HB 1570: Cochran/Bleckley Airport Authority; board; revise membership

The Cochran/Bleckley Airport Authority was created by a 2015 state law that set out how its governing board is appointed. This bill amends that 2015 Act to change the board's membership rules. Under the bill, the authority would have seven members: three appointed by the City of Cochran's governing authority, three appointed by Bleckley County's governing authority, and one more chosen by a majority vote of those six. Normally board members must live in Bleckley County, but the bill allows one appointee from each of the city's and county's three picks, plus the seventh jointly chosen member, to instead live in a county adjacent to Bleckley County if they have specific expertise in aviation, business, or finance. The bill also keeps existing eligibility rules requiring members to be at least 21 years old and to have no felony convictions.

• Sets the authority's board at seven members, with three appointed by the City of Cochran, three by Bleckley County, and one jointly by those six appointees.
• Allows one appointee from each city and county group, plus the seventh jointly appointed member, to live in a county adjacent to Bleckley County instead of within it, if they have aviation, business, or finance expertise.
• Keeps the existing rule that all other board members must be Bleckley County residents.
• Retains the requirement that appointees be at least 21 years old and have no felony convictions.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these new membership rules.

The Cochran/Bleckley Airport Authority board, the governing authorities of the City of Cochran and Bleckley County who make appointments, and residents of Bleckley County or nearby counties who might serve on the board because of aviation, business, or finance expertise.

The change lets the city and county draw on board candidates from neighboring counties when they have relevant expertise, rather than requiring every appointee to live in Bleckley County, potentially widening the pool of people who can help oversee the local airport authority.

• Section 1 amends Section 3(b)(1) of the 2015 Act to set the board at seven members: three from the City of Cochran, three from Bleckley County, and one chosen jointly by those six.
• Section 1 adds a new residency exception letting one appointee from each appointing group, plus the jointly appointed member, live in an adjacent county if they have aviation, business, or finance expertise.
• Section 1 keeps subsection (c)'s eligibility rules requiring appointees to be at least 21 and free of felony convictions.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 602
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-03-25House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Danny Mathis (R, HD-133)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 25, 2026

   164 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #754

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #873

• airport authority
• local government appointments
• Bleckley County
• Cochran Georgia