| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | To amend an Act implementing the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority, |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1 |
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| 9 | 9 | | approved April 2, 1963 (Ga. L. 1963, p. 2826), as amended, particularly by an Act approved2 |
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| 10 | 10 | | March 31, 1987 (Ga. L. 1987, p. 5391), which Act was enacted pursuant to an amendment3 |
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| 11 | 11 | | to the Constitution set out at Ga. L. 1962, p. 810, so as to change the method of appointing4 |
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| 12 | 12 | | the membership; to amend the term of office of such membership; to provide for5 |
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| 13 | 13 | | qualification of members; to provide for related matters; to provide an effective date; to6 |
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| 14 | 14 | | repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.7 |
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| 15 | 15 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 1.9 |
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| 17 | 17 | | An Act implementing the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority, approved10 |
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| 18 | 18 | | April 2, 1963 (Ga. L. 1963, p. 2826), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 31,11 |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1987 (Ga. L. 1987, p. 5391), which Act was enacted pursuant to an amendment to the12 |
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| 20 | 20 | | Constitution set out at Ga. L. 1962, p. 810, is amended by revising Sections 1 and 2 as13 |
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| 21 | 21 | | follows:14 |
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| 22 | 22 | | S. B. 347 |
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| 23 | 23 | | - 1 - 25 LC 47 3632 |
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| 24 | 24 | | "SECTION 1. |
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| 25 | 25 | | 15 |
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| 26 | 26 | | (a) The Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority shall consist of a board of16 |
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| 27 | 27 | | governors composed of five members.17 |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) Four members of the board of governors, designated as Seats 1 through 4, shall be18 |
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| 29 | 29 | | appointed by joint resolution of the governing authorities of Glynn County and the City of19 |
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| 30 | 30 | | Brunswick, as provided for herein. The fifth member, designated as Seat 5, shall be either20 |
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| 31 | 31 | | the chairperson or vice-chairperson of the Glynn County Board of Commissioners, as21 |
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| 32 | 32 | | designated by said board of commissioners prior to the start of each term for such seat.22 |
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| 33 | 33 | | (c) No later than ten days after July 1, 2025, the Brunswick and Glynn County23 |
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| 34 | 34 | | Development Authority shall designate which current members occupy Seats 1 through 424 |
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| 35 | 35 | | and shall submit such designations to the governing authorities of Glynn County and the25 |
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| 36 | 36 | | City of Brunswick.26 |
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| 37 | 37 | | (d) The members occupying Seats 1 through 4 as of June 30, 2025, shall continue to serve27 |
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| 38 | 38 | | as follows:28 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) The term of the member occupying Seat 1 shall expire on June 30, 2026; 29 |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) The term of the member occupying Seat 2 shall expire on June 30, 2027; 30 |
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| 41 | 41 | | (3) The term of the member occupying Seat 3 shall expire on June 30, 2028; and 31 |
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| 42 | 42 | | (4) The term of the member occupying Seat 4 shall expire on June 30, 2029. 32 |
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| 43 | 43 | | The members holding Seats 1 through 4 as of June 30, 2025, shall be eligible to serve one33 |
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| 44 | 44 | | additional successive four-year term, if reappointed.34 |
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| 45 | 45 | | (e) Upon the expiration of the terms set forth in subsection (d) of this section, members for35 |
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| 46 | 46 | | Seats 1 through 4 shall be appointed pursuant to the following joint appointment process36 |
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| 47 | 47 | | to staggered terms of four years, beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30 four years37 |
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| 48 | 48 | | later. For each appointment or successor appointment for Seats 1 through 4, the authority38 |
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| 49 | 49 | | shall submit the name of one candidate to the governing authorities of Glynn County and39 |
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| 50 | 50 | | the City of Brunswick for joint approval. If the candidate is not acceptable to the40 |
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| 51 | 51 | | S. B. 347 |
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| 52 | 52 | | - 2 - 25 LC 47 3632 |
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| 53 | 53 | | governing authorities of Glynn County and the City of Brunswick, the authority shall |
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| 54 | 54 | | 41 |
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| 55 | 55 | | submit a second candidate. If three consecutive candidates for a particular appointment are42 |
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| 56 | 56 | | not found to be acceptable, the governing authorities of Glynn County and the City of43 |
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| 57 | 57 | | Brunswick, by resolution, shall appoint an individual to the corresponding seat. Members44 |
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| 58 | 58 | | serving in Seats 1 through 4 may serve no more than two successive four-year terms, after45 |
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| 59 | 59 | | which the member must wait at least two years before becoming eligible for reappointment.46 |
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| 60 | 60 | | If any member occupying Seats 1 through 4 serves less than a full four-year term, that47 |
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| 61 | 61 | | partial term shall not count toward the member's term limit, and such member shall be48 |
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| 62 | 62 | | eligible to serve two additional successive four-year terms.49 |
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| 63 | 63 | | (f) Seat 5 shall consist of either the chairperson or vice-chairperson of the Glynn County50 |
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| 64 | 64 | | Board of Commissioners and shall be appointed by the Glynn County Board of51 |
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| 65 | 65 | | Commissioners, with an initial term beginning August 1, 2025, and ending December 31,52 |
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| 66 | 66 | | 2025. Thereafter, Seat 5, consisting of either the chairperson or vice-chairperson of the53 |
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| 67 | 67 | | Glynn County Board of Commissioners, shall be appointed annually by said board for a54 |
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| 68 | 68 | | term of one year beginning January 1, with a maximum of four successive one-year terms.55 |
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| 69 | 69 | | (g) Any member of the board of governors, including the county-appointed member56 |
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| 70 | 70 | | occupying Seat 5, may be removed for cause for willful misconduct, legal or ethical57 |
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| 71 | 71 | | violations, failure without good cause to comply with the authority's attendance policy,58 |
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| 72 | 72 | | failure without good cause to partake in the authority's new member orientation within the59 |
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| 73 | 73 | | first three months of the beginning of his or her term, or a proven breach of oath that causes60 |
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| 74 | 74 | | material harm to the authority. Prior to removal, the member shall receive written notice61 |
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| 75 | 75 | | detailing the specific grounds for removal and shall be given an opportunity to respond. 62 |
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| 76 | 76 | | The authority shall conduct a hearing at which the member shall have the opportunity to63 |
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| 77 | 77 | | present evidence, respond to the allegations, and be heard by the board. Removal shall64 |
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| 78 | 78 | | require a unanimous vote of the remaining four board members upon a documented finding65 |
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| 79 | 79 | | of cause following such hearing. Any member removed pursuant to this subsection shall66 |
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| 80 | 80 | | be permanently ineligible for reappointment to the board of governors. The authority shall67 |
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| 81 | 81 | | S. B. 347 |
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| 82 | 82 | | - 3 - 25 LC 47 3632 |
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| 83 | 83 | | adopt and include in its by-laws clear and reasonable written rules and policies consistent |
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| 84 | 84 | | 68 |
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| 85 | 85 | | with this subsection, including a formal attendance policy, a process for providing notice69 |
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| 86 | 86 | | of absences, a process for responding to alleged noncompliance, and a process for removal70 |
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| 87 | 87 | | in the event of noncompliance. Such policies shall also establish procedural guidelines for71 |
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| 88 | 88 | | any hearing conducted pursuant to this subsection.72 |
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| 89 | 89 | | (h) If, at the expiration of the term of any member, a successor has not been appointed, the73 |
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| 90 | 90 | | member whose term has expired shall continue to hold office until his or her successor is74 |
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| 91 | 91 | | duly appointed and qualified.75 |
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| 92 | 92 | | SECTION 2.76 |
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| 93 | 93 | | (a) All members of the board of governors shall be taxpayers and residents of Glynn77 |
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| 94 | 94 | | County, Georgia. Except for the member occupying Seat 5, no member shall be an officer78 |
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| 95 | 95 | | or employee of Glynn County or the City of Brunswick.79 |
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| 96 | 96 | | (b) The board of governors shall elect one of its members to serve as chairperson and80 |
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| 97 | 97 | | another as vice-chairperson. The board shall also elect a secretary-treasurer. The81 |
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| 98 | 98 | | secretary-treasurer shall not be required to be a member of the board of governors. The82 |
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| 99 | 99 | | member occupying Seat 5 may not be elected as an officer of the board of governors.83 |
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| 100 | 100 | | (c) If a vacancy occurs on the board of governors due to death, resignation, or for any84 |
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| 101 | 101 | | other reason prior to the expiration of a member's term, the vacancy shall be filled in the85 |
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| 102 | 102 | | same manner as the original appointment for the corresponding seat. A member appointed86 |
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| 103 | 103 | | to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term.87 |
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| 104 | 104 | | (d) Upon appointment, each member of the authority shall take an oath before a notary88 |
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| 105 | 105 | | public, or other officer authorized to administer oaths, that he or she will truly and89 |
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| 106 | 106 | | faithfully perform the duties of a member of the authority."90 |
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| 107 | 107 | | SECTION 2.91 |
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| 108 | 108 | | This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2025.92 |
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| 109 | 109 | | S. B. 347 |
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| 110 | 110 | | - 4 - 25 LC 47 3632 |
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| 111 | 111 | | SECTION 3. |
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| 112 | 112 | | 93 |
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| 113 | 113 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.94 |
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| 114 | 114 | | S. B. 347 |
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| 115 | 115 | | - 5 - |
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