HB770: HB770 Gwinnett Judicial Circuit; additional supplement for chief judge; provide

This bill amends the 1960 Act that created the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit, which covers the superior court serving Gwinnett County. Currently, judges in the circuit receive state pay plus county supplements. This bill adds a new provision specifically for the chief judge of the superior court. Under the bill, Gwinnett County's governing authority (the county commission) must pay the chief judge an extra $10,000 per year, split into 12 equal monthly payments, funded from county money. This is on top of whatever other county supplements are already paid to judges in the circuit. The change would take effect June 1, 2025, and the bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new section to the 1960 Act governing the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit that creates an extra pay supplement for the chief judge of the superior court.
• Requires Gwinnett County's governing authority to pay the chief judge $10,000 per year from county funds, in 12 equal monthly installments.
• Specifies that this new supplement is on top of, not instead of, any other county supplements already given to superior court judges.
• Sets the effective date of the new supplement as June 1, 2025.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new requirement.

The chief judge of the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit superior court, who receives the added pay, and Gwinnett County's governing authority, which must budget and pay the new $10,000 annual supplement from county funds.

The chief judge overseeing Gwinnett County's superior court would receive higher total compensation than other judges in the circuit, funded directly by county taxpayers, starting June 1, 2025, adding a modest but permanent new obligation to the county budget.

• Section 1 adds new Section 2A.1 to the 1960 Gwinnett Judicial Circuit Act, requiring Gwinnett County to supplement the chief judge's state-paid compensation by $10,000 annually.
• The $10,000 supplement must be paid in 12 equal monthly payments and is added to any existing county supplements for superior court judges.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as June 1, 2025.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-06-01
2. 2025-05-13Act 222
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-09House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-04-02Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2025-03-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2025-03-21House Passed/Adopted (House)

• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
• Soo Hong (R, HD-103)
• Jasmine Clark (D, HD-108)
• Arlene Beckles (D, HD-096)
• Segun Adeyina (D, HD-110)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 21, 2025

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

   Local Calendar : House Vote #293

2. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   55 yea, 1 nay

   Supplemental Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #400

• judicial pay
• Gwinnett County
• superior court
• local legislation