Georgia CommonsHouse · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 304: Local government; Georgia Municipal Court Clerks' Council; create
Last action July 1, 2026 · Effective Date
House Bill 304 would let retired Georgia municipal court judges serve as 'senior' judges and would create a new statewide council for municipal court clerks and staff, similar to the existing council for municipal court judges.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia law already has a Council of Municipal Court Judges. This bill amends that law and adds two new things. First, it creates the office of 'senior municipal court judge,' a status former municipal court judges can apply for if they served at least ten years and meet certain licensing and training conditions. Senior judges get the same amenities and privileges as active judges but are not required to actually sit on a court. Second, the bill creates the Georgia Municipal Court Clerks' Council, made up of municipal court staff (the clerks and support staff who run day-to-day court administration) from every municipal court in the state. The council can organize itself, adopt bylaws, elect officers, accept outside funding, and hire staff. It is officially a state agency, and its purpose is to support training and professional development for municipal court staff. The bill repeals conflicting laws and does not list a delayed effective date beyond standard enactment.
What the bill does
- Creates the office of senior municipal court judge for former judges with at least ten years of service who meet licensing, bar membership, and training conditions.
- Requires the president of the Council of Municipal Court Judges to review applications for senior judge status and decide within 30 days.
- Exempts senior judges from paying support or registration fees for mandatory training, though they still pay other training costs.
- Creates the Georgia Municipal Court Clerks' Council, composed of municipal court staff statewide, as a legal state agency that can own property, accept gifts and grants, and hire personnel.
- Adds the senior municipal court judges to the existing Council of Municipal Court Judges of Georgia's membership.
- Preserves any existing local laws or ordinances that already set up senior judge positions for specific municipal courts.
Who it affects
Former and current municipal court judges across Georgia, the existing Council of Municipal Court Judges, and municipal court clerks and administrative staff statewide, who would gain a new statewide council to represent and train them.
Why it matters
Retired judges who meet the experience and licensing requirements could keep an honorary 'senior judge' role with associated privileges without needing to actively hear cases. Municipal court clerks and staff, who currently lack a dedicated statewide body, would gain an organized council to coordinate training and represent their interests.
Key provisions
- Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 36-32-40 to add senior municipal court judges to the membership of the Council of Municipal Court Judges of Georgia.
- Section 2 adds new Code Section 36-32-42 creating the senior municipal court judge office, application process, and 30-day decision requirement for the council president.
- Section 2 also sets qualifications: at least ten years of prior service, current Georgia bar license and good standing, or an alternate path for judges not licensed to practice law.
- Section 2 states senior judges are exempt from paying training support or registration fees but must cover other training costs.
- Section 2 clarifies that senior judges are not required to sit on any court and that the new law does not override local ordinances already creating senior judge positions.
- Section 3 adds new Article 4 (Code Section 36-32-50) creating the Georgia Municipal Court Clerks' Council, defining 'municipal court staff' and setting its structure, purpose, and powers.
- Section 3 designates the council as a legal entity and state agency that can contract, own property, accept funds and gifts, and employ staff, funded through state appropriations and other sources.
- Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“There is created the office of senior municipal court judge of this state.”
“Senior municipal court judges shall not be required to sit as a judge in any court or be required to comply with the requirements of subsection (b) of this Code section in order to enjoy the amenities and privileges accorded pursuant to this Code section.”
“There is created the Georgia Municipal Court Clerks' Council. The council shall be composed of the municipal court staff of all municipal courts within this state.”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Judiciary Committee, March 19, 2026
From 0:05:53 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 304 would create a senior municipal court judge designation for judges with at least 10 years of experience who remain certified. The sponsor said these judges would still go through the usual municipal selection process. The sponsor also said the bill would create a Georgia Municipal Court Clerks Council and a clerk certification program to improve consistency and professionalism across what the sponsor described as Georgia’s 389 municipal courts. A witness for the Georgia Council of Municipal Court Judges supported the bill, saying senior judges could fill temporary needs only in municipal courts, at no cost to the state. A Dalton municipal court administrator also spoke in support. The chair described the committee substitute as matching the version the committee approved the previous year. The committee unanimously recommended passage by substitute.
Senate Rules Committee, March 23, 2026
From 0:18:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 304 would create the office of senior municipal court judge and a Georgia Municipal Court Clerks' Council. A committee member later requested it for the floor calendar. It was included in the package approved unanimously.
Senate floor session, March 25, 2026 (legislative day 37)
From 2:44:32 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 304 would establish a Municipal Court Clerks' Council to bring together clerks from 380 municipal courts for training and more consistent practices. The sponsor said the substitute also created a senior municipal court judge position and noted that municipal courts were the courts Georgians most often encountered. No questions or opposition followed. The Senate adopted the committee substitute and passed it 51 to 0.
House floor session, March 27, 2026 (legislative day 38, part 2)
From 0:48:31 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 304 would formally recognize a Municipal Court Clerks Council to promote consistent court operations, training, certification and respect for constitutional rights. The sponsor said the Senate version also created senior municipal court judge status for former municipal judges with at least ten years of experience, subject to application approval and continued certification. According to the sponsor, senior status would not guarantee a position, and municipalities would retain their normal selection process. No questions were asked. The House agreed to the Senate substitute 159 to 2.
Status timeline
- Effective Date
- Act 637
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
Show full history (18 actions)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Bill Yearta (R, HD-152)
- Joseph Gullett (R, HD-19)
- Stan Gunter (R, HD-8)
- Trey Kelley (R, HD-16)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
- Matt Barton (R, HD-5)
- Brian Strickland (R, SD-42)
Votes
- House voteMarch 4, 2025
171 yea, 2 nay (3 not voting, 4 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 25, 2026
51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 1 excused)
- House voteMarch 27, 2026
159 yea, 2 nay (4 not voting, 11 excused)
Topics
- municipal courts
- judicial retirement
- court administration
- local government
- court clerks