Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 543: Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues for Butts County; required to read an ordinance, resolution, or other matter before the board at one meeting prior to the adoption; provide
Last action May 11, 2026 · Effective Date
A Senate bill would let the Butts County Board of Commissioners adopt ordinances and resolutions after reading them at just one meeting, instead of requiring multiple readings.
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 the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This bill amends the 1941 law that created the Butts County Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues. Under the current setup, some local rules have required the board to read an ordinance, resolution, or other matter at more than one meeting before adopting it. The bill adds a new section to that 1941 Act stating the board shall not be required to read such items at more than one meeting. In practice, this lets the board finalize local measures in a single meeting rather than spreading the process across multiple sessions. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws.
What the bill does
- Adds a new section to the 1941 Act governing the Butts County Board of Commissioners allowing single-meeting adoption of ordinances and resolutions.
- Removes any existing requirement that the board read a matter at more than one meeting before taking action on it.
- Repeals any other state or local laws that conflict with this change.
Who it affects
The Butts County Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues, county government staff who prepare ordinances and resolutions, and Butts County residents who may see local measures adopted more quickly with fewer public readings.
Why it matters
By allowing the board to adopt ordinances and resolutions after just one meeting, the process for passing local rules in Butts County could move faster, though residents would have less advance notice or fewer chances to weigh in before a matter becomes final.
Key provisions
- Section 1 adds a new Section 8A to the 1941 Act creating the Butts County board, stating the board need not read a matter at more than one meeting before adopting it.
- Section 2 repeals any laws or parts of laws that conflict with this change.
From the bill
“the board of commissioners shall not be required to read an ordinance, resolution, or other matter before the board at more than one meeting.”
Discussed in meetings (7)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33)
From 0:51:24 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Committee Favorably Reported)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk read a favorable committee report on SB 543. Before the local calendar vote, the committee chair requested removing it and returning it to Intergovernmental Coordination. The clerk described it as allowing the Butts County commission to adopt an ordinance, resolution or other matter after a reading at one meeting. The House approved the return to committee without objection and excluded it from the local calendar vote.
House floor session, March 20, 2026 (legislative day 35)
From 0:49:40 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2905
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk reported that the committee recommended passage of SB 543 by substitute and later listed that version as a Butts County bill on the uncontested local calendar. No explanation of the substitute or separate debate occurred. The House passed the calendar as a group, 153 to 0.
Senate floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38)
From 8:05:14 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk described SB 543 as providing that Butts County commissioners would not have to read an ordinance, resolution or other matter at more than one meeting before adoption. The sponsor said the House corrected drafting mistakes in the local legislation and requested agreement. No questions or opposition followed. The Senate agreed to the House substitute 47-0.
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, February 24, 2026 (legislative day 23), 0:16:55
- Read aloud: Senate floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26), 0:36:18
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27, AM), 0:53:38
- Read aloud: House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, AM), 1:05:09
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 613
- Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
Show full history (16 actions)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
- Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
- Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
- Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 3, 2026
45 yea, 0 nay (6 not voting, 4 excused)
- House voteMarch 20, 2026
153 yea, 0 nay (14 not voting, 9 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 27, 2026
47 yea, 0 nay (0 not voting, 7 excused)
Topics
- local government
- Butts County
- county commissioners
- government procedure