SB346: SB346 DeKalb County; the compensation of certain judges, judicial officers, and county officers; revise

DeKalb County's officials and judges are paid under a 1976 state law that has been amended repeatedly. This bill rewrites that law's salary formula. It defines 'gross salary' as whichever is higher: $218,990.30 or the highest annual salary the state pays any superior court judge, and uses that figure as the base for other officials' pay. The bill sets the Chief Executive Officer and Sheriff at 100% of that base, the Clerk of Superior Court at 80%, the Tax Commissioner at 75%, and county commissioners at 32%. It also sets pay for the State Court judges, Chief Magistrate, Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, and Solicitor-General at the higher of $208,040 or 90% of the base. It updates the law to reflect that the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit is now called the DeKalb Judicial Circuit, and it sets magistrate pay and monthly payment terms.

• Redefines 'gross salary' as the higher of $218,990.30 or the highest annual state salary paid to any superior court judge, used as the base for other officials' pay.
• Sets the Chief Executive Officer and Sheriff of DeKalb County at 100% of that gross salary, the Clerk of Superior Court at 80%, and the Tax Commissioner at 75%.
• Sets county commissioners' pay at 32% of the gross salary figure.
• Sets pay for the State Court judges, Chief Magistrate, Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, and Solicitor-General at the higher of $208,040 or 90% of the gross salary.
• Updates the law to rename the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit as the DeKalb Judicial Circuit, matching a 2024 statewide law change.
• Sets full-time associate magistrates' pay at 90% of the Chief Magistrate's salary and ties part-time associate magistrates' hourly rate to that same figure.

DeKalb County's Chief Executive Officer, Sheriff, Clerk of Superior Court, Tax Commissioner, Board of Commissioners members, State Court judges, Chief Magistrate, Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, Solicitor-General, and full-time and part-time associate magistrates all have their pay set by this bill.

The bill changes how much DeKalb County pays many of its elected officials and judges by resetting the formula used to calculate their salaries, which affects county budgets and the compensation these officeholders receive going forward.

• Section 1 revises Section 1 of the 1976 Act to redefine 'gross salary' as the higher of $218,990.30 or the top superior court judge salary paid by the state.
• Section 2 adds Section 1.2 clarifying that references to the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit now mean the DeKalb Judicial Circuit, per a 2024 state law.
• Section 3 revises Sections 2 and 2.1, setting percentage-based salaries for the Chief Executive Officer, Sheriff, Clerk of Superior Court, Tax Commissioner, commissioners, and setting judicial pay at the higher of $208,040 or 90% of gross salary.
• Section 4 repeals paragraphs (1) through (4) of Section 3, revises Section 3.1 to set associate magistrate pay, and adds Section 3.2 requiring salaries be paid in equal monthly installments from county funds.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-27Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2025-03-20Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2025-03-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)Primary sponsor

• DeKalb County government
• judicial salaries
• local government pay
• county officials