The Georgia House of Representatives voted Monday to shrink the city of Stockbridge if the new city of Eagle's Landing is created.
The legislation, Senate Bill 262, was approved on a 95-58 vote. It previously passed the state Senate and now heads to Gov. Nathan Deal for his signature or veto.
A separate bill to incorporate the city of Eagle's Landing in Henry County hasn't yet received a vote in the House. That legislation, Senate Bill 263, is pending in the House Governmental Affairs Committee after it passed the Senate last month.
Together, the two bills would take a southern portion of Stockbridge and combine it with unincorporated areas to form Eagle’s Landing.
Opponents of the measures, including Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Ellenwood, have said they're racially motivated.
Stockbridge is a predominantly black city, and SB 262 would remove about half of its tax base.
The proposed city of Eagle’s Landing would take that tax base from Stockbridge and put it into a municipality that’s about 44 percent black and 43 percent white.
Supporters of Eagle's Landing say they want a city that can provide better police, parks and infrastructure maintenance.
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