Georgia CommonsHR 2033: Importance of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners; exercising lawful authority; commend
Last action March 31, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution urges the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners to fill long-vacant seats on the Rockdale County Water and Sewerage Authority board.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
A 1995 state law created the Rockdale County Water and Sewerage Authority and required its seven-member board to be appointed by the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners. According to this resolution, the county commission has for years failed to appoint new members as prior members' terms expired, leaving some seats vacant and others filled by holdover members long past their original terms. This resolution states that the lapse creates legal uncertainty about the validity of the authority's official actions and exposes the authority and county to potential legal liability. It formally urges the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners to promptly appoint qualified members to all vacant seats, including those held by expired holdovers. It also directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to the county commission. The resolution does not change any law or create any enforceable requirement.
What the bill does
- Recognizes the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners' lawful authority and urges it to act on board appointments.
- Calls on the county commission to promptly appoint qualified members to all vacant seats on the Rockdale County Water and Sewerage Authority.
- Specifically covers seats held by holdover members whose original terms have already expired.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the county commission.
- Does not amend the 1995 law creating the authority or impose any legal penalty for continued inaction.
Who it affects
The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners, the Rockdale County Water and Sewerage Authority and its board seats, and residents of Rockdale County who rely on the authority for water and sewer service.
Why it matters
If commissioners heed the resolution, the water and sewerage authority would have a fully staffed board, reducing legal uncertainty about its past and future decisions. Because it is a resolution rather than a law, it carries no binding force and simply puts formal pressure on the county to act.
Key provisions
- Cites the 1995 Act (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3994) that created the Rockdale County Water and Sewerage Authority and requires a seven-member board appointed by the county commission.
- States that unfilled vacancies and expired holdover terms have created legal uncertainty about the validity of the authority's official actions.
- Formally urges the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners to promptly appoint qualified members to all vacant and holdover-occupied seats.
- Directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners.
From the bill
“the failure to maintain a properly constituted board has created significant legal uncertainty regarding the validity of the authority's official actions and has exposed the authority and the county to potential legal liability”
“urges the board to promptly appoint qualified members to all vacant seats on the Rockdale County Water and Sewerage Authority, including any seats presently held by holdover members whose terms have expired”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Rhonda Taylor (D, HD-092)
Topics
- Rockdale County
- water and sewerage authority
- local government appointments
- board vacancies