HB 309: Local government; require adoption of a resolution or ordinance and voter approval prior to abolishment of a police force that was created by such method

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Discussed in meetings (7)

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.

1. Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee, January 29, 2026

   From 0:56:16 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair called the bill and asked whether the sponsor was present. With the sponsor absent, the chair moved to the next bill. No presentation, debate or vote occurred.

2. Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee, February 9, 2026

   From 0:10:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 309 would require a governing-body vote and voter approval to abolish a police department created through that process. The sponsor described repeated creation and dissolution of departments as a source of instability and political control. One member questioned how a government could respond if it could no longer afford its department. The sponsor said officials should explain financial problems to residents. Another member supported public involvement because of police departments’ safety role and asked about consultation with law enforcement groups and the Georgia Municipal Association. The sponsor reported no objections from groups consulted the previous year but had not directly discussed the bill with the association. After members questioned repeated references to cities, legislative counsel clarified that the relevant chapter applies only to county police. The sponsor said there had been six such departments statewide the previous year. Members suggested increasing election notice from 30 to 90 days and using an existing election rather than a separate special election. One member said an election in one county costs $60,000. The sponsor was open to those changes. The chair identified confusion over a substitute in members’ materials and made the meeting a hearing only, with no vote.

3. Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee, March 26, 2026

   From 0:54:59 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair initially delayed HB 309 to correct a substitute. On returning to it, the sponsor said a county police department created through a public vote should also require a public vote to abolish it. The sponsor also described protection against development moratoriums for previously approved projects. The chair explained added land-disturbance permitting provisions: 45 days for initial review, 20 for the first resubmission and 14 for later submissions, with court action available to compel compliance. One member wanted reviewers to be able to raise newly discovered safety or code issues during a second review. The chair opposed that change, saying 45 days was sufficient and delays increased development costs. Members questioned whether informal written assurances could exempt projects from later moratoriums. A witness supporting the language said developers may spend substantial sums before receiving permits and need protection when relying on local approval. The committee adopted amendments covering federal as well as state agency reviews and requiring official written approval or confirmation for a specific development scope. The amended substitute passed with one member opposed.

4. Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026

   From 0:51:20 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 309 would require counties to use the same process to abolish a law enforcement agency as they used to create it. The sponsor also mentioned added plan-review and development-moratorium provisions, but the chair ended the presentation before the explanation was completed. A member selected it, and the committee unanimously approved the calendar containing it.

5. Senate floor session, March 31, 2026 (legislative day 39, part 2)

   From 2:07:20 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk read the bill as requiring a resolution or ordinance and voter approval before abolishing a county police force created through that process, along with a favorable committee substitute recommendation. A senator requested that the bill be tabled. The chair announced that it was tabled, without substantive debate.

6. Senate floor session, April 2, 2026 (legislative day 40, part 1)

   From 6:40:49 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Taken from Table)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 309 would require voter approval before abolishing a county police department created through a referendum. The sponsor also described added land-disturbance permitting rules intended to improve housing affordability statewide. After an initial 45-day review, the sponsor said local authorities would have 20 days for a first resubmission and 14 days for later ones. Missed deadlines would allow a court order requiring action rather than automatic approval. The sponsor said deadlines would pause for regional-impact reviews and state or federal reviews outside local control. Another senator offered an amendment allowing the Urban Residential Finance Authority to meet by teleconference, saying public notice and real-time access would remain required under open-meetings law. The amendment and committee substitute were adopted without objection. The bill passed 47 to 0.

• Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38), 0:29:32

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