# Georgia HB 789: Oglethorpe, City of; certain hearings of the governing authority; revise provisions

Georgia HB 789, Oglethorpe, City of; certain hearings of the governing authority; revise provisions, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Patty Marie Stinson (Democrat); status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Effective Date); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB789-2025-2026
- 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 789
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Oglethorpe, City of; certain hearings of the governing authority; revise provisions
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-18
- Last action: 2025-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsor: Patty Marie Stinson (Democrat)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Intragovernmental Coordination, State and Local Governmental Operations, Local Bill
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (213 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Oglethorpe sets leadership and vacancy rules: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Oglethorpe has new rules for choosing its backup mayor and filling empty city offices. The council elects a mayor pro tem from its members for a one-year term. It must choose at the first regular meeting after newly elected councilmembers take office, or within ten days afte…
- Oglethorpe zoning hearings follow state rules: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Oglethorpe must follow Georgia’s Zoning Procedures Law for public hearings on zoning decisions. This sets the required hearing process for the city and people taking part. It does not change the zoning decisions themselves.
- Oglethorpe creates court with penalties and appeals: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Oglethorpe’s municipal court replaces the charter’s framework for the mayor’s or recorder’s court. It hears city charter and ordinance violations, plus other violations allowed by law. For covered offenses, it can impose fines up to $1,000, jail terms up to 180 days, or both…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Patty Marie Stinson (Democrat), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-31 | Senate | LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR | pass | 49 | 0 | 5 |
| 2025-03-27 | House | Local Calendar | pass | 164 | 0 | 12 |

## Actions (13)

- 2025-07-01: Effective Date
- 2025-05-13: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-05-13: Act 230
- 2025-04-07: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2025-03-31: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-28: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-03-27: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2025-03-27: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-27: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2025-03-21: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-03-20: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-03-18: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 789/AP* (v4): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238120)

## 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 789/AP* (v4) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238120)

## 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)
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- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB789-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).