HB646: HB646 Coroners; provide minimum salaries

Georgia law sets minimum salaries for county coroners based on county population, using figures unchanged since the 1990 census. This bill updates that schedule to the 2020 census and substantially raises the minimum salary amounts, ranging from $17,700 in the smallest counties up to $105,000 in the largest. It also changes how deputy coroners are paid starting January 1, 2027, moving from flat fees to a $250 minimum per death investigation plus a $100 daily rate for days without a case, unless local law already sets a deputy's salary. The bill also requires counties to give qualifying coroners the same employment benefits given to other elected county officers, such as the sheriff or tax commissioner, if the coroner worked at least 2,080 hours and handled at least 100 death investigations in a year. Separately, it lets counties choose to help pay health insurance premiums for retiring judges, sheriffs, tax officials, clerks, and commissioners who served at least 16 years, capped at savings from replacing them with a lower-paid successor. Most provisions take effect July 1, 2026 or January 1, 2027.

• Updates the coroner minimum salary schedule (O.C.G.A. § 45-16-11) from 1990 census population brackets to 2020 census brackets, raising minimum pay to between $17,700 and $105,000 depending on county size.
• Changes deputy coroner compensation starting January 1, 2027 to a minimum $250 fee per death investigation plus a $100 per diem for days without a case, capped at 90 days per year.
• Exempts deputy coroners from the new fee and per diem formula if local legislation already sets a specific salary for that deputy coroner.
• Requires counties to give a qualifying coroner the same employment benefits as other named county elected officials if the coroner worked at least 2,080 hours and oversaw at least 100 death investigations in the prior year.
• Removes the death investigation fee provision from O.C.G.A. § 45-16-27 by repealing subsections (b) and (b.1) and marking that subsection reserved.
• Allows counties, by local ordinance, to pay 75 percent of health insurance premiums for certain retiring officers, their spouses, and dependents until the retiree turns 65, capped by a savings formula tied to salary differences with a successor.

County coroners and deputy coroners across Georgia, county governing authorities that fund coroner offices and set budgets, and retiring county officials such as probate judges, sheriffs, tax commissioners or collectors, clerks of superior court, and county commissioners who may become eligible for continued health coverage.

Coroners in many Georgia counties would see a substantial pay increase for the first time since figures tied to the 1990 census, and deputy coroners would move to a new fee and per diem system. Counties would also gain a new, optional tool to help retiring officials afford health insurance before Medicare eligibility.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 45-16-7 so that, starting January 1, 2027, deputy coroners get at least $250 per death investigation they handle plus $100 per diem for days without a case, capped at 90 days a year, unless local law sets a different salary.
• Section 1 also protects deputy coroners already paid more than the new formula from having their pay cut for the rest of the coroner's term.
• Section 2 rewrites the minimum salary table in O.C.G.A. § 45-16-11, switching from 1990 census brackets and dollar amounts as low as $1,200 to 2020 census brackets with minimums from $17,700 to $105,000.
• Section 2 adds a requirement (new subsection (a.1)) that counties give a qualifying coroner the same benefits as the clerk of superior court, probate judge, sheriff, or tax commissioner if the coroner worked at least 2,080 hours and handled 100+ death investigations in the prior year.
• Section 3 repeals subsections (b) and (b.1) of O.C.G.A. § 45-16-27, eliminating the previously authorized per-call death investigation fee for coroners.
• Section 4 adds a new subsection to O.C.G.A. § 45-18-5 letting counties, by ordinance, pay 75 percent of health plan premiums for eligible retiring officers with 16+ years of service, until age 65, capped by realized salary savings.
• Section 5 sets effective dates: Sections 4 and 6 begin July 1, 2026, while Sections 1 through 3 (the coroner salary and deputy pay changes) begin January 1, 2027.

1. 2026-03-31Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2025-03-10Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-03-06House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
6. 2025-03-06House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-03-04House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
8. 2025-02-28House Second Readers (House)

• Patty Stinson (D, HD-150)Primary sponsor
• Will Wade (R, HD-009)
• Mack Jackson (D, HD-128)
• Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)
• Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   170 yea, 4 nay (2 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #243

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   39 yea, 10 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Table Remaining Legislation On The Rules Calendar: Senate Vote #912

• coroners
• county government pay
• public employee benefits
• death investigations
• local government funding