HB856: HB856 Brooks County Development Authority; appointment of members; revise provisions

The Brooks County Development Authority was created by a 1967 state law that set out how its members are chosen. This bill amends that original 1967 Act to update the appointment process. It repeals Section 2 of the original law, which contained outdated districting rules, leaving that section reserved but empty. It also rewrites Section 3 so that Brooks County's governing authority appoints seven members to the authority. Two of those members must live within the City of Quitman's corporate limits, and the other five can live anywhere in Brooks County. All seven members serve four-year terms and continue serving until a successor is appointed and qualified. The bill also repeals any other laws that conflict with these changes.

• Repeals Section 2 of the 1967 Brooks County Development Authority Act, removing outdated districting and initial term provisions.
• Rewrites Section 3 to require the Brooks County governing authority to appoint seven members to the development authority.
• Requires two of the seven members to reside within the City of Quitman's corporate limits and five to reside anywhere in Brooks County.
• Sets each member's term of office at four years, with members continuing to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified.
• Repeals any other state laws that conflict with these new provisions.

Residents of Brooks County and the City of Quitman who might serve on the Brooks County Development Authority, and the Brooks County governing authority, which is responsible for making the appointments under the revised rules.

The change determines who can sit on the local economic development board and how appointments are structured, replacing old districting rules with a simpler residency split between Quitman and the rest of the county, which affects local representation on development decisions.

• Section 1 repeals and reserves Section 2 of the original 1967 Act, eliminating outdated districting and initial term language.
• Section 2 revises Section 3 of the original Act to set the authority's membership at seven, with two members from within Quitman and five from elsewhere in Brooks County.
• Section 2 also sets a uniform four-year term of office for all members, continuing until successors are appointed and qualified.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 243
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-08House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-31Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-31House Passed/Adopted (House)

• John LaHood (R, HD-175)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2025

   165 yea, 0 nay (10 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar Without Hbs 851 & 852: House Vote #342

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   55 yea, 1 nay

   Supplemental Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #400

• local government
• Brooks County
• development authority
• county appointments