Georgia CommonsHB 1205: Yatesville, City of; provide new charter
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-07-01
House Bill 1205 replaces the entire governing charter for the City of Yatesville, resetting the structure, powers, elections, courts, and finances of the city's government effective July 1, 2026.
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 rewrites the full charter for the City of Yatesville in Upson County, replacing the city's prior governing document with a comprehensive new one. It reincorporates the city, restates its boundaries, and lays out broad home rule powers covering everything from zoning and utilities to animal control and business licensing. The bill sets up a city council of a mayor and five councilmembers elected at large to four year terms, spells out how vacancies are filled, and details conflict of interest rules, meeting procedures, and ordinance adoption steps. It creates a municipal court with defined jurisdiction and penalty limits, establishes election rules under the Georgia Election Code, and lays out finance provisions covering property taxes, franchises, bonds, budgeting, and audits. The new charter takes effect July 1, 2026, and repeals any conflicting prior laws.
What the bill does
- Reincorporates the City of Yatesville and reestablishes its boundaries, to be kept on an official map or description at the city clerk's office.
- Creates a five member city council plus a mayor, all elected at large to four year terms, with a 24 month residency requirement to run for office.
- Establishes a Municipal Court of the City of Yatesville with authority to fine up to $1,000 and jail offenders for up to 180 days for ordinance violations.
- Sets conflict of interest rules for officials, including disclosure requirements and penalties such as forfeiture of office for violations.
- Lays out detailed finance powers, including property taxes, occupation taxes, franchises up to 35 years, and bonding authority, plus budget and audit procedures.
- Sets the charter's effective date as July 1, 2026, and repeals any state laws that conflict with it.
Who it affects
Residents and businesses of the City of Yatesville, the mayor and city council, city employees and appointed officers such as the city attorney and city clerk, boards and commissions, the municipal court and its judges, and Upson County's superior court, which hears appeals and removal cases.
Why it matters
City government in Yatesville would operate under an entirely new rulebook covering how officials are elected, how taxes and fees are set, how the municipal court punishes ordinance violations, and how budgets and contracts are handled, replacing whatever charter provisions governed the city before.
Key provisions
- Section 2.1 vests legislative power in a council of a mayor and five members elected at large, continuing as successor to the prior governing authority.
- Section 2.3 sets rules for filling vacancies: council appointment if under 12 months remain in a term, special election if 12 months or more remain.
- Section 2.16 allows emergency ordinances but bars them from levying taxes, granting franchises, or authorizing long-term borrowing.
- Section 4.4 caps municipal court punishment at a $1,000 fine or 180 days imprisonment, or both, unless other law allows more.
- Section 5.2 sets biennial elections in odd-numbered years, staggering the mayor and two council seats separately from the remaining seats.
- Section 6.5 caps franchise grants for streets and alleys at 35 years and requires the city receive adequate compensation.
- Section 6.17 requires the city council to adopt a final operating budget by March 30 each year, or prior year funding continues month-to-month.
- Article VIII sets the charter's effective date as July 1, 2026, and Article IX repeals conflicting laws.
From the bill
“This city and the inhabitants thereof, are reincorporated by the enactment of this charter and are hereby constituted and declared a body politic and corporate under the name and style of the City of Yatesville, Georgia”
“The municipal court may fix punishment for offenses within its jurisdiction not exceeding a fine of $1,000.00 or imprisonment for 180 days or both such fine and imprisonment”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-07-01
- Act 550
- 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
- Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 17, 2026
163 yea, 1 nay (7 not voting, 4 absent)
- Senate voteMarch 6, 2026
49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)
Topics
- city charters
- local government
- municipal court
- city elections
- Upson County