SB 628: Richmond County and City of Augusta; council-manager form of government; provide

Augusta and Richmond County merged into a single consolidated government under a 1995 act. This bill would amend that consolidation act to trim the mayor's listed powers and create a new office of county manager, who would be nominated by the mayor from two to four candidates and appointed by majority vote of the commission. The manager would run daily county operations, enforce laws and ordinances, supervise department heads and employees, prepare commission meeting agendas, and make purchases up to $50,000 without commission approval. The change would only take effect if approved by Augusta-Richmond County voters in a referendum set for November 2026. If voters approve, the county manager provisions take effect January 1, 2027. If voters reject it or the election is not held properly, the change never takes effect and the whole act repeals itself 365 days after the election date. The bill also lets any voter sue to force the election superintendent to hold the referendum if he or she fails to do so.

• Revises the mayor's powers under the 1995 Augusta-Richmond County consolidation act, removing several administrative duties previously listed for the mayor.
• Creates a new office of county manager, nominated by the mayor and appointed by majority vote of the county commission, with the mayor voting only to break a tie.
• Gives the county manager authority to run daily government operations, supervise department heads and employees, and enforce county laws and ordinances.
• Allows the county manager to make county purchases up to $50,000 without commission approval or competitive bids, with purchases over $10,000 reported to commissioners.
• Requires a countywide referendum in November 2026 before the county manager change can take effect, with automatic repeal of the change if voters reject it or the election is not properly held.
• Allows any Augusta-Richmond County voter to sue for a court order forcing the election superintendent to hold the referendum if he or she fails to do so.

Augusta-Richmond County residents and voters, the county mayor and commission, the newly created county manager position, county department heads and employees, the election superintendent responsible for holding the referendum, and vendors or contractors doing business with the county.

If voters approve the change, daily control of Augusta-Richmond County government would shift from the mayor and commission to an appointed, non-elected county manager, changing who residents can hold accountable for things like hiring, spending decisions, and enforcement of local ordinances.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of Section 4 of the 1995 consolidation act to narrow the mayor's listed powers and duties.
• Section 2 adds a new Section 4.1 creating the county manager office, describing nomination and appointment procedures and eleven specific duties, including purchasing authority up to $50,000.
• Section 3 requires a referendum on November 3, 2026 (the Tuesday following the first Monday in November), with the ballot question asking whether to approve the council-manager form of government.
• Section 3 states the county manager provisions take effect January 1, 2027 only if voters approve, and provides that the act automatically repeals 365 days after the election if voters reject it or the election is not properly conducted.
• Section 3 allows any Augusta-Richmond County elector to seek a writ of mandamus in court to compel the election superintendent to hold the referendum if he or she fails to do so.
• Section 4 sets the general effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the act becoming law without signature, except for the referendum-dependent provisions in Section 3.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-03-20Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-03-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Max Burns (R, SD-023)Primary sponsor

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• local government reform
• Augusta-Richmond County
• county manager
• referendum
• consolidated government