SB350: SB350 DeKalb County; certain judges, judicial officers, and county officers; revise the compensation

DeKalb County pays many of its judges and top officials based on a 1976 state law that ties salaries to a 'gross salary' figure linked to Superior Court judges' pay. This bill raises that base figure to at least $218,990.30 and adjusts how several offices' salaries are calculated as a share of it. The bill sets the Chief Executive Officer, District Attorney, and Sheriff at 100 percent of the gross salary, the Clerk of Superior Court at 80 percent, the Tax Commissioner at 75 percent, and county commissioners at 32 percent. It sets pay for the State Court judges, Chief Magistrate, Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, and Solicitor-General at the higher of $208,040.00 or 90 percent of gross salary. It also updates the law to reflect that the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit is now legally called the DeKalb Judicial Circuit, and confirms associate magistrates are paid relative to the Chief Magistrate's salary, in monthly installments from county funds.

• Raises the baseline 'gross salary' figure used to calculate DeKalb County officials' pay to the higher of $218,990.30 or the top Superior Court judge salary funded by the state.
• Sets salaries for the Chief Executive Officer, District Attorney, and Sheriff at 100 percent of that gross salary figure.
• Sets the Clerk of Superior Court's pay at 80 percent, the Tax Commissioner's at 75 percent, and county commissioners' at 32 percent of gross salary.
• Sets pay for State Court judges, the Chief Magistrate, the Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, and the Solicitor-General at the higher of $208,040.00 or 90 percent of gross salary.
• Updates the law's references from the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit to its new official name, the DeKalb Judicial Circuit, following a 2024 statewide renaming.
• Confirms full-time associate magistrates are paid 90 percent of the Chief Magistrate's salary and part-time associate magistrates an equivalent hourly rate, paid monthly from county funds.

DeKalb County's Chief Executive Officer, District Attorney, Sheriff, Clerk of Superior Court, Tax Commissioner, county commissioners, State Court judges, Chief Magistrate and associate magistrates, Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, and Solicitor-General, all of whose compensation is set by this local law.

The bill changes how much money specific DeKalb County elected officials and judges are paid, funded from county funds, and updates the legal name used for the county's judicial circuit in state law so references stay accurate after a 2024 statewide court renaming.

• Section 1 redefines 'gross salary' as the higher of $218,990.30 or the highest state-funded Superior Court judge salary.
• Section 2 adds language clarifying that the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit is now called the DeKalb Judicial Circuit under a 2024 state law, effective January 1, 2025.
• Section 3 sets percentage-based salaries for the Chief Executive Officer, District Attorney, Sheriff, Clerk of Superior Court, Tax Commissioner, and county commissioners (Sections 2 and 2.1 of the underlying 1976 Act).
• Section 3 also sets pay for State Court judges, the Chief Magistrate, Probate Court judge, Juvenile Court judges, and Solicitor-General at the higher of $208,040.00 or 90 percent of gross salary.
• Section 4 sets associate magistrate pay relative to the Chief Magistrate's salary and confirms salaries are paid monthly from DeKalb County funds.
• Section 5 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-12Effective Date 2026-05-12
2. 2026-05-12Act 697
3. 2026-05-12Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-25Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-03-18House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
7. 2026-03-18House Third Readers (House)
8. 2026-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)

• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)Primary sponsor
• Randal Mangham (D, SD-055)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Emanuel Jones (D, SD-010)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Long Tran (D, HD-080)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 27, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage As Amended: Senate Vote #292

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   161 yea, 2 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #712

3. PassedSenate voteMarch 25, 2026

   46 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 5 absent)

   Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #822

4. PassedSenate voteMarch 25, 2026

   47 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 5 absent)

   Immediately Transmit To Governor: Senate Vote #823

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