HB1092: HB1092 Chehaw Park Authority; extend existence of authority

The Chehaw Park Authority was created by state law in 1979 to manage Chehaw Park in the Albany, Georgia area, and that founding law has been amended several times, most recently in 2020, to extend how long the authority may exist. This bill amends the same law again to push the authority's expiration date further into the future. Specifically, the bill rewrites Section 14 of the original 1979 Act, which sets the authority's duration, so that the authority now continues to exist through December 31, 2036. Without this extension, the authority would have eventually reached whatever expiration date was previously set. The bill also repeals any other laws that conflict with this extension. It contains no funding changes, new duties, or new restrictions beyond the extended timeline.

• Rewrites Section 14 of the 1979 Act that created the Chehaw Park Authority to set a new duration date.
• Extends the authority's legal existence through December 31, 2036, rather than an earlier expiration date.
• Repeals any existing state or local laws that conflict with this extension.

The Chehaw Park Authority itself, which continues operating rather than dissolving; local governments and residents in the Albany, Georgia area who rely on Chehaw Park; and any staff or contractors whose work depends on the authority's continued legal existence.

Without this extension, the Chehaw Park Authority would eventually lose its legal authority to operate, potentially disrupting management of Chehaw Park. Extending the authority through 2036 lets it continue overseeing the park's operations, contracts, and governance without interruption.

• Section 1 revises Section 14 (Duration) of the original 1979 Act creating the Chehaw Park Authority, as previously amended in 2020.
• The new Section 14 states the authority's existence 'is extended through December 31, 2036.'
• Section 2 repeals all laws or parts of laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 659
3. 2026-05-12House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-18Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-17House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Bill Yearta (R, HD-152)Primary sponsor
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)
• David Sampson (D, HD-153)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 17, 2026

   163 yea, 1 nay (7 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #513

2. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #571

• Chehaw Park Authority
• local government authorities
• Albany Georgia
• park management