# Georgia HB 155: Local government; selection and objection to arbitrators; revise procedures Georgia HB 155, Local government; selection and objection to arbitrators; revise procedures, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Victor Anderson (Republican), Chas Cannon (Republican), Brent Cox (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB155-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia HB 155 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Local government; selection and objection to arbitrators; revise procedures - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-28 - Last action: 2025-07-01, Effective Date - Sponsors: Victor Anderson (Republican), Chas Cannon (Republican), Brent Cox (Republican), Joseph Gullett (Republican), John LaHood (Republican), Brad Thomas (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: Governmental Affairs, State and Local Governmental Operations, General Bill - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (556 yes, 105 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 10 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Extra pay for annexation panel members: benefit, low. Each annexation arbitration panel member receives an extra $100 total for all days of service, not $100 per day. Members also receive the daily pay, expenses, and allowances authorized for Georgia General Assembly members. - Clearer zoning standards and public notices: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, local governments using boards to decide covered land-use cases must adopt specific standards and evaluation factors. These standards must be in the zoning ordinance, with printed copies available to the public. Covered board hearings require notice 15 to 45 days in advance,… - More court review for zoning cases: benefit, low. Parties can directly appeal final court judgments reviewing covered zoning decisions to the Georgia Supreme Court or Court of Appeals. Beginning July 1, 2025, zoning decisions include final legislative actions granting or denying special uses and variances. They also include conditions tied to cove… - One special-use appeal route narrows: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, one land-use review provision covers only the chapter's decisions made through a hearing-based board process. It no longer separately includes decisions on applications for special use of property. This removes coverage under that provision, not all possible appeal routes fo… - Rezoning denials trigger a waiting period: cost, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, local governments cannot immediately reconsider rezoning the same property after denying a zoning amendment. They must wait at least six months after the denial or the end of related court proceedings before reconsidering rezoning. - Limits on county tax-incentive property deals: cost, low. The law limits county development authorities in counties where two or more cities cover at least 95% of the land. Counties with consolidated or unified governments are excluded. The authority cannot buy or accept title to real or personal property for a property-tax incentive project in a covered… - County voters decide some city annexations: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, some annexations need approval from a majority of county voters voting in a referendum. The city must own the entire area when annexation procedures begin, and the county must approve annexation by resolution. The added vote applies when the city claims the land is connected… - New panel rules for annexation disputes: mixed, low. The administering department maintains three pools of trained arbitrators: municipal officials, county officials, and qualified academics. Within 15 business days after first receiving an annexation objection, it sends 11 randomly selected candidates: four municipal, four county, and three academic… - Written annexation decisions with tighter deadlines: mixed, low. Annexation panels must issue a binding decision within 60 days of appointment. The chair can no longer add up to 10 business days. The county and city can agree to pause proceedings for up to 180 days to negotiate a settlement. That pause also stops the decision clock. Panels must send written find… - More hearings before multifamily zoning changes: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, added procedures apply to covered zoning changes allowing multifamily uses or blanket departures from single-family rules. They also cover ending all single-family zoning classifications or rezoning all single-family property for multifamily use. Adoption requires two regula… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Victor Anderson (Republican), House - Sponsor: Chas Cannon (Republican), House - Sponsor: Brent Cox (Republican), House - Sponsor: Joseph Gullett (Republican), House - Sponsor: John LaHood (Republican), House - Sponsor: Brad Thomas (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Drew Echols (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-04 | House | Agree to Senate Amend to HAm to SSub | pass | 117 | 49 | 2 | | 2025-04-04 | Senate | AGREE TO HOUSE AMENDMENT TO SENATE SUBSTITUTE AS AMENDED BY AM #2 | pass | 36 | 17 | 1 | | 2025-04-02 | House | Agree to Senate Sub as Am | pass | 130 | 35 | 5 | | 2025-03-31 | Senate | ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 50TH | pass | 47 | 4 | 3 | | 2025-03-31 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 54 | 0 | 1 | | 2025-02-20 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 172 | 0 | 3 | ## Actions (18) - 2025-07-01: Effective Date - 2025-05-12: House Date Signed by Governor (House) - 2025-05-12: Act 128 - 2025-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House) - 2025-04-04: Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub As Amended (Senate) - 2025-04-04: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House) - 2025-04-02: House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House) - 2025-03-31: Senate Third Read (Senate) - 2025-03-31: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Senate Read Second Time (Senate) - 2025-03-13: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate) - 2025-02-21: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2025-02-20: House Third Readers (House) - 2025-02-20: House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House) - 2025-02-06: House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House) - 2025-01-30: House Second Readers (House) - 2025-01-29: House First Readers (House) - 2025-01-28: House Hopper (House) ## Bill text - HB 155/AP* (v17): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239328) ## Related bills - SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed) - SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed) - SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed) - SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed) - HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed) - HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed) ## Sources - [HB 155/AP* (v17) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/239328) ## Related - [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026) - [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026) - [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026) - [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026) - [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026) - [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026) - [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills) - [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB155-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-19).