SB 624: Public Facilities Authority of the City of Milledgeville and Baldwin County; references to the City of Milledgeville; remove

This bill amends a 2009 local law that created the Public Facilities Authority of the City of Milledgeville and Baldwin County. It strips out references to the City of Milledgeville, renaming the authority the Public Facilities Authority of Baldwin County and stating that any old references to the city in the original law now mean Baldwin County instead. The bill also rewrites the rules for the authority's board. Current members' terms end December 31, 2026. Starting January 1, 2027, the Baldwin County board of commissioners will appoint five county resident members to one-year terms, members can be reappointed, and commissioners themselves can serve on the authority with terms matching their commission terms. It sets rules for filling vacancies and quorum requirements, and restates that the authority's revenue bonds remain exempt from state taxation.

• Renames the authority from the Public Facilities Authority of the City of Milledgeville and Baldwin County to the Public Facilities Authority of Baldwin County.
• Redefines all prior references to the City of Milledgeville in the original 2009 law to mean Baldwin County instead.
• Ends current authority members' terms on December 31, 2026 and shifts appointment power fully to the Baldwin County board of commissioners starting January 1, 2027.
• Sets one-year terms for the five county-resident members, allows reappointment, and lets sitting county commissioners also serve on the authority.
• Establishes vacancy-filling procedures and quorum rules for the authority's decision making.
• Restates that the authority's revenue bonds and other obligations remain exempt from state taxation.

Residents of Baldwin County, the Baldwin County board of commissioners, current and future members of the public facilities authority, and holders of the authority's revenue bonds who benefit from the tax exemption.

The change removes the City of Milledgeville's name and formal role from the authority's governing structure, shifting full appointment authority to the county commission. Current board members will need to be replaced or reappointed under new rules starting in 2027.

• Section 1 adds a new Section 1.1 renaming the authority to the Public Facilities Authority of Baldwin County and redefining city references as county references.
• Section 2 revises Section 5 to end current members' terms on December 31, 2026 and set up a five-member, county commission-appointed board starting January 1, 2027.
• Section 2 also allows commissioners to serve on the authority concurrently with their commission terms and permits members to be reappointed to succeed themselves.
• Section 2 sets quorum rules requiring a majority vote of a quorum to authorize any legal act, including issuing revenue bonds.
• Section 3 revises Section 16 to reaffirm that the authority's revenue bonds and other obligations are exempt from state taxation.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-25House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-23House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-20Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
4. 2026-03-19Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
5. 2026-03-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2026-03-17Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)Primary sponsor

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 20, 2026

   44 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #761

• local government authorities
• Baldwin County
• Milledgeville
• public facilities financing
• revenue bonds