HB 982: Barnesville, City of; city council; change description of election districts

This bill amends Barnesville's city charter, originally adopted in 1987 and last changed in 2005, to update how the city's five council election districts are drawn. Rather than changing the number of council members, which stays at a mayor plus five councilmembers, the bill replaces the old district map (Appendix B) with a new one based on 2020 U.S. Census blocks and voting precincts. The new districts keep the same numbers, Districts 1 through 5, but their boundaries are redrawn to reflect updated population and census data. Council members currently serving will keep serving out their terms under the new boundaries, and any area left out of a district or made noncontiguous will be assigned to the adjacent district with the smallest population. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Rewrites Section 2.10 of Barnesville's city charter to redescribe the five council election districts using 2020 Census block and voting precinct data.
• Replaces the charter's Appendix B, the official district map, with a new district plan called 'barnesville-p1-2025'.
• Keeps the city council structure the same: a mayor and five councilmembers elected from five districts.
• Lets current councilmembers finish their terms under the old district lines even though the boundaries are being redrawn.
• Sets a rule that any city area not assigned to a district, or made noncontiguous, goes to the adjacent district with the smallest population.

Residents and voters of the City of Barnesville in Lamar County, especially those whose homes shift between council districts under the new map. It also affects current city council members and candidates for future council elections, since district lines determine who they represent and run against.

Redrawing district lines can shift which voters elect which council member, potentially changing a resident's representative even though their address does not change. The bill preserves current officeholders' terms, so the practical effects would mainly show up in future council elections.

• Section 1 revises Section 2.10 of the charter to describe five council districts based on the new 'barnesville-p1-2025' redistricting plan tied to 2020 Census data.
• Section 1(d) and (e) direct that any area left out of a district, or made noncontiguous, joins the adjacent district with the least population.
• Section 1(f) and (g) let current councilmembers finish their terms and treats them as representing their old districts under the new numbering and boundaries.
• Section 2 strikes the old Appendix B map and inserts a new one listing specific census blocks and voting precincts for each of the five districts.
• Section 3 repeals any laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 531
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-17Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-17Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-09Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-06House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Beth Camp (R, HD-135)Primary sponsor
• Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 6, 2026

   163 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #480

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 17, 2026

   48 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #548

• local government
• city council districts
• redistricting
• Barnesville
• Lamar County