SB629: SB629 Town of Braswell; transfer of duties and obligations to Paulding and Polk counties; provide

This bill repeals the 1895 Act that created the town of Braswell and ends its existence as a municipality. Paulding County and Polk County would take over all governmental services in the area that used to be Braswell, applying their own ordinances and using their own courts there. The bill sets up detailed rules for dividing up what Braswell leaves behind: real estate and personal property go to whichever county the property sits in, general fund money is split based on population share in each county, and bonded debt becomes the obligation of two new special tax districts (one in each county), which the counties may tax to pay it off. Pending court cases, permits, licenses, zoning rules, and sales tax proceeds all transfer to the counties under specific procedures. A 'Community of Braswell' designation is created for signage purposes, and the law takes effect August 1, 2026.

• Repeals the 1895 Act that incorporated the town of Braswell, ending its legal existence as a municipality.
• Transfers governmental authority over the former town's territory to Paulding County and Polk County, based on which county each part sits in.
• Creates two special tax and service districts, one in each county, to handle Braswell's outstanding bonded debt and other obligations.
• Divides Braswell's real property, personal property, bank funds, and records between the two counties according to location or population share.
• Transfers pending municipal court cases, permits, licenses, and zoning rules to the appropriate county court or government.
• Shields Paulding County, Polk County, and the state from liability for Braswell's past debts and obligations beyond what the bill specifically assigns them.

Residents, property owners, and businesses within the former town of Braswell; Paulding and Polk county governments and courts; any person held in Braswell's custody at the time of dissolution; bondholders owed money by the town; and any joint local authorities Braswell participated in.

People living in the former Braswell would now be governed entirely by county rules, courts, and services instead of a town government. Property, debts, and legal cases would shift to the counties, changing who residents deal with for zoning, taxes, law enforcement, and other local services.

• Section 1 repeals the 1895 Act that created the town of Braswell, dissolving the municipality entirely.
• Section 2 gives Paulding and Polk counties full authority to provide governmental services and enforce ordinances in the former town's territory.
• Section 4 creates the Braswell-Paulding Services District and Braswell-Polk Services District as special tax zones tied to Braswell's old boundaries.
• Section 5 lays out detailed rules for splitting Braswell's real property, personal property, funds, and records between the two counties.
• Section 6 makes the two counties responsible for Braswell's bonded debt through the new tax districts, while shielding the counties and state from other unassigned liabilities.
• Section 9 transfers pending municipal court cases to county magistrate or other appropriate courts, based on where the violation occurred.
• Section 11 and 12 give the counties the town's share of local option and special purpose sales tax proceeds under O.C.G.A. § 48-8-89.2 and related law.
• Section 14 sets the effective date as August 1, 2026.

1. 2026-04-02House First Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2026-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-03-23Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-03-20Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)Primary sponsor

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   45 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #873

• municipal dissolution
• local government
• Paulding County
• Polk County
• property tax districts