Bill Text: GA SB129 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Savannah, City of; remove certain qualifications for local board of education members
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-01 - Effective Date [SB129 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-SB129-Engrossed.html
11 LC 28
5494
Senate
Bill 129
By:
Senator Carter of the 1st
AS
PASSED SENATE
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend an Act relating to the school system of the City of Savannah and Chatham
County, approved March 21, 1968 (Ga. L. 1968, p. 2636), as amended, particularly
by an Act approved May 28, 2010 (Ga. L. 2010, p. 3637), so as to remove certain
qualifications for local board of education members; to restore terms of office
for board members to four-year staggered terms; to provide for submission of
this Act for approval under the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended;
to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
An
Act relating to the school system of the City of Savannah and Chatham County,
approved March 21, 1968 (Ga. L. 1968, p. 2636), as amended, particularly by an
Act approved May 28, 2010 (Ga. L. 2010, p. 3637), is amended by striking
subsection (c) at the end of Section 2 which reads as follows:
"(c)(1)
No person shall be eligible for election as a member of the board who has not
been a resident of the election district which such person seeks to represent
for at least 12 months.
(2)
No person who does not possess a high school diploma or a general educational
development (GED) diploma shall be eligible for election to the board.
(3)
This subsection shall be applicable to persons elected or reelected in elections
held after July 1, 2010."
SECTION
2.
Said
Act is further amended by revising Section 3 to read as follows:
"SECTION
3.
(a)
The president of the board of education in office on January 1, 2010, shall
serve out the remainder of the term to which he or she was elected, such term
expiring on December 31, 2010. At the general election in 2010, the president
shall be elected pursuant to this Act and shall serve for a term of two years
and until his or her successor is elected and qualified and shall take office on
January 1, 2011. At the general election in 2012, the president shall be
elected pursuant to this Act and shall serve for a term of two years and until
his or her successor is elected and qualified and shall take office on January
1, 2013. At the general election in 2014 and every four years thereafter, the
president shall be elected pursuant to this Act and shall serve for a term of
four years and until his or her successor is elected and qualified and shall
take office on January 1 immediately following his or her election. No
president shall serve for more than eight consecutive years.
(b)
The members of the board of education in office on January 1, 2010, representing
Education Districts 1, 2, 3, and 7 shall serve out the remainder of the terms to
which they were elected, such terms expiring on December 31, 2010. At the
general election in 2010, members of the board shall be elected from Education
Districts 1, 2, 3, and 7 pursuant to this Act and shall serve for a term of two
years and until their successors are elected and qualified and shall take office
on January 1, 2011. At the general election in 2012 and every four years
thereafter, members of the board shall be elected from Education Districts 1, 2,
3, and 7 pursuant to this Act and shall serve for terms of four years and until
their successors are elected and qualified and shall take office on January 1
immediately following their election.
(c)
The members of the board of education in office on January 1, 2010, representing
Education Districts 4, 5, 6, and 8 shall serve out the remainder of the terms to
which they were elected, such terms expiring on December 31, 2012. At the
general election in 2012, members of the board shall be elected from Education
Districts 4, 5, 6, and 8 pursuant to this Act and shall serve for a term of two
years and until their successors are elected and qualified and shall take office
on January 1, 2013. At the general election in 2014 and every four years
thereafter, members of the board shall be elected from Education
Districts 4, 5, 6, and 8 pursuant to this Act and shall serve for terms of
four years and until their successors are elected and qualified and shall take
office on January 1 immediately following their election.
(d)
All primaries and elections under this Act shall be held in accordance with
Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the O.C.G.A., the 'Georgia Election
Code.'"
SECTION
3.
It
shall be the duty of the attorney of the Board of Public Education for the City
of Savannah and the County of Chatham to submit this Act for approval pursuant
to Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended.
SECTION
4.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
