Section 28-1-15. Restrictions on population bills; "population bill" defined

   (a) This Code section is passed pursuant to the authority of Article III, Section VI, Paragraph IV, subparagraph (b) of the Constitution, and no population bill shall be passed and no bill using classification by population as a means of determining the applicability of any bill or law to any political subdivision or group of political subdivisions may expressly or impliedly amend, modify, supersede, or repeal this Code section.

(b) As used in this Code section, "political subdivision" means any county, municipality, county school district, independent school district, judicial circuit, militia district, or any other geographical area of the state which does not include the entire area of the state.

(c) Except as provided in this subsection, "population bill" means any bill using classification by population as a means of determining the applicability of any bill or law to any political subdivision or group of political subdivisions of the state. "Population bill" shall not include the following:

   (1) A bill applicable to one specified type of political subdivision and containing a combination of population classifications which includes the population of and affects all political subdivisions of the type specified, including but not limited to state-wide minimum salary bills for county officers;

   (2) A bill classifying political subdivisions having less than a specified population and affecting three or more such political subdivisions; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to or affect the legality of any bills classifying political subdivisions having less than a specified population enacted prior to July 1, 1988, or which become effective July 1, 1988;

   (3) A bill classifying political subdivisions having more than a specified population and affecting three or more such political subdivisions; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to or affect:

      (A) The legality of any bills classifying political subdivisions having more than a specified population enacted prior to July 1, 1988, or which become effective July 1, 1988; or

      (B) The passage or legality of any bills amending bills referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph with respect to specific subject matter contained in such bills on July 1, 1988;

   (4) A bill classifying political subdivisions on the basis of the population of standard metropolitan statistical areas and affecting three or more such political subdivisions; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to or affect the legality of any bills classifying on the basis of the population of standard metropolitan statistical areas enacted prior to July 1, 1988, or which become effective July 1, 1988;

   (5) A bill amending a law which classifies political subdivisions on the basis of population if that amendment merely changes the population classification of such law so as to permit that law to remain applicable to those political subdivisions to which that law was applicable immediately prior to the time the most recent census figures became applicable to those political subdivisions; or

   (6) A bill repealing a law which classifies on the basis of population.

In order to be permissible under the foregoing exceptions, a bill must fit within only one of the foregoing exceptions; and any bill which uses two or more of the foregoing classification devices shall be a prohibited "population bill."

(c.1) (1) A population bill shall also mean any bill using classification by population as a means of determining the applicability of any bill or law to any political subdivision or group of political subdivisions of the state with respect to the following:

      (A) The salary of any officer, official, or employee of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision; provided, however, that the limitation provided for in this subparagraph shall not apply to state-wide minimum salary bills for county officers which are authorized under paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of this Code section; or

      (B) The property, affairs, or operation of the governing authority of a county or municipality, including, but not limited to, any matters pertaining to municipal annexation, deannexation, incorporation, or dissolution.

   (2) Except as provided in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of this subsection, any population bill which meets any of the classification criteria of this subsection shall be a prohibited population bill even if such bill is described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (c) of this Code section. Any such bill enacted prior to July 1, 1997, or which became effective July 1, 1997, may thereafter be repealed as authorized under paragraph (6) of subsection (c) of this Code section or may only be amended as authorized under paragraph (5) of subsection (c) of this Code section.

(d) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to invalidate any judicially imposed requirements for Acts classifying on the basis of population.

Code 1981, § 28-1-14, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 1205, § 2; Code 1981, § 28-1-15, as redesignated by Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 28; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1547, § 1; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1308, §§ 1, 2.