GeorgiaHB 15252025-2026 Regular SessionHouse

Auburn, City of; revise and readopt charter in its entirety

Sponsored By: Chuck Efstration (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Intragovernmental CoordinationState and Local Governmental OperationsLocal Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

26 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 7 costs, 17 mixed.

Auburn court can charge defendants fees

Auburn’s Municipal Court can set fees to cover court operating costs. It can receive reimbursement for meals, transportation, and care of prisoners sent to superior court for state-law violations. Defendants can post cash, personal property, or real estate as bail security. Failure to appear for trial can lead to cash forfeiture or an enforceable property lien for the forfeited value. The charter sets no fee amounts.

Overdue Auburn bills can trigger penalties

Auburn can adopt reasonable, legally allowed collection rules for overdue taxes, fees, and other city revenue. These rules can set due dates, late penalties, and interest. The city can establish liens and their priority, treat unpaid amounts as personal debts, and revoke licenses for nonpayment. It can issue and enforce tax collection orders, or transfer those orders to another party. The charter sets no penalty or interest amounts.

Auburn court sets penalties and appeals

Auburn’s Municipal Court hears charter and ordinance violations and other cases assigned by law. Subject to applicable law, penalties include fines and up to one year of imprisonment with labor on public works. Contempt committed in court can bring up to 15 days of imprisonment. People sentenced to jail can work on public projects or enter a county jail or work camp with county officials’ agreement. Criminal and ordinance-case decisions can be appealed to Barrow County or Gwinnett County Superior Court under Georgia law.

Adjacent owners get city land purchase opportunities

Auburn can sell or transfer city property as allowed by law. It can give up its property interest after a mayoral report and council finding that the property is unneeded. That process also requires finding that the city's interest has no readily ascertainable monetary value. When street or public-place work separates a small city parcel, the council can authorize selling it to adjacent owners. Each abutting owner must receive notice and a chance to buy under terms set by ordinance.

Auburn voters control police power changes

Auburn can run or contract for police and fire services, and appointed police officers can exercise arrest powers. Changes to the city’s police-protection powers must go to a referendum. Approval requires two-thirds of those voting, using the charter’s required ballot language. That language describes arrest authority and a police department with a chief and at least two full-time officers per shift, 24 hours a day. The referendum rule does not itself impose that staffing level.

Nearby owners can pay improvement costs

Auburn can charge property owners next to covered public improvements for their costs. Covered work includes building, rebuilding, widening, or improving streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, sewers, and utility lines and related equipment. The city must use reasonable terms and conditions. The charter sets no charge or formula for an owner's share.

Auburn can levy local property taxes

The charter gives Auburn broad powers to govern itself, within charter and Georgia law limits. The council can tax real and personal property within city limits for services, operations, debt repayment, and other lawful purposes. Ordinances set tax rates and due dates; rates must cover approved spending together with other revenue and reserves. The city can use penalties, liens, and tax collection orders to collect overdue taxes and fees. The charter does not set a property tax rate.

Auburn can set local property taxes

Auburn can tax real and personal property within city limits that is subject to state and county taxation. The council sets tax rates, due dates, and payment periods by ordinance. It can allow installments, lump-sum payments, or voluntary early payments. Auburn can also levy other taxes allowed by current or future law. The charter sets no specific tax rate or household bill.

Auburn businesses face licenses and fees

Auburn can require business and professional licenses or permits, with reasonable health, safety, and welfare requirements. License fees can cover the city’s full cost of regulation, unless general law bars city regulation. The council can also adopt lawful occupation and business taxes. Organizations receiving permission to use city streets or alleys must provide fair compensation and register their franchise with the clerk. The charter sets no specific tax, license fee, or franchise payment.

Auburn candidates face residency and limits

Auburn’s legislative authority rests with a mayor and four councilmembers. Candidates must have lived in Auburn for one year before election and be qualified city voters. While serving, they must remain city residents and registered, qualified city voters. Beginning with elections after the council term starts January 1, 2026, three consecutive elected or qualified terms block the next term in that same position. Service as mayor and service as councilmember count separately.

Auburn can charge for utility services

Auburn can acquire, run, or dispose of water, sewer, gas, electric, and transportation systems. The city can set rates, fees, taxes, assessments, and service rules for these systems. It can also charge residents and businesses that benefit from garbage collection and other sanitation services. The city can stop utility service for refusal or failure to pay. The charter sets no rates or charges.

Auburn service charges face cost limits

Auburn can charge fees, charges, and tolls for sewer, sanitation, health, and other services. This includes services it provides or makes available inside or outside city limits. Charges cannot exceed the city's total cost of providing or making the services available. The charter sets no specific fees.

Auburn can redevelop and take property

Auburn can set up and run an urban redevelopment program. The charter sets no program activities, funding, or eligibility rules. The city can also take property inside or outside city limits for city purposes or public improvements. Such takings must follow Georgia law. The charter names no property to be taken and sets no compensation amount.

Business taxes with license revocation safeguards

Auburn can license and regulate businesses, trades, and professions, and charge license fees and taxes. The council can set business or occupation taxes by ordinance and group activities for taxation. These taxes must be legally allowed, and the business or person must have a sufficient legal connection to Auburn. License revocation for unpaid city taxes or fees requires due process. The charter sets no tax or fee amounts.

Auburn can enforce community safety rules

Auburn can set health, sanitation, and safety standards and remove nuisances from public or private property. It can limit air pollution and prevent pollution in natural streams within city limits. The city can set fire boundaries, fire-safety rules, and penalties consistent with Georgia law. It can license or ban animal keeping, control roaming animals, and set impoundment, unclaimed-animal disposal, and penalty rules. The charter sets no specific fees or penalties.

Auburn can regulate driving and parking

Auburn can regulate vehicle use and traffic on city streets, roads, alleys, and walkways. This includes rules for parking. The authority supports orderly travel but also allows limits on driving and parking. The charter sets no specific traffic restrictions, penalties, or charges.

Auburn limits council orders and contracts

Councilmembers must work through the proper department head when dealing with employees supervised by the city manager or department heads. They cannot give those employees orders, except during an authorized investigation. A contract binds Auburn only when it is written and made or authorized by the council. Council approval must appear in its meeting minutes.

Auburn officials face conduct and removal rules

Unless law allows it, the mayor and councilmembers cannot hold another city job or office during their terms. They cannot vote on, sign, or veto matters that give them personal gain. Appointed board members can be removed for listed conduct, including missed meetings, certain convictions, property misuse, falsified records, harassment, or endangering someone. Removing an elected officer requires listed grounds, a municipal judge’s hearing, clear and convincing evidence, and a majority of the remaining council. The affected officer cannot vote and can appeal to Barrow County Superior Court.

Auburn renews its city government rules

The law readopts Auburn’s charter and continues the city as a municipal corporation. Existing boundaries, lawful contracts, and compatible ordinances remain in place until changed as allowed by law. The council can create, change, or end non-elected offices, jobs, and departments. Appointed leaders must have professional and administrative qualifications, unless the charter or law provides an exception. The city manager supervises them, while ordinances set their pay and the mayor’s and councilmembers’ pay and expenses.

Auburn requires audits and allows investigations

Auburn must obtain an annual independent audit of all city accounts, funds, and financial transactions. The council selects a certified public accountant, and audit reports are public records. A state or federal audit of funds can satisfy the audit requirement. A simple council majority can launch investigations, subpoena witnesses, take sworn testimony, and require evidence. Disobeying a lawful investigation order can bring penalties set by city ordinance.

Auburn sets election dates and rules

City elections occur every two years in odd-numbered years, on the Tuesday after November’s first Monday. Four-year election cycles start in 2027 for the mayor and posts 1 and 3, and 2029 for posts 2 and 4. All city voters vote at large; council candidates must qualify for and remain in their post’s district, while the mayor can live in any district. Party primaries are barred, ballots omit party labels, and the candidate with the most votes wins without a majority requirement. Vacancies require special elections for the remaining term, except vacancies within 90 days of term-end use the next regular election.

Auburn sets mayoral voting and succession

The mayor votes only to break a tie or provide one vote needed for passage. The mayor must return an ordinance within 10 calendar days; approval makes it law upon return. Without approval or rejection, it becomes law at noon on the tenth calendar day after adoption. Vetoes require written reasons through the clerk, and at least three councilmembers can override them. At each year’s first regular meeting, a council majority selects an acting mayor; councilmembers choose a substitute when both leaders are unavailable as specified.

Auburn can regulate buildings and development

Auburn can regulate and license construction and building trades. It can adopt building, housing, plumbing, electrical, gas, and heating and air-conditioning codes. The council can also adopt zoning and subdivision rules it considers necessary and reasonable for community safety, health, and appearance. These rules can provide safety protections while placing requirements on property owners and builders. The charter sets no specific code requirements, zoning limits, or fees.

Auburn budgets face deadlines and limits

The council must set rules for operating budgets, capital improvement plans, and capital budgets. The manager must submit a proposed budget at least 60 days before the fiscal year, with supporting papers open to inspection. The final budget is due by the 15th day of the fiscal year’s first month. Fund appropriations cannot exceed estimated balances, reserves, and revenue; spending cannot exceed approved appropriations or allotments. Required spending and debt payments must be included; a missed deadline extends existing operating appropriations on a prorated month-to-month basis.

Auburn can borrow for city projects

Auburn can issue general obligation bonds for projects, programs, or ventures allowed by its charter or state law. Bond issuance must follow applicable municipal bond laws. The city can also issue revenue bonds, repaid from income generated by the activity they finance. Short-term loans must be repaid by December 31 each year, unless another law provides otherwise. The charter sets no borrowing amount or specific funded project.

Auburn must fund budgets and limit additions

After adopting a budget, Auburn must levy taxes by ordinance to help fund approved spending. For each fund, estimated taxes, other revenue, fund balances, and applicable reserves must cover the approved spending. The council can change budget amounts by ordinance. It can add spending only from an existing, unspent surplus. The charter sets no tax rate.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Chuck Efstration
Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 200 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/27/2026

LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR

Yes: 47 • No: 0 • Other: 8

House vote • 3/20/2026

Local Calendar

Yes: 153 • No: 0 • Other: 18

Actions Timeline

House Date Signed by Governor
5/12/2026House
Act 668
5/12/2026
Effective Date
5/12/2026
House Sent to Governor
4/10/2026House
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
3/27/2026Senate
Senate Passed/Adopted
3/27/2026Senate
Senate Read and Referred
3/23/2026Senate
House Committee Favorably Reported
3/20/2026House
House Third Readers
3/20/2026House
House Passed/Adopted
3/20/2026House
House Second Readers
3/10/2026House
House First Readers
3/9/2026House
House Hopper
3/6/2026House

Bill Text

HB 1525/AP* (v4)
PDF

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