Georgia CommonsHB 877: Fayetteville, City of; provide new charter
Last action May 12, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-05-12
House Bill 877 replaces the City of Fayetteville's existing charter with a new, comprehensive one that spells out the powers of the mayor and city council, the municipal court, elections, and city finances.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This bill rewrites the governing document for the City of Fayetteville in Fayette County, replacing charters from 1970 and 1997. It reincorporates the city and lists its general powers, then sets up a city council made up of a mayor and five councilmembers elected at large to four-year terms, with pay set at $25,000 for the mayor and $20,000 for each councilmember. The charter creates a city manager to run day-to-day operations, establishes a municipal court with a chief judge who can fine offenders up to $1,000 or jail them up to 180 days, and lays out rules for ordinances, conflicts of interest, elections, and removal of officials. It also covers city finances, including property taxes, franchises, bonds, and budgeting procedures. The new charter takes effect July 1, 2025, and repeals the prior Fayetteville charters and any conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Reincorporates the City of Fayetteville and restates its general home-rule powers in a single new charter document.
- Establishes a five-member city council plus mayor, elected at large to four-year terms, and sets their pay at $25,000 (mayor) and $20,000 (councilmembers) per year.
- Creates the office of city manager as chief executive officer responsible for hiring, budgeting, and day-to-day administration, appointed by the council.
- Sets up the Municipal Court of Fayetteville with authority to fine up to $1,000 or jail offenders up to 180 days for ordinance violations.
- Establishes conflict-of-interest rules, removal procedures, and election rules for city officials, including special elections to fill vacancies.
- Repeals the city's 1970 and 1997 charters and any other conflicting state laws, effective July 1, 2025.
Who it affects
Fayetteville residents and voters, the mayor and city council, city employees and department directors, the city manager, city attorney and clerk, municipal court judges and defendants, and anyone doing business with or paying taxes and fees to the city of Fayetteville.
Why it matters
The new charter changes how Fayetteville is run day to day, from how much council members are paid to how budgets are approved and how the municipal court can punish ordinance violations. Residents interacting with city government, from paying property taxes to appearing in municipal court, would operate under these updated rules.
Key provisions
- Section 1.4 lists dozens of specific city powers, including taxation, zoning, eminent domain, utilities, and public safety regulation.
- Section 2.1 through 2.5 create the five-member council plus mayor, set four-year terms, residency and age requirements, and compensation levels.
- Section 2.19 gives the mayor veto power over ordinances, which the council can override with four affirmative votes.
- Article III creates the city manager position with hiring, budgeting, and supervisory authority over city departments.
- Article IV establishes the municipal court, sets penalties up to $1,000 or 180 days in jail, and allows appeals to the Superior Court of Fayette County.
- Article VI sets rules for property taxes, franchises up to 35 years, bonds, budgeting deadlines, and annual independent audits.
- Section 7.5 sets the effective date as July 1, 2025.
- Section 7.6 repeals the city's 1970 and 1997 charters and all amendments to them.
From the bill
“The City of Fayetteville, in Fayette County, and the inhabitants thereof, are reincorporated by the enactment of this charter and are hereby constituted and declared a body politic and corporate under the name and style of the City of Fayetteville, Georgia”
“The municipal court may fix punishment for offenses within its jurisdiction not exceeding a fine of $1,000.00 or imprisonment for 180 days or both such fine and imprisonment”
“This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025.”
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-05-12
- Act 656
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
Show full history (13 actions)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Derrick Jackson (D, HD-068)
- Debra Bazemore (D, HD-069)
- Josh Bonner (R, HD-073)
- Karen Mathiak (R, HD-082)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 6, 2026
163 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 absent)
- Senate voteFebruary 17, 2026
48 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)
Topics
- city charters
- local government
- Fayetteville
- municipal court
- city council elections