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Georgia House adopts resolution to reshape regional water-planning councils
Summary
The Georgia House on Jan. 29 adopted House Resolution 1008 to revise membership and terms of regional water-planning councils outside metropolitan Atlanta, reducing appointed seats and extending terms; the measure passed 168–0.
The Georgia House of Representatives adopted House Resolution 1008 on Jan. 29 to implement changes to how regional water-planning councils are constituted and staffed outside metropolitan Atlanta. The measure received a recorded vote of 168 yays and 0 nays.
Chair Lady Lynn Smith presented the resolution as the result of a multi-year statewide review by the State Water Management Planning Group. "The amendment includes reduce the number of government appointments from 13 to 7, reduce the number of lieutenant governor appointments from 6 to 3, [and] reduce the number of speaker of the house appointments from 6 to 3," Smith said, adding that the resolution also "remove[s] the alternate council members" and proposes increasing appointment lengths "from 3 years to 6 years." She said the changes aim to improve quorum reliability and efficiency in councils that advise on water and wastewater planning.
Smith described the policy as targeted at regions outside the Atlanta metropolitan area and said the amendments update requirements previously set out in a memorandum of understanding between the Environmental Protection Division and the Department of Community Affairs. She said each council would be required to include at least one representative from key demand-forecast sectors "Municipal, industrial, agricultural, energy" to ensure consumer perspectives are represented.
Members asked clarifying questions during floor discussion. Representative Sanchez asked whether the extended terms would apply immediately or at the next council meeting; Smith replied, "The next time the council meets for this is 02/2028," and said the change would govern appointments moving forward from that meeting. Representative Powell raised a concern that a district label may be incorrect for his house district; Smith said the issue would be verified by the EPD and provided the EPD's water-planning website: waterplanning.georgia.gov.
The House ordered the previous question, agreed to the committee's favorable report, and voted to adopt the resolution. The Clerk announced "the yays are 168, the nays are 0," and the Speaker declared the resolution adopted as having received the requisite constitutional majority. There was no recorded amendment to the resolution on the floor.
What comes next: the resolution ratifies the proposed amendments to the regional water-management planning process and establishes the framework for appointments and term lengths going forward; implementation will depend on appointment activity beginning with the council meeting projected for February 2028.
Vote details: Adoption of House Resolution 1008 — Yea: 168; Nay: 0.
