HB768: HB768 Gwinnett County; State Court; supplement for chief judge; provide

Georgia law that created and governs the State Court of Gwinnett County already sets compensation for the court's judges. This bill adds a new provision to that 1977 law specifically for the chief judge of the court. Under the bill, Gwinnett County's governing authority (the Board of Commissioners) must pay the chief judge an additional $10,000 per year from county funds, split into 12 equal monthly payments. This supplement comes on top of any salary or other supplements the chief judge already receives. The change would take effect June 1, 2025, and the bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new subsection to the 1977 Act governing the State Court of Gwinnett County to create a pay supplement for the court's chief judge.
• Requires Gwinnett County's governing authority to pay the chief judge $10,000 per year from county funds, in 12 equal monthly installments.
• Specifies the supplement is added on top of any other compensation or supplements the chief judge already receives.
• Sets an effective date of June 1, 2025, and repeals any conflicting laws.

The chief judge of the State Court of Gwinnett County, who receives the new pay supplement, and the Gwinnett County governing authority (Board of Commissioners), which must fund the payment from county money.

The change means Gwinnett County taxpayers will fund an additional $10,000 annual payment specifically for the chief judge's position, separate from the compensation given to other judges on the same court, starting June 1, 2025.

• Section 1 amends Section 13 of the 1977 Act creating the State Court of Gwinnett County by adding subsection (c.1), which creates the chief judge's supplement.
• The supplement is set at $10,000.00 per year, paid in 12 equal monthly payments from Gwinnett County funds.
• The supplement is explicitly additional to any other compensation or supplements already provided to judges under the Act.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as June 1, 2025.
• Section 3 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with the Act.

1. 2025-05-13Effective Date 2025-06-01
2. 2025-05-13Act 220
3. 2025-05-13House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-08House 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)
• Gabe Okoye (D, HD-102)
• Karen Bennett (D, HD-094)

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

• Gwinnett County
• state courts
• judicial pay
• local legislation