--- title: HB 756. Chatham Area Transit Authority; abolish current memberships; provide new board collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb756 cite_as: HB 756, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb756 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb756.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb756/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71301 date: 2025-05-14 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb755.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb757.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1045 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb756.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 756 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-05-14 last_action: Effective Date 2025-06-30 sponsors: - Edna Jackson - Bill Hitchens - Jesse Petrea - Carl Gilliard - Anne Westbrook text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB756/2025 upstream_id: 2000278 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - public transit - Chatham County government - Savannah local government - transportation authority - local boards and commissions --- # HB 756. Chatham Area Transit Authority; abolish current memberships; provide new board ## Text 25 LC 47 3708S/AP House Bill 756 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Jackson of the 165th, Hitchens of the 161st, Petrea of the 166th, Gilliard of the 162nd, and Westbrook of the 163rd A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend an Act creating the Chatham Area Transit Authority, approved March 28, 19861 (Ga. L. 1986, p. 5082), as amended, particularly by an Act appr oved April 11, 20122 (Ga. L. 2012, p. 5296), so as to abolish the current authority memberships; to provide for3 new board membership; to provide terms of office; to provide for related matters; to provide4 an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 SECTION 1.7 An Act creating the Chatham Area Transit Authority, approved Ma rch 28, 19868 (Ga. L. 1986, p. 5082), as amended, particularly by an Act appr oved April 11, 20129 (Ga. L. 2012, p. 5296), is amended by revising Section 2.2 as follows:10 "SECTION 2.2.11 Membership and terms of office.12 (a)(1) The authority membership in office on June 30, 2025, shall vacate their offices,13 and such offices shall be abolished as of that date.14 H. B. 756 - 1 - 25 LC 47 3708S/AP (2) On July 1, 2025, the authority shall be governed by a new board that shall consist15 of up to 11 members as follows:16 (A) Two members of the Board of Commissioners of Chatham County appointed by17 such board;18 (B) One member of the Board of Aldermen of the City of Savannah appointed by such19 board;20 (C) One member of the City Council of the City of Port Wentworth appointed by such21 council if such city exercises an option to participate under this Act;22 (D) One member of the City Council of the City of Garden City appointed by such23 council;24 (E) One member appointed by the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority;25 (F) One member appointed by the Board of Commissioners of Chatham County who26 shall be a person with a disability;27 (G) One member appointed by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Savannah who28 shall be a resident of said city;29 (H) One member appointed by the Chatham County legislative delegation who shall30 be a member or employee of a business advocacy organization;31 (I) One member appointed by the Chatham County legislative delegation who shall be32 a member or employee of a tourism advocacy organization; and33 (J) One member appointed by the Chatham County legislative delegation who shall be34 a resident of Chatham County.35 (3)(A) Members of the authority appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (E), (H), (I), and36 (J) of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall serve two-year te rms of office and until37 their successors are appointed and qualified.38 (B) Members of the authority appointed pursuant to subparagrap hs (F) and (G) of39 paragraph (2) of this subsection shall serve four-year terms of office and until their40 successors are appointed and qualified.41 H. B. 756 - 2 - 25 LC 47 3708S/AP (C) Members of the authority appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (A) through (D) of42 paragraph (2) of this subsection shall serve terms concurrent with their elective office,43 unless otherwise removed from the authority by their relevant appointing authority.44 (4) Except for the members appointed pursuant to subparagraphs (B) through (D) and45 (G) of paragraph (2) of this subsection who are required to be residents or elected46 officials of a designated municipality, members of the authority may reside in any part47 of incorporated or unincorporated Chatham County.48 (5) Elected or appointed officers or officials or employees of any county, municipality,49 political subdivision, local authority, or state authority who meet the residency50 requirements provided for in this subsection may serve as members of the authority.51 (6) The board established pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection shall in all matters52 be the successor to the authority membership abolished in parag raph (1) of this53 subsection.54 (b) For the purposes of subsection (a) of this Section, the Ch atham County legislative55 delegation shall be composed of all senators and representatives in the General Assembly56 whose districts are wholly or partially in Chatham County.57 (c) Any member of the authority who has served for two consecutive full terms of office58 shall not be eligible for reappointment as a member of the authority until two years have59 elapsed after such member has vacated his or her seat on the authority.60 (d)(1) A member's seat on the authority shall be forfeited if:61 (A) The member lacks at any time the qualifications for membership on the authority62 provided by this Act;63 (B) The member is convicted of any felony or other crime involving moral turpitude,64 regardless of the sentence imposed; or65 (C) The member fails to attend, without being excused by the authority:66 (i) Four consecutive regular meetings of the authority; or67 H. B. 756 - 3 - 25 LC 47 3708S/AP (ii) Fifty percent of the regular and special called meetings of the authority in any one68 fiscal year.69 (2) If the seat of a member of the authority becomes vacant because of death, resignation,70 or forfeiture as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection, or for any other reason, such71 vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner that an appointment is72 made for a full term as provided in this section.73 (e) A majority of the members of the authority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction74 of business. No vacancy on the authority shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all75 the rights and perform all the duties of the authority.76 (f) No member of the authority shall vote on any matter before the authority in which such77 member has a direct or indirect financial interest. Except for compensation received as an78 employee, no employee of the authority shall have any direct or indirect financial interest79 in or profit or benefit from any contract, work, or business of the authority or in the sale,80 lease, or purchase of any property to or from the authority.81 (g) Members of the authority, including the chairperson, shall not be entitled to82 compensation for their service on the board but shall be entitl ed to reimbursement for83 actual and reasonable expenses incurred on authority business, provided that such expenses84 were authorized in advance of being incurred.85 (h) The members of the authority shall elect from among their membership a chairperson86 and a vice chairperson. The chairperson and vice chairperson shall each hold such offices87 for a term of two years. The chairperson shall preside over meetings of the authority. The88 vice chairperson shall act in the absence or inability of the chairperson. Regular meetings89 of the authority shall be held monthly, with the time, place, and notice of such meetings to90 be fixed by the authority. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's91 Rules of Order, unless the authority adopts other rules. All motions, resolutions, and other92 proceedings of the authority and all documents in its possession shall be public records and93 open to public inspection as provided in Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50 of the O.C.G.A.94 H. B. 756 - 4 - 25 LC 47 3708S/AP (i) The chairperson of the authority shall be entitled to vote on any matter coming before95 the authority."96 SECTION 2.97 This Act shall become effective on June 30, 2025.98 SECTION 3.99 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.100 H. B. 756 - 5 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. House Bill 756 would abolish the current board of the Chatham Area Transit Authority on June 30, 2025 and replace it the next day with a new 11-member board appointed by Chatham County, Savannah, and other local bodies. ### Plain-language summary Chatham Area Transit, the public bus system serving Savannah and Chatham County, is governed by an authority board created by a 1986 state law and later amended in 2012. This bill rewrites that law's membership rules. It ends every current board member's term on June 30, 2025 and abolishes those seats entirely. Starting July 1, 2025, a new board of up to 11 members takes over, with seats appointed by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, the Savannah Board of Aldermen, Port Wentworth, Garden City, the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority, and the Chatham County legislative delegation. The bill sets residency requirements, term lengths of two or four years (or terms tied to elected office for government appointees), rules for filling vacancies, conflict-of-interest limits, quorum rules, and meeting procedures. The new board becomes the legal successor to the old authority. The law takes effect June 30, 2025. ### What it does - Ends the terms of all current Chatham Area Transit Authority board members and abolishes those seats as of June 30, 2025. - Creates a new board of up to 11 members starting July 1, 2025, with seats appointed by Chatham County, Savannah, Port Wentworth, Garden City, the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority, and the Chatham County legislative delegation. - Sets staggered terms of two or four years for most appointed members, while government-official members serve terms tied to their elected office. - Requires most board members to live in Chatham County, with certain seats requiring residency in a specific city or having a disability. - Bars board members from voting on matters where they have a financial interest and denies compensation beyond expense reimbursement. - Makes the new board the legal successor to the old authority for all purposes. ### Who it affects Current and future members of the Chatham Area Transit Authority board, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, the Savannah Board of Aldermen, the Port Wentworth and Garden City city councils, the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority, the Chatham County legislative delegation, and riders of the Chatham Area Transit bus system. ### Why it matters Riders and taxpayers in Chatham County would see the entire governing board of their public transit agency replaced within a single day, changing who controls transit policy, budgets, and appointments, with new rules determining which local governments and groups get a voice on the board. ### Key provisions - Section 1 revises Section 2.2 of the 1986 Act creating the authority, vacating all current board members' offices and abolishing those seats as of June 30, 2025. - Section 1 establishes a new 11-member board effective July 1, 2025, listing which local government or organization appoints each seat. - Section 1 sets two-year terms for members appointed by the Convention Center Authority and legislative delegation seats, four-year terms for two disability- and residency-designated seats, and terms tied to elected office for county and city appointees. - Section 1 limits reappointment for members who have served two consecutive full terms until two years have passed after leaving the board. - Section 1 lists grounds for forfeiting a board seat, including felony conviction or missing four consecutive meetings, and describes how vacancies are filled. - Section 1 sets quorum, conflict-of-interest, compensation, and meeting rules, including that meetings follow Robert's Rules of Order and records are open to public inspection. - Section 2 makes the Act effective June 30, 2025. - Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-05-14) - Last action: Effective Date 2025-06-30 (2025-05-14) - Sponsors: Edna Jackson, Bill Hitchens, Jesse Petrea, Carl Gilliard, Anne Westbrook - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71301 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,045 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb756.md?full=1