HB1029: HB1029 Holly Springs, City of; revise boundaries

Holly Springs, a city in Cherokee County, operates under a charter the Georgia General Assembly first approved in 1980. This bill amends that charter in several ways. It replaces the description of the city's outer boundaries with a new map (Appendix A) based on 2020 census blocks. It changes the city council's makeup from a mayor and five councilmembers to a mayor and six councilmembers, with two elected at-large and four elected from new districts described in a separate map (Appendix B). It adds a 12-consecutive-year and 20-total-year term limit for mayor and council seats, with a grandfather clause for people already in office. It creates a new mayoral veto process for ordinances, including a timeline for the mayor to act and a four-vote council override. It also sets transition rules for current councilmembers and specific election timing for the new council seats in 2026 and 2028. Most provisions take effect when the Governor signs the bill, though the redrawn city boundary and remaining election-related provisions take effect January 1, 2027.

• Redraws the city's outer boundaries using a new 2020 census-based map included as Appendix A to the charter.
• Increases the city council from a mayor plus five councilmembers to a mayor plus six councilmembers, with two at-large and four district seats.
• Establishes a mayoral veto over ordinances, including a 10-day response window and a four-vote council override procedure.
• Imposes term limits barring service beyond 12 consecutive years or 20 total years as mayor or councilmember, with an exception letting current officeholders finish their current term.
• Redraws the four council district boundaries using a new map (Appendix B) and sets specific transition and election rules for 2026 and 2028.

Residents and property owners within Holly Springs' current and newly drawn boundaries, current and future Holly Springs mayors and city councilmembers, and city election officials who must apply the new district lines and election timelines for 2026 and 2028.

Residents near the city's edges could find themselves newly inside or outside Holly Springs, changing which local government provides services and levies taxes. Voters will elect councilmembers under new districts and a larger council, and future officeholders face term limits and a mayor who can veto ordinances.

• Section 1 rewrites Section 1.02 of the charter to adopt a new corporate boundary map (Appendix A) based on 2020 census blocks and VTDs.
• Section 2 rewrites Section 2.01 to expand the council to six members: two at-large and four from districts.
• Section 3 rewrites Section 2.02 to add residency requirements and impose 12-consecutive-year and 20-total-year term limits, applying to current incumbents but letting them finish an in-progress term.
• Section 4 adds new Section 2.09A creating a mayoral veto process, including a 10-calendar-day response period and a four-vote council override.
• Section 5 rewrites Section 5.02 to establish four new council districts (Appendix B) and sets transition rules, including 2026 elections for District 2 and District 4 and 2028 elections for District 1, District 3, and the two at-large seats.
• Section 6 sets effective dates: most provisions take effect upon the Governor's approval, but the new boundary description (Section 1) and remaining parts of Sections 2 and 5 take effect January 1, 2027.
• Section 7 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-06-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 641
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-20House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-02-17Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-02-17Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2026-02-03Senate Read and Referred (Senate)

• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)Primary sponsor
• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)
• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-011)
• Don Parsons (R, HD-044)
• Bill Fincher (R, HD-023)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 2, 2026

   159 yea, 0 nay (11 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #466

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 17, 2026

   48 yea, 1 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #548

• city charters
• local government
• city council districts
• municipal elections
• Cherokee County