HB748: HB748 Carroll County; change compensation of coroner

Carroll County's coroner is currently paid under a local salary law dating back to 1973, last updated in 1997. This bill rewrites that law to set the coroner's annual base salary at $43,620.00, paid monthly from county funds, plus a yearly expense allowance of $3,100.00, also paid monthly from county funds under conditions the county governing authority sets. The bill also states that these amounts will be subject to future annual cost-of-living style adjustments under a state law that governs pay changes for county officials (O.C.G.A. § 36-5-28). The change would take effect July 1, 2025, and any older laws that conflict with it are repealed.

• Sets the Carroll County coroner's annual base salary at $43,620.00, paid monthly from county funds.
• Adds a yearly expense allowance of $3,100.00 for the coroner, paid monthly from county funds under rules set by the county governing authority.
• Ties future pay changes to automatic annual adjustments under O.C.G.A. § 36-5-28.
• Repeals any earlier laws that conflict with the new salary and allowance amounts.
• Sets the effective date of the new compensation as July 1, 2025.

This bill directly affects the coroner of Carroll County, whose pay and expense allowance it sets, as well as the Carroll County governing authority, which administers the payments and sets conditions for the expense allowance.

The bill changes how much Carroll County pays its coroner, an elected official responsible for investigating deaths in the county. Setting a specific salary and expense allowance, with built-in annual adjustments, affects the county budget and how the position is compensated going forward.

• Section 1 revises Section 2 of the 1973 Carroll County coroner salary law to set a new annual base salary of $43,620.00, paid monthly from county funds.
• Section 1 also sets a $3,100.00 annual expense allowance, paid monthly, with conditions determined by the county governing authority.
• Section 1 provides that these amounts will be adjusted annually under O.C.G.A. § 36-5-28, a state law governing periodic pay adjustments for certain county officers.
• Section 2 sets the effective date of the changes as July 1, 2025.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-07-01
2. 2025-05-13Act 166
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-28Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-21House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)Primary sponsor
• Lynn Smith (R, HD-070)
• David Huddleston (R, HD-072)
• Jutt Howard (R, HD-071)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 21, 2025

   158 yea, 0 nay (9 not voting, 13 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #293

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 28, 2025

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #313

• Carroll County
• coroner salary
• local government pay
• county officials