HB 615: Chatham County Recreation Authority; abolish current authority memberships; provide new board membership

The Chatham County Recreation Authority was created by a 1995 state law. This bill amends that law to change how the authority's governing board is formed and sized. Starting July 1, 2025, the board can have up to 14 members, but by March 1, 2029 it must shrink to nine members. Current board members finish their existing terms, and most vacancies during the transition are filled by the Chatham County legislative delegation (the area's state senators and representatives). Two specific board seats get special treatment: when the terms of members Sandra Cason and Bob Fritz expire, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, not the legislative delegation, appoints their replacements, with Cason's successor drawn from a list submitted by the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. When any other current member's term ends, that seat is simply eliminated. The bill also sets term lengths, two years for delegation-appointed members and four years for commission-appointed members, and updates the quorum rule so it is based on the number of seats the law actually authorizes. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

• Shrinks the Chatham County Recreation Authority board from up to 14 members to nine members, effective March 1, 2029.
• Lets current board members finish their terms but has the Chatham County legislative delegation fill most vacancies until the transition is complete.
• Gives the Chatham County Board of Commissioners the power to appoint replacements for two specific outgoing members, Sandra Cason and Bob Fritz, instead of the legislative delegation.
• Eliminates board seats belonging to any other current member once that member's term expires.
• Sets two-year terms for delegation-appointed members and four-year terms for the two commission-appointed seats, with staggered initial terms.
• Updates the quorum rule so a majority of the board's authorized (not just current) membership is needed to act.

The bill affects current and future members of the Chatham County Recreation Authority board, the Chatham County legislative delegation and Board of Commissioners, which make appointments, and the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, which nominates one seat. Chatham County residents who use recreation facilities are indirectly affected by how the authority is governed.

The changes shift some appointment power from the state legislative delegation to the county commission for two seats and phase out several board positions, gradually shrinking and restructuring who controls decisions over Chatham County's recreation programs and facilities.

• Section 1 revises subsection (b) of the 1995 Act to cap the board at 14 members until February 28, 2029, then reduce it to nine members starting March 1, 2029.
• Current members keep serving out their terms, but vacancies are filled by the Chatham County legislative delegation until the transition is finished.
• The Board of Commissioners of Chatham County gains authority to appoint successors to the seats currently held by Sandra Cason and Bob Fritz, with Cason's replacement chosen from Chamber of Commerce nominees.
• Any other current member's seat is abolished once their term ends, reducing the board's overall size.
• Delegation-appointed members serve two-year terms; commission-appointed members serve four-year terms, with staggered initial terms for the first appointees.
• Subsection (h) is revised so a quorum equals a majority of the board members authorized by the Act, and vacancies do not block the board from acting.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025.

1. 2025-03-25House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
2. 2025-03-25House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
3. 2025-03-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
4. 2025-03-04House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
5. 2025-02-27House Second Readers (House)
6. 2025-02-26House First Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-24House Hopper (House)

• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)Primary sponsor
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Carl Gilliard (D, HD-162)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)
• Edna Jackson (D, HD-165)

• local government
• Chatham County
• recreation authority
• board appointments
• Savannah