---
title: HR 398. Georgia Public Service Commission; rename as Georgia Public Utilities Commission - CA
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr398
cite_as: HR 398, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr398
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr398.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr398/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70857
date: 2025-02-28
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12
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.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr398.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 398
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-26
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Jordan Ridley
- Martin Momtahan
- Mitchell Horner
- Beth Camp
- Ruwa Romman
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR398/2025
upstream_id: 1986226
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- Public Service Commission
- utility regulation
- constitutional amendment
- ballot measure
---
# HR 398. Georgia Public Service Commission; rename as Georgia Public Utilities Commission - CA
## Text
House Resolution 398
By: Representatives Ridley of the 22nd, Momtahan of the 17th, Horner of the 3rd, Camp of the
135th, and Romman of the 97th
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia so as to rename the
Georgia Public Service Commission as the Georgia Public Utilities Commission; to provide
for related matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or
rejection; and for other purposes.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article IV of the Constitution is amended by revising Section I as follows:
"SECTION I.
PUBLIC SERVICE UTILITIES COMMISSION
Paragraph I. Public Service Utilities Commission. (a) There shall be a Public Service
Utilities Commission for the regulation of utilities which shall be in all respects the
successor to and shall assume all of the rights, powers, and duties of the Public Service
Commission as it existed on December 31, 2026. The commission shall consist of five
members who shall be elected by the people, have terms of office for six years, and shall
serve until their successors are elected and qualified. A chairperson shall be selected by the
members of the commission from its membership. The members of the former Public
Service Commission in office immediately preceding January 1, 2027, shall continue to serve
out their terms of office as members of the Public Utilities Commission and until their
respective successors are elected and qualified. The Commissioners in office on June 30,
1983, shall serve until December 31 after the general election at which the successor of each
member is elected. Thereafter, all succeeding terms of members shall be for six years.
Members shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified. A chairman shall be
selected by the members of the commission from its membership.
(b) The commission shall be vested with such jurisdiction, powers, and duties as
provided by law.
(c) The filling of vacancies and manner and time of election of members of the
commission shall be as provided by law."
SECTION 2.
Article IX, Section II of the Constitution is amended by revising subparagraph (c)(5) of
Paragraph I as follows:
"(5) Action extending the power of regulation over any business activity regulated by
the Georgia Public Service Utilities Commission beyond that authorized by local or
general law or by this Constitution."
SECTION 3.
The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the
above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following:
"( ) YES Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to rename the Georgia
( ) NO Public Service Commission as the Georgia Public Utilities Commission?"
All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes."
All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If
such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall
become a part of the Constitution of this state.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House resolution would ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment renaming the Georgia Public Service Commission as the Georgia Public Utilities Commission, effective January 1, 2027.
### Plain-language summary
The Georgia Public Service Commission is the elected body that regulates utilities in the state, and its name and structure are set out in the Georgia Constitution. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would rename it the Georgia Public Utilities Commission starting December 31, 2026, with the new commission legally treated as the successor to the old one, inheriting all its rights, powers, and duties.
The amendment keeps the commission's structure the same: five members elected by the people to six year terms, with a chairperson chosen from among the members. Current commissioners would simply continue serving out their terms under the new name. A related section of the Constitution dealing with the commission's regulatory authority is also updated to use the new name. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it must be submitted to Georgia voters for ratification or rejection at the ballot box, with the specific yes or no question spelled out in the resolution.
### What it does
- Proposes a constitutional amendment renaming the Georgia Public Service Commission as the Georgia Public Utilities Commission, effective December 31, 2026.
- Declares the new commission the legal successor to the old one, automatically assuming all its rights, powers, and duties.
- Keeps the commission's existing structure: five elected members serving six year terms, with a chairperson chosen from the membership.
- Lets sitting commissioners finish out their current terms under the new commission name without new elections.
- Updates a separate constitutional provision on utility regulation authority to reference the renamed commission.
- Requires the amendment to be placed on the ballot for Georgia voters to ratify or reject, with specific ballot language provided.
### Who it affects
Georgia voters, who would decide the amendment at the ballot box; current and future Public Service Commission members, who would continue serving under a new name; and Georgia utility companies and consumers, whose regulator would be renamed but not restructured.
### Why it matters
If voters approve the change, Georgians would see their utility regulator operate under a new name starting in 2027, but its powers, election process, and oversight of electric, gas, and telecommunications utilities would stay the same, so day-to-day regulation of utility rates and service would not change.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises Article IV, Section I of the Constitution to rename the commission and make the new body the successor to the former Public Service Commission as of December 31, 2026.
- Section 1 preserves the five member, six year term structure and allows sitting commissioners to finish their terms under the new name.
- Section 2 revises Article IX, Section II, Paragraph I(c)(5) to refer to the 'Georgia Public Service Utilities Commission' in the provision limiting extensions of regulatory power.
- Section 3 requires the amendment to be published and submitted to voters under Article X, Section I, Paragraph II, and sets the exact ballot question language.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-26)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-02-28)
- Sponsors: Jordan Ridley, Martin Momtahan, Mitchell Horner, Beth Camp, Ruwa Romman
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70857
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr398.md?full=1