HB966: HB966 Garden City, City of; mayor to fill any vacancy in the office of mayor pro tempore; provide

26 LC 62 0244/AP House Bill 966 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Westbrook of the 163 rd, Jackson of the 165 th, Gilliard of the 162 nd, Stephens of the 164th, and Hitchens of the 161st A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend an Act creating a new charter for the City of Garden City, approved April 17, 19731 (Ga. L. 1973, p. 3581), as amended, particularly by an Act appr oved May 6, 2024 (Ga. L.2 2024, p. 4332), so as to provide for the mayor to fill any vacancy in the office of mayor pro3 tempore; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5 SECTION 1.6 An Act creating a new charter for the City of Garden City, appr oved April 17, 19737 (Ga. L. 1973, p. 3581), as amended, is amended by revising subsection (b) of Section 2.038 as follows:9 "(b) Commencing with the general election on the Tuesday following the first Monday in10 November, 2011, the city shall elect a mayor at large for a term of four years. After each11 regular election, the city council shall meet for organization at its first regular meeting next12 following the meeting where the oath of office has been adminis tered. If the mayor has13 been elected at the recent election, he or she shall appoint one of the other councilpersons14 to serve as mayor pro tempore for a four-year term and until his or her successor is elected15 and qualified. The mayor shall fill any vacancy in the mayor p ro tempore's office. The16 H. B. 966 - 1 - 26 LC 62 0244/AP mayor pro tempore shall act as mayor during any absence or disa bility of the mayor but17 shall only vote once on matters before the council and, if a vacancy occurs in the office of18 mayor, shall become mayor for the remainder of the unexpired term. The city council shall19 also, by majority vote of all the members, elect one of their number, other than the mayor20 or mayor pro tempore, to be president of council who shall temporarily assume the mayor's21 position in the event that the mayor and mayor pro tempore are both unavailable, but who22 shall not, by virtue of being president of council, become mayo r in the event that any23 vacancy occurs in such office. The president of council shall serve for a term of two years24 and until his or her successor is elected and qualified. If th e president of council leaves25 office before his or her term has expired, he or she shall be replaced by a majority vote of26 city council at any regular meeting of city council."27 SECTION 2.28 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.29 H. B. 966 - 2 -