HB 1186: Garden City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Authority; repeal Act

In 2004 the Georgia General Assembly created a special local authority, the Garden City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Authority, to handle tourism and visitor promotion for Garden City. This bill repeals that 2004 law entirely, eliminating the authority as a separate legal entity. Instead of leaving the authority's property and debts in limbo, the bill automatically moves all of its assets and obligations to Garden City, Georgia itself. The Garden City Council is given authority to sign deeds and other documents needed to formally move titles and debts into the city's name, and it may do so either as the city or in the authority's former name if needed to complete the transfer. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.

• Repeals in full the 2004 state law that created the Garden City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Authority, ending its existence as a separate legal body.
• Automatically transfers all assets owned by the authority to Garden City, Georgia, without requiring further legal action, subject to any existing legal restrictions.
• Transfers all debts and obligations of the authority to Garden City, Georgia, requiring the city to assume responsibility for them.
• Authorizes the Garden City Council to sign deeds and other transfer documents, either in the city's name or the former authority's name, to complete the handover.
• Repeals any other state laws that conflict with this Act.

Garden City, Georgia and its city council, which will take over the former authority's property and debts; the Garden City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Authority itself, which ceases to exist; and any parties holding contracts, deeds, or obligations tied to the authority.

Local tourism promotion in Garden City will no longer be run by a separate state-chartered authority; instead the city government directly owns the related property and owes any related debts. This changes who is legally responsible for managing and financing those assets going forward.

• Section 1 repeals in its entirety the 2004 Act (Ga. L. 2004, p. 3983) that created the Garden City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Authority.
• Section 2 transfers the authority's assets to Garden City automatically and authorizes the city council to execute deeds or conveyance documents to finalize title transfer.
• Section 2 also transfers the authority's obligations (debts) to Garden City and lets the city council sign instruments needed to assume them, including in the authority's former name.
• Section 3 repeals any other laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 547
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-17House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)Primary sponsor
• Carl Gilliard (D, HD-162)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Anne Westbrook (D, HD-163)
• Edna Jackson (D, HD-165)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 17, 2026

   163 yea, 1 nay (7 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #513

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #571

• local government
• tourism authority
• Garden City Georgia
• government reorganization