Georgia CommonsSenate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 628: Richmond County and City of Augusta; council-manager form of government; provide
Last action March 31, 2026 · Senate Tabled
A Senate bill would let Augusta-Richmond County voters decide whether to create a county manager position and shift day-to-day government administration away from the mayor and commission to that appointed manager.
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 Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
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.
What the bill does
- 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.
Who it affects
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.
Why it matters
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.
Key provisions
- 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.
From the bill
“There shall be an office of county manager to be nominated by the mayor and appointed by majority vote of the commission.”
“The county manager shall be the administrative head of the county government and shall be responsible to the commission for the proper and efficient administration of all the affairs of the county”
“Shall the Act be approved that provides for a council-manager form of ( ) NO government for Augusta-Richmond County?”
Discussed in meetings (5)
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.
Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee, March 24, 2026
From 1:48:09 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said SB 628 would let Augusta-Richmond County voters decide whether to replace its administrator structure with a council-manager government. The sponsor described unanimous charter-review support for the concept and commission support for proceeding. The sponsor proposed requiring the mayor to nominate two to four manager candidates, with the commission choosing and the mayor voting only to break a tie. No amendment was adopted. A supporting House member cited audit failures and lost grant eligibility as reasons for urgency. Members questioned the unfinished charter review, delegation disagreement, law-enforcement duties and potential overlap between the mayor and manager. An Augusta resident opposed proceeding before the review was complete. Two charter-review members supported a manager structure but said important details remained unresolved and draft language differed from their votes. One disputed claims of missed deadlines, saying the deadline was March 31 with a possible 90-day extension. A League of Women Voters of the CSRA witness recommended independent candidate screening, clearer authority, limits on elected officials directing staff, and stronger financial oversight. Some members urged waiting for local work; others defended state action. At the sponsor's request, consideration was postponed. The chair made the meeting a hearing only, with no vote.
Senate State and Local Governmental Operations Committee, March 26, 2026
From 0:55:20 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented a substitute for SB 628 to change the Augusta-Richmond County charter and put a council-manager form of government before voters. The sponsor said the revised language would require the mayor to nominate between two and four manager candidates, with the mayor voting on the selection only to break a tie. The sponsor attributed the changes to feedback from the local delegation and said the charter review committee and a majority of county commissioners supported the request. One member questioned intervening while a local review process was still underway. Another asked about continuing disagreement within the legislative delegation. The sponsor acknowledged that full consensus had not been reached but said action was needed before the session ended to allow a vote that year. A third member questioned whether the ballot language explained enough about the proposal. The sponsor said legislative counsel drafted it and the community would need to educate voters. The chair declined to reopen public testimony, citing the previous lengthy hearing. The committee approved the substitute by a show of hands, without a stated count.
Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026
From 0:55:26 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said SB 628 would let Richmond County and Augusta voters decide whether to adopt a stronger county-manager form of government. The presenter described the existing administrator's authority as weak. A member selected it, and the committee unanimously approved the calendar containing it.
Status timeline
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Max Burns (R, SD-23)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 31, 2026
39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)
Topics
- local government reform
- Augusta-Richmond County
- county manager
- referendum
- consolidated government