HB 856: Brooks County Development Authority; appointment of members; revise provisions

This bill amends the 1967 law that created the Brooks County Development Authority, a body that oversees local development matters in Brooks County, Georgia. It removes an older section of the law that set up outdated districting and initial-term rules for how members were chosen, leaving that section repealed and reserved (kept as a blank placeholder in the law's structure). It then rewrites the section covering appointments. The Brooks County governing authority (the county commission) will appoint all seven members, choosing outstanding local citizens. Two of the seven must live within the City of Quitman's city limits, and the other five must live anywhere in Brooks County. All members serve four-year terms and continue serving until a successor is appointed and qualified. Any conflicting prior laws are repealed.

• Repeals and reserves Section 2 of the 1967 Act, removing outdated rules about authority districts and initial appointment terms.
• Rewrites Section 3 to require the Brooks County governing authority to appoint all seven development authority members.
• Sets a residency requirement that two of the seven members must live within the City of Quitman and five anywhere in Brooks County.
• Establishes four-year terms for all members, with members continuing to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified.
• Repeals any other state laws that conflict with these changes.

Residents of Brooks County and the City of Quitman, particularly citizens who might serve on the Brooks County Development Authority, and the Brooks County governing authority, which now holds sole appointment power over the authority's seven members.

The change clarifies and modernizes who gets to pick members of a local economic development body and where those members must live, replacing an old districting system with straightforward residency and appointment rules set entirely by the county government.

• Section 1 repeals and reserves Section 2 of the original 1967 Act, eliminating outdated districting and initial term language.
• Section 2 rewrites Section 3 to require the Brooks County governing authority to appoint all seven authority members from among outstanding local citizens.
• Section 2 requires two members to reside within the City of Quitman and five members to reside anywhere in Brooks County.
• Section 2 sets member terms at four years, continuing until successors are duly appointed and qualified.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting prior laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-05-13
2. 2025-05-13Act 243
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2025-04-08House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
7. 2025-03-31Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
8. 2025-03-31House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)

• John LaHood (R, HD-175)Patrocinador principal

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes31 de marzo de 2025

   165 a favor, 0 en contra (10 sin votar, 5 ausentes)

   Local Calendar Without Hbs 851 & 852: House Vote #342

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado2 de abril de 2025

   55 a favor, 1 en contra

   Supplemental Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #400

• local government
• Brooks County
• development authority
• Quitman
• county appointments