GeorgiaHB 15362025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Eatonton, City of; provide a new charter

Sponsored By: Trey Rhodes (Republican), Dale Washburn (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Intragovernmental CoordinationState and Local Governmental OperationsLocal Bill

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

30 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 9 costs, 15 mixed.

Eatonton can regulate and take property

Eatonton can regulate businesses and property and provide safety, sanitation, utilities, planning, and public improvements. The council can adopt local rules and penalties, subject to the charter, applicable law, and both constitutions. The city can also take property through condemnation for listed public facilities or other public improvements. This authority reaches property inside or outside Eatonton. The city must follow applicable legal procedures.

Adjoining owners get parcel purchase opportunities

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can sell, transfer, or lease city property as the law allows. For small parcels separated by street or public-place work, sales to adjoining owners must support their property's best use. Each adjoining owner must receive notice and a chance to buy under city ordinance terms. The city can also release an unnecessary property interest with no readily determined monetary value. That release requires an administrator's report and a council resolution confirming those findings.

Eatonton emergency powers have financial limits

Emergency ordinances address threats to life, health, property, or public peace. Eatonton cannot use them to levy taxes, regulate utility rates, or grant, renew, or extend franchises. They can authorize only loans repayable within 30 days. An emergency ordinance takes effect upon adoption or its stated later date. It expires 30 days after adoption unless reenacted while the emergency continues.

Eatonton fills vacant and temporary offices

The council fills mayoral or council vacancies by appointment when fewer than 12 months remain in the term. With 12 months or more remaining, voters choose a replacement through a special election. The council appoints temporary replacements during legally authorized suspensions; permanent suspensions follow the vacancy rules. If the mayor pro tem is absent, councilmembers present can choose an acting mayor by majority vote during the mayor's absence, disability, or suspension. That person cannot also vote as a councilmember while acting as mayor.

Eatonton voters choose seven council seats

Eatonton's governing body has a mayor and seven councilmembers. Four council seats represent individual wards; two represent Wards 1 and 4 combined and Wards 2 and 3 combined. One council seat and the mayor are elected citywide, and candidates must win a majority of votes. Four ward boundaries use the charter's listed areas from the 2020 Putnam County census. Current elected officials finish their terms, with successors elected at the city election just before those terms end.

Residents can seek city officer removal

Eatonton residents can bring complaints in Putnam County Superior Court seeking removal of covered city officers for legally recognized causes. The rule covers the mayor, councilmembers, and other appointed officers, but excludes municipal court judges. Council removal proceedings against elected officers require written grounds and a public hearing at least 10 days after notice. Elected officers can appeal council removal actions to superior court.

Eatonton budgets must stay within resources

Beginning July 1, 2026, the council must adopt an operating budget by the first day of each fiscal year. Until a late budget is adopted, the prior year's operating appropriations continue month to month on a prorated basis. The budget must cover legally required spending and debt payments. Approved spending cannot exceed each fund's estimated balances, reserves, and revenues. Spending and commitments must stay within available budget approvals or allotments.

Eatonton can charge for city services

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can set fees, charges, assessments, and tolls for services it provides or makes available. This authority covers services inside or outside city limits. Unpaid amounts can be collected through the charter's overdue-revenue procedures. The charter names no particular service or price, so actual charges depend on city decisions.

Nearby owners can pay for improvements

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can charge owners whose property borders covered public improvements. Charges can cover construction, rebuilding, widening, or improvement costs for streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, sewers, and utility lines. Unpaid assessments can face the city's delinquent-revenue collection measures. The charter sets no assessment amount.

Eatonton can charge for local services

Eatonton can set taxes, regulatory fees, utility rates, and public-improvement assessments as Georgia law allows. It can charge residents and businesses that benefit from garbage and sanitary services. The city can enforce payment and withdraw utility service for failure or refusal to pay. The charter sets no amounts and does not require a particular charge.

Unpaid Eatonton bills can trigger enforcement

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can set reasonable collection rules for overdue taxes, fees, and other city revenue. Tools include late penalties, interest, property liens, lawsuits for personal debts, and permit revocation for nonpayment. The city can also issue, assign, or transfer tax executions, which are legal orders used to collect unpaid taxes. Collection methods must follow applicable law; the charter sets no penalty amounts.

Eatonton businesses face taxes and permit fees

Eatonton can adopt business and occupation taxes by ordinance and group businesses or professions as the law allows. It can also require permits and regulatory fees for business or professional activities. Those fees must reflect the city's total cost of regulating the activity. These rules must follow state law, and unpaid amounts can face city collection measures. The charter sets no tax or fee amounts.

Eatonton board members face service limits

The council can create boards, commissions, and authorities by ordinance and set their makeup, duration, duties, and powers. The mayor and council appoint members under ordinance rules and can remove them at any time. Members generally cannot also hold elected office in Eatonton or Putnam County. The mayor and councilmembers are exempt from that elected-office restriction. Different charter or legal rules can govern appointments, terms, removal, or incompatible offices.

Eatonton candidates face age and residency rules

The mayor and councilmembers serve four-year terms. Candidates must be at least 21 and registered and qualified to vote in Eatonton. They must live in the city for 12 months before qualifying and remain residents while serving. District candidates also need six continuous months in their district before qualifying and must remain there. A conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude bars service; mayoral candidates also need 12 months of city residency before election.

Eatonton court can impose fines and jail

Eatonton's court hears charter, ordinance, and other legally assigned violations, subject to applicable law. It can impose fines up to $1,000, jail up to 180 days, or both. Contempt penalties cannot exceed $200 or 10 days in jail, and the court can set operating fees. Defendants found guilty of state-law violations and sent to state or superior court can owe transportation, incarceration, and caretaking costs. The court can set bail, and defendants who miss court can lose cash or property posted to secure their appearance.

Street-using companies can face receipts taxes

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can tax gross receipts from specified uses of city streets and alleys. Covered organizations include railroads, utilities, transportation companies, and similar groups. This authority applies only when no franchise agreement covers the specified use and only as allowed by law. The charter sets no tax rate or amount.

City workers get pay-plan rules, at-will jobs

The administrator must prepare a job classification and pay plan for council approval, which can cover employees across city bodies. Once adopted, salary ranges can rise or fall only through changes to that plan. Elected and appointed officials are excluded from the employee pay-plan rules. City employees can be removed at any time unless an ordinance provides otherwise. The administrator also serves at will, and the council can remove that person without advance notice.

Eatonton property taxes and payment options

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton must levy taxes needed for its budget, counting other expected revenue, balances, and reserves. The city can tax property within city limits that is subject to state and county taxes. The council sets property tax rates, due dates, and payment periods, and can allow installment or early payments. The city can also adopt other taxes or fees allowed by current or future law. The charter sets no tax rates or individual bill amounts.

Eatonton controls departments and staff supervision

The council can create, abolish, combine, change, or leave vacant nonelected offices, jobs, departments, and agencies. Unless the charter or law says otherwise, it appoints officers and department heads solely on professional and administrative qualifications. It sets their pay by resolution and can remove or suspend them at any time. City leaders must contact administrator-supervised staff through the administrator and cannot give those staff direct orders. This restriction does not cover authorized council inquiries and investigations.

Eatonton mayor can suspend and pardon

The mayor oversees city executive officers and employees. The mayor can suspend city personnel for misconduct or neglect while the council investigates. The mayor can also pardon city ordinance violations or suspend, revoke, or cancel municipal court sentences. Pardons and sentence changes require approval from four of the seven councilmembers.

Eatonton officials face conflicts and job limits

Covered officials and employees face limits on conflicting work, gifts, confidential information, private representation against the city, and financially interested contracts. Financial interests require disclosure; interested mayors and councilmembers must record the disclosure and avoid the decision or vote. Personal use of city property requires permission under adopted policies, while elected candidates may accept campaign donations and services. Unless law permits, elected leaders cannot hold another elective or paid appointed city office or city job; former leaders wait one year for paid appointed office. Appointed officers and employees cannot keep their jobs after qualifying for public office, and elected employees face conflict review. Knowing ethics violations or hidden financial interests cause loss of office or employment and a three-year ban on city positions.

Eatonton replaces its former city charter

Beginning July 1, 2026, the new charter replaces Eatonton's 1908 incorporation law and all amendments to that law. Those former acts are repealed in full. The replacement establishes the city's governing legal framework without specifying a household payment or benefit.

Eatonton sets elections and vacancy rules

Eatonton holds elections in odd-numbered years on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November. The mayor and councilmembers serve four-year terms, with council seats staggered; current councilmembers finish their terms. Party primaries are prohibited, and ballots have no party labels. Special elections fill mayor or council vacancies for the remaining term. When a vacancy occurs within 12 months of the term's end, remaining councilmembers appoint a qualified replacement instead.

Eatonton sets legal roles and safeguards

The council must appoint and pay a city attorney to represent the city and advise its officials and employees. It must also appoint a clerk who is not a councilmember to keep city records and the seal. The law establishes a municipal court with a chief judge and additional judges allowed by ordinance; the governing body appoints judges. Judges must be at least 25, belong to the Georgia Bar, have three years of legal practice, and hold no other Eatonton office. Officials and employees must obtain surety or fidelity bonds as required by ordinance or law; the charter does not say who pays.

Eatonton administrator manages staff and spending

The council appoints and pays an administrator for an indefinite term, based on qualifications rather than political beliefs. The administrator manages operations, budgets, accounts, purchasing, contracts, and staff not appointed or elected by the council. Staff pay decisions and unbudgeted purchases over $500 require council approval. During temporary absence or disability, a qualified, council-approved officer takes over; the council can replace that officer. The mayor and councilmembers receive pay, benefits, and expenses set by ordinance, with no amounts stated.

Eatonton can borrow for local projects

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can issue bonds for projects, programs, or ventures allowed by the charter or state law. Bond issues must follow applicable municipal bond laws. Revenue bonds are repaid from money produced by the activity they finance. The city can also take short-term loans, repayable by December 31 of the borrowing year unless another law provides otherwise. The charter sets no bond or loan amounts.

Eatonton finances get audits and investigations

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton must obtain annual independent audits from a council-selected certified public accountant. Audits must follow accepted auditing principles; a qualifying state or federal audit can satisfy the requirement. Reports must be available to the public for printing cost. After approving an investigation by resolution, the council can require witnesses, sworn testimony, and evidence about city affairs. People who disobey lawful investigation orders can face penalties under city ordinance.

Eatonton keeps boundaries and existing debts

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton continues as a city under a new charter. Existing boundaries remain: about 12,566.36 acres within a 2.5-mile-radius circle centered on the courthouse square. Boundaries can change later through legal procedures. The city assumes all former city debts and legal obligations, including bond principal, interest, and contracts. The law sets no debt amount or household payment.

Eatonton vendors face written contract rules

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can enter multiyear lease, purchase, and lease-purchase contracts for goods, property, services, and supplies. These contracts must end without further city obligation at each calendar year-end, including renewal years, and follow applicable law. A contract binds the city only when written, drafted or reviewed and signed by the city attorney, and made or authorized by the council. The council must record its approval.

Street-use businesses get permission with limits

Beginning July 1, 2026, Eatonton can grant franchises for specified utility, transportation, and similar street and alley uses. Each franchise can last no more than 35 years. Franchise holders must provide fair and adequate compensation to the city. The agreement must be registered with the city clerk. The charter sets no payment amount.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 205 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/27/2026

LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR

Yes: 47 • No: 0 • Other: 8

House vote • 3/23/2026

Local Calendar

Yes: 158 • No: 0 • Other: 16

Actions Timeline

Effective Date
7/1/2026
House Date Signed by Governor
5/11/2026House
Act 583
5/11/2026
House Sent to Governor
4/10/2026House
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
3/27/2026Senate
Senate Passed/Adopted
3/27/2026Senate
Senate Read and Referred
3/25/2026Senate
House Committee Favorably Reported
3/23/2026House
House Third Readers
3/23/2026House
House Passed/Adopted
3/23/2026House
House Second Readers
3/16/2026House
House First Readers
3/12/2026House
House Hopper
3/10/2026House

Bill Text

HB 1536/AP* (v4)
PDF

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