---
title: SB 628. Richmond County and City of Augusta; council-manager form of government; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb628
cite_as: SB 628, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb628
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb628.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb628/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74265
date: 2026-03-31
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
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: 451
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb628.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 628
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-19
last_action: Senate Tabled
sponsors:
  - Max Burns
text_version: Comm Sub
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB628/2025
upstream_id: 2136413
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - local government reform
  - Augusta-Richmond County
  - county manager
  - referendum
  - consolidated government
---

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

## Text

The Senate Committee on State and Local Governmental Operations - General offered
the following substitute to SB 628:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend an Act providing for the consolidation of Richmond County and the City of
Augusta, approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), as amended, so as to provide for
a council-manager form of government; to provide for a referendum, effective dates, and
automatic repeal; to provide for mandatory execution of election and judicial remedies
regarding failure to comply; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for
other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
An Act providing for the consolidation of Richmond County and the City of Augusta,
approved March 27, 1995 (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), as amended, is amended by revising
subsection (a) of Section 4 as follows:
"(a) The mayor shall possess and exercise the following powers and duties:
(1) To preside at all meetings of the commission;
(2) To vote on all matters before the commission;
(3) To serve as the official head of Augusta-Richmond County for the service of process
and for ceremonial purposes;
(4) To administer oaths and to take affidavits;
(5) To sign all written contracts entered into by the commission on behalf of
Augusta-Richmond County and all other contracts and instruments executed by the
consolidated government which by law are required to be in writing; and
(6) To exercise such other powers and perform such other duties as may be required by
ordinance or resolution of the commission."
SECTION 2.
Said Act is further amended by adding a new section to read as follows:
"SECTION 4.1.
County manager.
(a) There shall be an office of county manager to be nominated by the mayor and
appointed by majority vote of the commission. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
charter to the contrary, the mayor shall nominate at least two, but no more than four,
candidates for county manager. The mayor shall have no vote on the appointment of the
county manager; provided, however, that, in the event of a tie vote of the commission, the
mayor may vote to break such tie. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the
qualifications, compensation, and other matters pertaining to the office of county manager
shall be provided for by ordinance or resolution of the commission.
(b) The county manager shall be appointed based solely upon the appointee's executive
and administrative qualifications, with specific reference to actual experience in or
knowledge of accepted practices with respect to the duties of the office.
(c) 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, except as otherwise provided by law. It shall be the duty of the
county manager to:
(1) See that all laws and ordinances of the county are enforced;
(2) Exercise control over all departments and divisions of the county which the mayor
or commissioners have exercised control over, except as otherwise provided for in this
Act;
(3) Keep the commission fully advised as to the needs of the county;
(4) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, supervise and direct the official conduct of
all department heads and county employees, except for the county attorney;
(5) Prepare the agenda for meetings of the commission, with the input of the mayor and
commissioners;
(6) Attend all meetings of the commission with the right to take part in discussion,
provided that the county manager shall have no vote on any matter before the
commission;
(7) Supervise the performance of all contracts entered into by or on behalf of the county;
(8) Confer with and advise all other elected or appointed officers or officials of the
county who are not under the control of the commission but who receive financial support
therefrom;
(9) Devote his or her entire time to the duties and affairs of the office of county manager
and hold no other office or employment for remuneration while serving as county
manager;
(10) Make purchases for the county without seeking approval from the commission and
without obtaining bids in amounts not to exceed $50,000.00, except:
(A) As provided by general law relating to the letting of public works contracts;
(B) That no employment, consulting, or severance contract or agreement shall be
entered into and no payments shall be made without the approval of the commission;
and
(C) Any purchase made for the county in excess of $10,000.00 shall be reported to the
commissioner by the county manager; and
(11) Perform such other duties as may be required by the commission.
(d) The policies, rules, and regulations so adopted by the commission shall be carried out,
executed, and enforced by the county manager as chief administrative officer of the county,
and said board may exercise administrative powers, but only where such are necessarily
and properly incident to its functions as a policymaking or rulemaking body or which are
necessary to compel enforcement of its adopted resolutions or ordinances. Any action
taken by the county manager which is in conflict with such adopted resolutions or
ordinances or which deals with matters exclusively reserved to the jurisdiction of the
commission shall be null, void, and of no effect."
SECTION 3.
The election superintendent of Augusta-Richmond County shall call and conduct an election
as provided in this section for the purpose of submitting this Act to the electors of the
Augusta-Richmond County for approval or rejection. The election superintendent shall
conduct that election on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November, 2026, and
shall issue the call and conduct such election as provided by general law. The election
superintendent shall cause the date and purpose of the election to be published once a week
for two weeks immediately preceding the date thereof in the official organ of
Augusta-Richmond County. The ballot shall have written or printed thereon the words:
"( ) YES Shall the Act be approved that provides for a council-manager form of
( ) NO government for Augusta-Richmond County?"
All persons desiring to vote for approval of the Act shall vote "Yes," and all persons desiring
to vote for rejection of the Act shall vote "No." If more than one-half of the votes cast on
such question are for approval of the Act, Section 1 of this Act shall become of full force and
effect on January 1, 2027. If the Act is not so approved or if the election is not conducted
as provided in this section, Section 1 of this Act shall not become effective, and this Act shall
be automatically repealed on the 365th calendar day following the election date provided for
in this section. The expense of such election shall be borne by Augusta-Richmond County.
It shall be the election superintendent's duty to certify the result thereof to the Secretary of
State. The provisions of this section shall be mandatory upon the election superintendent and
are not intended as directory. If the election superintendent fails or refuses to comply with
this section, any elector of the Augusta-Richmond County may apply for a writ of mandamus
to compel the election superintendent to perform his or her duties under this section. If the
court finds that the election superintendent has not complied with this section, the court shall
fashion appropriate relief requiring the election superintendent to call and conduct such
election on the date required by this section or on the next date authorized for special
elections provided for in Code Section 21-2-540 of the O.C.G.A.
SECTION 4.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 3 of this Act, this Act shall become effective upon
its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
SECTION 5.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.

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.

### Plain-language summary

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 it 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.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-03-19)
- Last action: Senate Tabled (2026-03-31)
- Sponsors: Max Burns
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74265

> The history, votes, and amendments (451 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb628.md?full=1