor and city council members, who must follow the new selection and vacancy-filling process, and Tybee Island residents, whose city government leadership rules during a mayoral absence or vacancy would be governed by this updated charter language.

The bill clarifies exactly who runs Tybee Island's government day to day if the mayor cannot serve, and how quickly the council must fill a vacant mayor pro tem seat, reducing uncertainty about local leadership during absences, illness, or conflicts of interest.

• Section 1 revises Section 2.33 of the Tybee Island charter to require the council to select a mayor pro tem at its first regular meeting after a new council takes office.
• The revised section grants the mayor pro tem full mayoral rights and duties during the mayor's absence or physical or mental disability, for as long as that absence continues.
• Any declaration of the mayor's absence or disability requires a majority vote of all council members.
• If both the mayor and mayor pro tem are unavailable, a council member chosen by majority vote can act in the mayor's place.
• The mayor pro tem or substitute must sign contracts and ordinances when the mayor has a disqualifying financial interest under Section 2.14.
• A vacancy in the mayor pro tem office must be filled by council vote at the next regularly held council meeting after the vacancy arises.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the Act.

1. 2025-05-01Effective Date 2025-05-01
2. 2025-05-01Act 54
3. 2025-05-01Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-04-02House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2025-04-02House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2025-03-31House Second Readers (House)

• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)Primary sponsor
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #291

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2025

   168 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #377

• Tybee Island
• local government charters
• city council
• mayor pro tem
• municipal law