HB1584: HB1584 Augusta, City of; Richmond County; council-manager form of government; provide

Augusta and Richmond County operate under a 1995 consolidation act that currently gives most administrative power to the mayor and commission. This bill would revise the mayor's listed duties and add a new county manager position, appointed by the commission on the mayor's nomination, to serve as the chief administrative officer handling day-to-day county operations, personnel, contracts, and purchasing decisions up to $50,000 without commission approval. The change would not take effect automatically. Voters in Augusta-Richmond County would decide the question in a referendum held on the November 2026 general election date. If a majority votes yes, the county manager provisions become effective January 1, 2027. If voters reject it or the election is not held as required, the whole Act is automatically repealed 365 days after the election date, and courts can order the election superintendent to hold the vote if they fail to do so.

• Rewrites the mayor's powers and duties under the 1995 Augusta-Richmond County consolidation act (Ga. L. 1995, p. 3648), keeping ceremonial, presiding, and voting roles but removing broader administrative authority.
• Creates a new county manager office, nominated by the mayor and confirmed by majority vote of the commission, to act as the county's chief administrative officer.
• Gives the county manager authority to enforce laws, supervise departments and employees, prepare commission meeting agendas, and make purchases up to $50,000 without prior commission approval.
• Requires a countywide referendum on the November 2026 election date asking voters to approve or reject the council-manager system.
• Sets automatic repeal of the entire Act 365 days after the referendum if voters reject it or if the election is not properly held.
• Allows any Augusta-Richmond County voter to seek a court order (writ of mandamus) forcing the election superintendent to hold the referendum if they fail to do so.

Augusta-Richmond County residents and voters, the mayor and county commission, the newly created county manager position and county department heads and employees, the county attorney (who is exempted from the manager's supervision), and the election superintendent responsible for running the referendum.

If voters approve the change, day-to-day management of Augusta-Richmond County would shift from elected officials to an appointed professional manager, altering who controls hiring, contracts, and purchasing decisions up to $50,000 without commission sign-off, while the mayor's role becomes more ceremonial and procedural.

• Section 1 revises the mayor's duties, limiting them mainly to presiding over meetings, voting, signing contracts, administering oaths, and ceremonial functions.
• Section 3 adds a new Section 4.1 creating the county manager office, describing appointment, qualifications, and a detailed list of administrative duties.
• Section 3 sets a $50,000 purchasing threshold for the county manager without bids or commission approval, with reporting required for purchases over $10,000.
• Section 4 requires a referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, with specific ballot language asking voters to approve or reject the council-manager system.
• Section 4 makes the county manager provisions effective January 1, 2027 only if voters approve, and provides for automatic repeal of the Act 365 days after the election if it fails or is not held.
• Section 4 allows a court to compel the election superintendent by writ of mandamus to conduct the referendum if they fail to do so.
• Section 5 makes the rest of the Act effective upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without signature.
• Section 6 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-23House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-20House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-19House Hopper (House)

• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)Primary sponsor

• local government reform
• Augusta-Richmond County
• county manager
• referendum
• consolidated government