HB 801: Long County; Board of Commissioners; revise powers of chairperson

This bill changes the 1988 local law that set up the Long County Board of Commissioners. It rewrites Section 4 to spell out what the chairperson does: preside over board meetings under Robert's Rules of Order (unless the board adopts different rules) and serve as the official head of Long County when dealing with state, federal, or other authorities. The bill also adds a brand-new Section 4.1 creating a county manager position. The board must hire a county manager to supervise and control the administration of county affairs, and set that person's pay, duties, authority limits, and grounds for firing by ordinance. If the county manager job becomes vacant, the board can vote at an open meeting to let the chairperson temporarily fill in as interim manager, but only for up to 90 days. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

• Revises Section 4 of Long County's founding law to define the chairperson's duties as presiding over meetings and serving as the county's official representative to outside authorities.
• Creates a new Section 4.1 requiring the Long County Board of Commissioners to employ a county manager to oversee daily administration of county affairs.
• Gives the board authority to set the county manager's pay, job limits, duties, and grounds for termination through a county ordinance.
• Allows the board, by majority vote at an open meeting, to let the chairperson serve as interim county manager for up to 90 days if the position becomes vacant.
• Sets the effective date of the changes as July 1, 2025.

The Long County Board of Commissioners and its chairperson, any person hired as Long County's county manager, and Long County residents who rely on county government administration and services.

The bill shifts day-to-day management of Long County's government from being entirely in the chairperson's hands toward a hired county manager, a common local government structure meant to separate policy leadership from administrative operations, while still allowing the chairperson to step in temporarily if needed.

• Section 1 revises Section 4 to specify the chairperson presides at meetings under Robert's Rules of Order unless the board adopts other rules by resolution.
• Section 1 also states the chairperson is recognized as Long County's official head for dealings with state, federal, and other authorities.
• New Section 4.1(a) requires the board to employ a county manager responsible for supervising and controlling the administration of county affairs, with terms set by ordinance.
• New Section 4.1(b) lets the board vote at a meeting held under Georgia's open meetings law (O.C.G.A. § 50-14-1) to appoint the chairperson as interim county manager for up to 90 days if the position is vacant.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2025-07-01Effective Date
2. 2025-05-13Act 234
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-09House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-31Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-28House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)Primary sponsor

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 28, 2025

   160 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 12 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #332

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #381

• Long County government
• county manager
• local government structure
• county commissioners