SB628: SB628 Richmond County and City of Augusta; council-manager form of government; provide

Augusta and Richmond County merged into a single consolidated government under a 1995 charter law. This bill would amend that charter to trim some of the mayor's administrative duties and create a new office of county manager, who would run the day-to-day business of the government instead. The county manager would be nominated by the mayor from a pool of two to four candidates and appointed by majority vote of the commission, with the mayor unable to vote except to break a tie. The manager would enforce laws and ordinances, supervise department heads and employees, prepare commission meeting agendas, and could make county purchases 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 on November 2026 election day. If approved, the county manager provisions take effect January 1, 2027. If rejected or if no election is held, the whole Act would be automatically repealed 365 days after the election date.

• Creates a new office of county manager for Augusta-Richmond County, nominated by the mayor and appointed by majority vote of the commission.
• Removes the mayor's vote on the county manager's appointment except to break a tie among commissioners.
• Gives the county manager authority to enforce laws, supervise department heads and employees, and set commission meeting agendas.
• Allows the county manager to make county purchases up to $50,000 without prior commission approval, with purchases over $10,000 reported to commissioners.
• Requires a countywide referendum in November 2026 before the county manager system can take effect, with automatic repeal of the whole Act if voters reject it or no election occurs.
• Revises the mayor's listed powers and duties under the existing 1995 consolidation charter, narrowing them compared to current law.

Voters registered in Augusta-Richmond County, who would decide the referendum; the county mayor and commission, whose administrative roles would change; the future county manager and county department heads and employees who would report to that office; and the Augusta-Richmond County election superintendent, who must run the election.

If voters approve the change, Augusta-Richmond County's daily operations would shift from elected officials toward an appointed professional manager, altering how contracts, purchases, and staff supervision are handled. If voters reject it, the entire bill disappears from law within a year.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of Section 4 of the 1995 consolidation Act, narrowing the mayor's listed powers and duties.
• Section 2 adds a new Section 4.1 creating the county manager office, its appointment process, qualifications, and detailed duties including agenda-setting and purchasing authority up to $50,000.
• Section 3 requires a referendum on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2026, sets the ballot language, and makes the election superintendent's compliance mandatory, enforceable by writ of mandamus.
• Section 3 also specifies that approval brings Section 1 into effect January 1, 2027, while rejection or a missed election triggers automatic repeal of the Act 365 days after the election date.
• Section 4 sets the general effective date as approval by the Governor or becoming law without signature, except for the referendum-dependent provisions.
• Section 5 repeals all conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-03-20Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-03-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Max Burns (R, SD-023)Primary sponsor

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

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