HB1545: HB1545 Putnam County; board of commissioners; current board members to continue their terms of office; provide

26 LC 62 0421/AP House Bill 1545 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Rhodes of the 124th and Washburn of the 144th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend an Act creating the board of commissioners for Putnam County, approved1 September 8, 1879 (Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 334), as amended, particularly by an Act approved2 February 15, 2012 (Ga. L. 2012, p. 3596) and an Act approved May 6, 2015 (Ga. L. 2015,3 p. 3805), so as to provide for current board of commissioner members to continue their terms4 of office; to require board members to live in their districts; to provide for filling vacancies;5 to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 An Act creating the board of commissioners for Putnam County, a pproved September 8,9 1879 (Ga. L. 1878-79, p. 334), as amended, particularly by an A ct approved February 15,10 2012 (Ga. L. 2012, p. 3596) and an Act approved May 6, 2015 (Ga . L. 2015, p. 3805), is11 amended by revising subsections (a) and (b) of Section 3 as follows:12 "(a) The members of the board holding office on the effective date of this section and any13 persons selected to fill vacancies in such offices shall serve out the terms of office to which14 they were elected and until their successors are elected and qu alified as previously15 established by law with successive terms to follow thereafter.16 H. B. 1545 - 1 - 26 LC 62 0421/AP (b) In the event any member elected from a district ceases to be a resident of his or her17 respective district during his or her term of office, a vacancy shall be created. 18 Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, when a vacancy occurs for any19 reason other than the expiration of a term of office, the remai ning members of the board20 shall appoint a successor who shall reside in the district where the vacancy occurred and21 be a nominee and a member of the local political party of the prior officeholder to serve the22 remaining unexpired term if the unexpired term is less than 12 months. If the members of23 the board are unable to select a successor, the chief judge of the Superior Court of Putnam24 County shall have the power to appoint a successor who shall reside in the district where25 the vacancy occurred and be a nominee and a member of the local political party of the26 prior officeholder to serve the remaining unexpired term if the unexpired term is less than27 12 months. If the unexpired term is 12 months or greater, such appointee shall serve until28 a successor is elected and qualified by a special election in accordance with the provisions29 of Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the O.C.G.A., the 'Georgia Election Code,' as now or hereafter30 amended."31 SECTION 2.32 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.33 H. B. 1545 - 2 -