Georgia CommonsHouse · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 1545: Putnam County; board of commissioners; current board members to continue their terms of office; provide
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date
A local bill for Putnam County would let current county commissioners finish out their elected terms under existing law, require commissioners to live in the district they represent, and set new rules for filling mid-term vacancies.
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 the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This bill amends the 1879 law that created the Putnam County board of commissioners, as it has been changed over the years. It confirms that commissioners currently serving, and anyone appointed to fill a vacancy, keep serving out the terms voters elected them to (or terms they were appointed to) under the rules that already existed, with normal elections continuing after that. The bill also spells out what happens if a commissioner stops living in the district they represent: that creates a vacancy. If a vacancy opens for a reason other than a term simply ending, the remaining board members pick a replacement from the same district and same local political party as the departing member, but only if less than 12 months remain in the term. If the board cannot agree, the chief judge of the Superior Court of Putnam County makes the appointment instead. If 12 months or more remain, the appointee serves only until a special election is held under Georgia's election law (O.C.G.A. Title 21, Chapter 2) picks a permanent successor.
What the bill does
- Confirms that sitting Putnam County commissioners and anyone who filled a vacancy keep serving out their current terms under previously established rules.
- Requires that a commissioner elected from a district remain a resident of that district, and creates a vacancy if they move out.
- Sets a process for the remaining board members to appoint a same-district, same-party replacement when a vacancy has less than 12 months left.
- Gives the chief judge of the Superior Court of Putnam County the power to appoint a replacement if the board cannot agree on one.
- Requires a special election under Georgia's election law to fill a vacancy with 12 months or more remaining, rather than a board appointment lasting the full term.
- Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these new rules.
Who it affects
Members of the Putnam County board of commissioners, candidates seeking to fill vacancies on the board, the chief judge of the Superior Court of Putnam County, and Putnam County voters who would take part in any special elections triggered by a vacancy.
Why it matters
The bill settles how long current Putnam County commissioners serve and creates a clear, predictable process for replacing a commissioner who moves out of their district or otherwise leaves early, including who appoints a replacement and when voters instead get a special election.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises subsection (a) of Section 3 of the 1879 Putnam County commissioners Act to confirm current board members serve out their existing terms, with normal successive terms to follow.
- Section 1 also revises subsection (b) to state that a commissioner who stops residing in their district creates a vacancy in that seat.
- For vacancies with less than 12 months remaining, the remaining board members appoint a successor who must live in the affected district and share the prior officeholder's political party.
- If the board cannot choose a successor, the chief judge of the Superior Court of Putnam County appoints one under the same residency and party conditions.
- For vacancies with 12 months or more remaining, the appointee serves only until a special election is held under the Georgia Election Code (O.C.G.A. Title 21, Chapter 2).
- Section 2 repeals any existing laws that conflict with this Act.
From the bill
“In the event any member elected from a district ceases to be a resident of his or her respective district during his or her term of office, a vacancy shall be created.”
“If the unexpired term is 12 months or greater, such appointee shall serve until a successor is elected and qualified by a special election”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35)
From 0:49:30 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2904
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk reported a favorable committee recommendation for HB 1545 and later listed it as a Putnam County bill on the uncontested local calendar. No separate presentation or debate occurred. The House passed the calendar as a group, 153 to 0.
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 16, 2026 (legislative day 32), 0:51:13
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33), 0:45:57
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 23, 2026 (legislative day 36), 0:30:32
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37), 0:36:49
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 587
- 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
- Trey Rhodes (R, HD-124)
- Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
Votes
- House voteMarch 20, 2026
153 yea, 0 nay (14 not voting, 9 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 25, 2026
50 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 2 excused)
Topics
- local legislation
- Putnam County government
- county commissioners
- special elections
- election rules