Georgia House bill by Rep. Burchett requiring Ware County advisory referendum on Waycross bypass passes House and Senate

Passed bill authored by State Rep. James Burchett aims to require Ware County to hold a nonbinding advisory referendum on voter support for a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross, 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 165-0 and the Senate by a vote of 48-1.

The bill, introduced as HB1093 on Thursday, Jan. 29 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, was formally described as: ’Ware County; nonbinding advisory referendum for the purpose of ascertaining whether the electors support a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross; provide’.

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

In essence, this bill requires Ware County to hold a nonbinding advisory referendum to gauge voter support for building a perimeter highway bypass around Waycross. The referendum must be conducted by the county election superintendent on the date of the 2026 general primary, with notice published once a week for two weeks beforehand. The ballot will ask voters if they support the bypass, with “Yes” and “No” options, and the county will pay all election costs. The superintendent must certify the results to the secretary of state, and any elector may seek a court order to compel compliance if the superintendent fails to carry out these duties.

In the House, 73 Democrats and 92 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. John Corbett (Republican-174th).

Burchett graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2005 with a BS and again in 2017 from Florida Coastal School of Law with a JD.

Burchett, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2019 to represent the state’s 176th House District, replacing previous state representative Jason Shaw.

The bill was signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday, March 19.

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.