HB1309.html

House Bill 1309
By: Representative Skipper of the 137^th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend an Act providing for districts for the election of the Sumter County Board of Education, approved February 29, 1968 (Ga. L. 1968, p. 2065), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 5, 1973 (Ga. L. 1973, p. 2127), an Act approved April 1, 1992 (Ga. L. 1992, p. 5171), and an Act approved April 13, 1994 (Ga. L. 1994, p. 5108), so as to change provisions relating to education districts for the board; to define certain terms; to provide for the submission of this Act to the United States Department of Justice; to provide for related matters; to provide effective dates; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

An Act providing for districts for the election of the Sumter County Board of Education, approved February 29, 1968 (Ga. L. 1968, p. 2065), as amended, particularly by an Act approved March 5, 1973 (Ga. L. 1973, p. 2127), an Act approved April 1, 1992 (Ga. L. 1992, p. 5171), and an Act approved April 13, 1994 (Ga. L. 1994, p. 5108), is amended by striking in its entirety Section 1 and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

(a) The Sumter County School District shall be defined as all of Sumter County including the area within the corporate limits of the City of Americus. The board of education of Sumter County shall be composed of nine members who shall be elected as provided in this Act. For the purposes of electing members of the board, the Sumter County School District shall be and correspond to those nine education districts described in and attached to and made a part of this Act and further identified as Plan Name: SUMTERSB2 Plan Type: LOCAL User: Tara Administrator: Sumter Co.
(b) When used in such attachment, the terms 'Tract' and 'BG' (Block Group) shall mean and describe the same geographical boundaries as provided in the report of the Bureau of the Census for the United States decennial census of 2000 for the State of Georgia. The separate numeric designations in a Tract description which are underneath a 'BG' heading shall mean and describe individual Blocks within a Block Group as provided in the report of the Bureau of the Census for the United States decennial census of 2000 for the State of Georgia. Any part of the Sumter County School District which is not included in any educational district described in that attachment shall be included within that educational district contiguous to such part which contains the least population according to the United States decennial census of 2000 for the State of Georgia. Any part of the Sumter County School District which is described in that attachment as being in a particular education district shall nevertheless not be included within such educational district if such part is not contiguous to such district. Such noncontiguous part shall instead be included within that educational district contiguous to such part which contains the least population according to the United States decennial census of 2000 for the State of Georgia. Except as otherwise provided in the description of any education district, whenever the description of such district refers to a named city, it shall mean the geographical boundaries of that city as shown on the census map for the United States decennial census of 2000 for the State of Georgia."

Said Act is further amended by striking subsections (a), (b), and (c) of Section 3, and redesignating subsections (d), (e), and (f) as new subsections (a), (b), and (c).

Said Act is further amended by repealing Section 4.

It is the purpose of this Act to reapportion the districts from which members of the Sumter County Board of Education are to be elected in the November, 2002, general election and in subsequent general elections, and this Act results from changes in population based on the United States decennial census of 2000. It is not the intention of the General Assembly to affect the membership of current members of the board, their terms of office, or the manner in which their successors shall be elected, and such matters shall remain as provided by law on the effective date of this Act until otherwise amended by law, except to the extent of reapportioning the districts represented by such members.

It shall be the duty of the attorney of the Sumter County Board of Education to submit this Act for approval pursuant to Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended.

The provisions of this Act relating to and necessary for the regular election in 2002 of members of the Sumter County Board of Education shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval; and this Act shall otherwise become effective January 1, 2003.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.