Rep. Roger Bruce (61st) Bills to place FIB in the New City of South Fulton via Referendum passes House in Record Time
House Bill 131 would amend the city boundaries of the new city of South Fulton effective January 1, 2018 contingent upon the passage of county-wide referendum in November 2017 as prescribed in HB 132 below.
House Bill 132 calls for a county-wide referendum to lift the local constitutional amendment that currently protects the Fulton Industrial Boulevard District from annexation by any city. Rep. Bruce has been advised by the Office of Legislative Counsel that HB 132 can advance with the proposed referendum date of November 7, 2017 (rather than waiting for the General Election in 2018), because it is a local constitutional amendment that is repealing actions of a former referendum—not a general constitutional amendment. Rep. Bruce preferred to have the referendum come before voters in 2017 rather than 2018. Senator Donzella James (D-35) will now introduce legislation in the Senate.
In 2015, the City of Atlanta filed a lawsuit to overturn the 1979 local constitutional amendment that prevents them from annexing Fulton Industrial Blvd. The Georgia State Supreme Court dismissed Atlanta’s case in October of 2016 stating in Atlanta never passed a local ordinance to annex the property and therefore there was nothing legally to resolve.
