Lawmakers approve bill restructuring Auburn, Georgia city charter and government

A recently approved bill authored by State Rep. Chuck Efstration seeks to reincorporate Auburn, Georgia, update city government organization, and modify city powers and processes after securing passage in both legislative chambers, the Georgia State House reports.

As of Friday, March 27, the measure cleared both the House and Senate, receiving a 153-0 vote in the House and a 47-0 vote in the Senate.

Filed as HB1525 on Friday, March 6, during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, its official purpose reads: ’Auburn, City of; revise and readopt charter in its entirety’.

Our summary below draws from the actual bill text and clarifies its key elements.

Essentially, the bill revises Auburn’s city charter, reincorporates the city, and reaffirms its home rule authority. It clarifies corporation boundaries, details wide-ranging regulatory and service responsibilities, and grants authority for eminent domain and infrastructure projects. The law reorganizes city government into a mayor-council format with a professional city manager, sets procedures for council actions, ordinances and inquiries, and establishes standards for ethics and removal of officials. The legislation outlines the municipal court’s jurisdiction, updates nonpartisan election rules and staggered, limited terms, and modernizes financial management—covering tax, budgeting, debt, procurement, audits and property disposition.

House approval came with support from 65 Democrats and 88 Republicans, with no votes against.

In the Senate, 18 Democrats and 29 Republicans voted in favor, with none opposed.

Efstration is an alumnus of the University of Georgia (2004, BA) and the Walter F. George School of Law (2008, JD).

A Republican, Efstration won election to the Georgia State House in 2013 for the 104th House District, following Donna Sheldon as representative.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on Tuesday, May 12.

As outlined in Georgia’s legislative process, a bill takes shape when a legislator collaborates with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft it, often at a constituent’s suggestion. Once filed with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, it receives an initial reading and goes to committee, where most review and discussion occurs. If recommended, it moves to the chamber floor for a final reading, further debate, and voting. Passage by both the House and Senate is required—sometimes via a conference committee to resolve different versions—before the bill advances to the governor. The governor then has six days during session, or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die), to sign, veto, or let the bill become law without signature. The Georgia General Assembly convenes annually for a 40-day session starting the second Monday in January.

Information for this article is sourced from the Georgia State House. The source data is available here.