# Georgia HB 1556: Nicholls, City of; provide new charter Georgia HB 1556, Nicholls, City of; provide new charter, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Angie O'Steen (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-05-12 (House Date Signed by Governor); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1556-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Georgia HB 1556 - State: Georgia - Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session - Title: Nicholls, City of; provide new charter - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-03-16 - Last action: 2026-05-12, House Date Signed by Governor - Sponsor: Angie O'Steen (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: Intragovernmental Coordination, State and Local Governmental Operations, Local Bill - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (205 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 17 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Nicholls emergency rules expire after 30 days: benefit, low. During emergencies affecting life, health, property, or public peace, Nicholls can adopt temporary emergency ordinances. The mayor or two councilmembers must call the meeting, and a majority of members present must approve. An ordinance takes effect at adoption or a later stated date and expires af… - Nicholls candidates face residency and fees: cost, low. Mayor and council candidates must be qualified city voters and have lived in Nicholls for 12 months before election. Both offices have four-year terms, and officials must remain city residents while serving. Councilmembers must also remain qualified city voters and serve until their successors are… - Nicholls property owners face possible improvement charges: cost, low. Nicholls can charge property owners for public improvements that border their property. Covered work includes building, rebuilding, widening, or improving public ways, streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, sewers, and utility lines. Unpaid charges are collected under the charter's collection rules. T… - Nicholls employee dismissal and pay rules: cost, low. Nicholls city employees can be removed at any time unless a city ordinance provides otherwise. The city manager prepares job and pay plans for council approval. These plans cover employees of the city and its agencies, departments, boards, commissions, and authorities. Once approved, salary ranges… - Nicholls can tax local property: cost, low. Nicholls can tax real and personal property within city limits that is subject to state and county taxes. The council sets the tax rate, due date, and payment period by ordinance. Revenue can pay for city services, general-obligation debt, and other public purposes. The charter sets no tax rate or… - Nicholls businesses face possible permits and fees: cost, low. Nicholls City Council can require businesses or professional practices operating in the city to get permits and pay regulatory fees. Fees must be reasonable and allowed by state law. A permit requirement or fee depends on city action. The charter sets no fee amount and does not itself impose a perm… - Nicholls can tax businesses and trades: cost, low. Nicholls can impose business and occupation taxes and regulatory fees allowed by Georgia law. The city can group businesses, trades, and professions into different tax classes and require permits. After following required procedures, it can revoke permits for failure to comply with city taxes or fe… - Nicholls services can carry local charges: mixed, low. Nicholls can provide water, sewer, drainage, stormwater, garbage collection, and other sanitation and health services. It can set service charges, utility rates, connection fees, and penalties, but the charter sets no prices. The city can charge benefiting property owners special assessments for ut… - Nicholls manager faces annual job reviews: mixed, low. The council appoints a city manager for an indefinite term, sets pay, and must rely solely on executive and administrative qualifications. Preferred qualifications are a master's focused on public administration, public affairs, or public policy with two years of specified local-government experien… - Nicholls organizes departments and staff oversight: mixed, low. The charter creates Administration, Fire, Police, Roads, and Water and Sewer departments; the council can reorganize nonelected offices by ordinance. Unless another rule applies, the council appoints qualified directors, sets their pay, and reviews them annually under city manager supervision. Appo… - Nicholls council faces conflict and oversight rules: mixed, low. Councilmembers cannot vote on or sign city matters in which they have a financial interest. Unless law allows it, they cannot hold another city office or job during their term. After approving a resolution, the council can investigate city affairs, subpoena witnesses, take sworn testimony, and requ… - Nicholls court sets penalties and appeals: mixed, low. Nicholls has a municipal court led by a chief judge, with council-appointed judges who must be at least 21 and legally qualified. Covered offenses can bring up to $1,000 in fines, up to 12 months in jail, or both; lawful alternative sentences are available. Contempt committed in court can bring a f… - Nicholls defines mayor duties and pay: mixed, low. The mayor leads council meetings, represents Nicholls, administers oaths, and signs approved city documents. The mayor votes only to break a tie among voting councilmembers. The mayor appoints council officers, committees, and committee chairs; these appointees serve at the mayor's pleasure. The ma… - Nicholls fills vacancies and mayor absences: mixed, low. A mayoral vacancy is filled by a special election for the remaining term. Council vacancies with at least 12 months left also require special elections under Georgia election rules. With less than 12 months left, remaining councilmembers appoint a replacement by majority vote. The council also choo… - Nicholls gains charter and property powers: mixed, low. The law reincorporates Nicholls as a continuing city, with official boundaries recorded by the clerk and existing lawful operations preserved. Subject to Georgia law, the city can regulate buildings, businesses, animals, traffic, health, safety, planning, and zoning and provide municipal services.… - Nicholls sets citywide nonpartisan election rules: mixed, low. City voters elect all five councilmembers citywide in the same year. The first charter election is the Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2029, with elections every four years afterward. Current officeholders finish their elected terms. The mayoral candidate with the most votes wins without… - Nicholls sets budgets and financing safeguards: mixed, low. Nicholls can levy additional taxes and fees allowed by current or future law, but the charter imposes no specific charge. The manager must submit operating and capital budgets at least 90 days before the fiscal year starts. The council must adopt annual budgets and levy taxes sufficient for budgets… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Angie O'Steen (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-27 | Senate | LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR | pass | 47 | 0 | 8 | | 2026-03-23 | House | Local Calendar | pass | 158 | 0 | 16 | ## Actions (13) - 2026-05-12: House Date Signed by Governor (House) - 2026-05-12: Act 678 - 2026-05-12: Effective Date - 2026-04-10: House Sent to Governor (House) - 2026-03-27: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate) - 2026-03-27: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-25: Senate Read and Referred (Senate) - 2026-03-23: House Committee Favorably Reported (House) - 2026-03-23: House Third Readers (House) - 2026-03-23: House Passed/Adopted (House) - 2026-03-19: House Second Readers (House) - 2026-03-18: House First Readers (House) - 2026-03-16: House Hopper (House) ## Bill text - HB 1556/AP* (v4): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/247855) ## 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 1556/AP* (v4) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/247855) ## 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-HB1556-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).