Legislation updating Tift County purchasing policies approved by Georgia legislature

A bill introduced by State Rep. Jaclyn Ford establishes the Tift County Board of Commissioners as the purchasing agent for the county and modernizes local purchasing rules, according to the Georgia State House.

Both the House and Senate passed the measure as of Tuesday, Feb. 24. The bill was approved unanimously, receiving a 158-0 vote in the House and a 53-0 vote in the Senate.

Filed as HB1155 on Monday, Feb. 2 in the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, the legislation is titled: ‘Tift County; board of commissioners; revise purchasing provisions.’

Below is an overview based on the text of the bill, with some interpretive information for clarity.

The bill updates the local Act guiding the Tift County Board of Commissioners by giving the board responsibility as the purchasing agent for Tift County to acquire all items for county needs. All purchasing and bidding is to follow a policy adopted by the board, replacing former statutory requirements. The act also repeals any previous laws in conflict with its provisions.

Voting results in the House showed 70 Democrats and 88 Republicans supported the bill, with no votes against.

In the Senate, all 23 Democrats and 30 Republicans voted in favor, with no opposition recorded.

Rep. Angie O’Steen (Republican-169th) is a co-sponsor of the bill.

Ford earned her degree from the University of Georgia.

Ford, a Republican, was elected to the Georgia State House in 2025 for the state’s 170th House District, succeeding former representative Penny Houston.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on Monday, May 11.

Georgia’s legislative process begins when a House or Senate member, often responding to a constituent, drafts a bill with the Office of Legislative Counsel. Once filed, the bill receives a first reading, is referred to committee for detailed discussion, and if approved moves to the floor for debate and voting after a third reading. Passage requires agreement by both chambers—sometimes through a conference committee—before reaching the governor. The governor has six days during the session, or 40 after adjournment, to sign, veto, or let the bill become law without a signature. Each regular session of the Georgia General Assembly consists of 40 days starting the second Monday in January.

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