Georgia CommonsHB 1139: Spalding County Water Authority Act; enact
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-05-11
House Bill 1139 renames the Spalding County Water and Sewerage Facilities Authority to the Spalding County Water Authority and updates how its board members are chosen, paid, and how the authority can enforce its rules and collect unpaid bills.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This bill amends the 1982 state law that created Spalding County's water and sewer authority. It renames the authority the Spalding County Water Authority and shifts its nine-member board (eight appointed members plus the county commission chairperson or a designee) from six-year terms to four-year staggered terms starting January 1, 2027, naming the current members and setting new end dates for their terms. The bill sets member pay at no less than $150 per regular meeting and $25 per committee meeting, with the chair getting at least $200 a month plus committee pay, capped at 20 percent of the lowest-paid Spalding County commissioner's pay. It spells out the authority's powers over water and sewer systems, including setting rates, inspecting septic systems, fining pretreatment violators up to $1,000 per day, and using tax-lien-style executions to collect unpaid charges and penalties. It also creates a formal hearing and appeal process for violations, reviewable in Spalding County Superior Court.
What the bill does
- Renames the Spalding County Water and Sewerage Facilities Authority to the Spalding County Water Authority.
- Moves the authority's eight appointed board members from six-year to four-year staggered terms beginning January 1, 2027, and lists the specific end dates for each named member.
- Sets minimum meeting pay for board members ($150 per regular meeting, $25 per committee meeting) and chair pay (at least $200 per month), capped at 20 percent of the lowest-paid county commissioner's salary.
- Creates a formal enforcement process letting the authority's general manager or a hearing officer hold hearings and impose civil penalties for rule violations, with appeals available under Georgia's Administrative Procedure Act.
- Allows the authority to issue legal 'executions' (collection orders) for unpaid rates, fees, or penalties that work like liens for unpaid property taxes.
- Authorizes civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day for violations of the authority's sewer pretreatment rules.
Who it affects
Spalding County residents and businesses who receive water or sewer service from the authority, the authority's board members and staff, the Spalding County governing body that appoints board members, and any property owners who fall behind on water or sewer charges or violate the authority's rules.
Why it matters
Customers of the Spalding County Water Authority would see the same water and sewer services, but the authority gains clearer, stronger tools to collect unpaid bills and fine rule violators, while board members get updated terms and guaranteed minimum pay for their public service.
Key provisions
- Section 1 rewrites Sections 1 through 4 of the 1982 Act, renaming the authority and revising board membership, terms, and compensation.
- New Section 2 of the 1982 Act sets nine board members: eight county-appointed members on four-year staggered terms starting 2027, plus the county commission chairperson or designee.
- New Section 4 lists the authority's powers, including acquiring property, running water and sewer systems, setting rates, and collecting overdue charges through legal executions.
- New Section 4.1 creates an enforcement and hearing process for rule violations, letting the authority impose civil penalties reviewable in Spalding County Superior Court.
- Section 2 of the bill revises Section 25 of the 1982 Act to reaffirm the authority's power to set rates and issue revenue bonds for water and sewer projects.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“There is hereby created a public body corporate and politic, to be known as the 'Spalding County Water Authority,'”
“any person, firm, or corporation that fails to comply with any of the pretreatment standards or requirements set forth in such pretreatment regulations or ordinances shall be liable to civil penalty not to exceed $1,000.00 per day for each day during which such noncompliance continues”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-05-11
- Act 540
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
Show full history (13 actions)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Beth Camp (R, HD-135)
- Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 12, 2026
156 yea, 0 nay (11 not voting, 8 absent)
- Senate voteFebruary 24, 2026
53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)
Topics
- Spalding County
- water and sewer utilities
- local government authorities
- utility rates and fees
- special district governance