Georgia House bill by author Rep. Thomas to revise Holly Springs city boundaries and council structure passes House and Senate

Passed bill introduced by State Rep. Brad Thomas aims to update the Holly Springs city charter by revising municipal boundaries and restructuring the city council following approval in both chambers, according to the Georgia State House.

It passed both chambers as of Tuesday, Feb. 17, clearing the House by a vote of 161-0 and the Senate by a vote of 48-1.

The bill, introduced as HB1029 on Tuesday, Jan. 27 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Holly Springs, City of; revise boundaries’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill updates the Holly Springs city charter to revise the municipal boundaries and restructure the city council. It sets the city limits according to a detailed map and 2020 census voting tabulation districts filed with the city clerk and allows future boundary changes by ordinance. The bill reduces the council from five to four members plus the mayor and creates four new council districts defined in an attached redistricting plan, with rules for handling areas not clearly assigned or not contiguous. Current councilmembers remain in office through their existing terms, and staggered 4-year terms for the new districts begin with municipal elections in 2026 and 2028. The bill takes effect upon the governor’s approval, with remaining election changes fully effective Jan. 1, 2027.

In the House, 75 Democrats and 86 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with no opposition.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 19 Democrats and 29 Republicans voted in favor, while one Republican voted against it.

The bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Bill Fincher (Republican-23rd), Rep. Rick Jasperse (Republican-11th), and Rep. Jan Jones (Republican-47th), along with two other co-sponsors.

Thomas graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2006 with a BS.

Thomas, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 21st House District, replacing previous state representative Scot Turner.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday, May 12.

In Georgia, the legislative process begins when a lawmaker, often at a constituent’s request, works with the Office of Legislative Counsel to draft a bill. After filing with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill receives its first reading and is sent to a committee, where most of the debate and fact-finding takes place. If approved, it advances to the floor for a third reading, debate, and a vote. To become law, the bill must pass both chambers, sometimes through a conference committee if versions differ, before being sent to the governor. The governor then has six days during session—or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die)—to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without a signature. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for a 40-day session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was obtained from the Georgia State House. The source data can be found here.