HB 1560: Springfield, City of; Redevelopment Powers Law; provide for a referendum

Under Georgia's Constitution and the Redevelopment Powers Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 36-44), cities can undertake redevelopment projects, create tax allocation districts, and issue tax allocation bonds to pay for them, but only if the General Assembly first authorizes the specific city to do so. This bill grants that authorization to the City of Springfield in Effingham County. The authorization does not take effect automatically. The bill requires the city's election superintendent to hold a referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, asking voters to approve or reject the city's use of these redevelopment powers. If more than half of votes cast favor approval, the authorization takes effect immediately. If voters reject it, or if the election is not held as required, the authorization never takes effect and the bill automatically repeals itself on the following January 1. The bill takes general effect upon the Governor's signature or otherwise becoming law.

• Authorizes the City of Springfield to use all powers under Georgia's Redevelopment Powers Law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 36-44), including creating tax allocation districts and issuing tax allocation bonds.
• Requires a citywide referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026 asking voters to approve or reject the redevelopment authorization.
• Makes the redevelopment authorization take effect immediately only if more than half of the votes cast favor approval.
• Automatically repeals the authorization on the following January 1 if voters reject it or the election is not held as required.
• Requires the election superintendent to publish notice of the election in the county's official legal newspaper on a set schedule and to certify results to the Secretary of State.
• Assigns the cost of holding the referendum to the City of Springfield.

Registered voters in the City of Springfield who will decide the referendum, city officials and the election superintendent who must administer it, and residents and property owners in any future tax allocation districts the city might create if voters approve the redevelopment powers.

If Springfield voters approve the referendum, the city gains a financing tool used elsewhere in Georgia to fund redevelopment projects through future property tax revenue growth in designated districts. If voters reject it, the city gains no new powers and the authorization law disappears entirely.

• Section 1 grants the City of Springfield authority to exercise all powers under the Redevelopment Powers Law, including creating tax allocation districts and issuing tax allocation bonds.
• Section 2 requires a referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, specifies the exact ballot language, and sets newspaper publication requirements for the election notice.
• Section 2 states that approval by more than half of votes cast makes Section 1 effective immediately, while rejection or a failure to hold the election as required triggers automatic repeal on the following January 1.
• Section 3 sets the general effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill otherwise becoming law, except where Section 2 governs.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 595
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-27House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Jon Burns (R, HD-159)Primary sponsor
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 27, 2026

   153 yea, 0 nay (20 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #772

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #927

• redevelopment powers
• tax allocation districts
• local referendum
• Springfield Georgia
• municipal government