HB858: HB858 Cobb County; State Court; change compensation and number of certain staff of solicitor-general

This bill amends the 1964 law that created the State Court of Cobb County, as previously amended in 2017, to change staffing and pay rules in the solicitor-general's office. The solicitor-general prosecutes certain criminal cases in Cobb County's state court. Under the revised law, the solicitor-general may appoint two assistant solicitors for each judge in Division I and Division II of the State Court of Cobb County, plus one additional assistant solicitor for every full-time magistrate in the Cobb County Magistrate Court, plus four more assistant solicitors on top of that. All assistant solicitors must be licensed to practice law in Georgia and be members in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia. Starting January 1, 2027, they must be paid at least $83,400 a year, with the exact amount set by the solicitor-general and approved by the Cobb County governing authority, paid monthly from county funds. The solicitor-general can also designate some assistant solicitors as supervisors, who cannot practice law privately while serving. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

• Increases the number of assistant solicitors the Cobb County solicitor-general may appoint by tying the count to judges, magistrates, plus four extra positions.
• Sets a new minimum annual salary of $83,400 for assistant solicitors, effective January 1, 2027.
• Requires the exact pay amount to be set by the solicitor-general and approved by the Cobb County governing authority.
• Keeps the requirement that assistant solicitors be licensed Georgia attorneys in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia.
• Allows the solicitor-general to designate some assistant solicitors as supervisors, who are barred from private legal practice while serving.
• Sets the effective date of the overall Act as July 1, 2026.

This bill affects the Cobb County solicitor-general's office, the assistant solicitors it employs, the Cobb County governing authority (which must approve pay), and Cobb County taxpayers, since salaries are paid from county general funds.

The change allows the Cobb County solicitor-general to staff up alongside growth in judges and magistrates, and guarantees assistant solicitors a higher minimum salary starting in 2027, which could affect the office's ability to recruit and retain attorneys and the county's budget.

• Section 1 revises subsection (d) of Section 27 of the 1964 Act creating the State Court of Cobb County to change assistant solicitor staffing formulas and pay.
• New staffing formula: two assistant solicitors per judge in Division I and II, plus one per full-time Cobb County magistrate, plus four additional positions.
• Sets a minimum annual salary of $83,400 for assistant solicitors beginning January 1, 2027, with the exact amount approved by the solicitor-general and the Cobb County governing authority.
• Requires all assistant solicitors to be licensed Georgia attorneys and members in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia.
• Retains the solicitor-general's authority to designate supervisor-level assistant solicitors who may not privately practice law while serving.
• Section 2 sets the Act's effective date as July 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 523
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub (Senate)
6. 2026-03-31House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended (House)
7. 2026-03-12Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
8. 2026-03-12Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Terry Cummings (D, HD-039)Primary sponsor
• Lisa Campbell (D, HD-035)
• Devan Seabaugh (R, HD-034)
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Jordan Ridley (R, HD-022)
• John Carson (R, HD-046)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 31, 2025

   165 yea, 0 nay (10 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Calendar Without Hbs 851 & 852: House Vote #342

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 12, 2026

   43 yea, 0 nay (7 not voting, 5 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #706

3. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2026

   50 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 2 absent)

   Agree To House Amendment To Senate Substitute: Senate Vote #962

• Cobb County government
• state court staffing
• solicitor-general
• local government pay
• Georgia local legislation